New England Patriots - NESN.com
The New England Patriots are atop the AFC East, but some have claimed it’s due to an easy schedule.
New England improved to 7-2 on the year with a 24-23 home win over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 9. Although the Patriots nearly blew a 24-14 lead after the third quarter, New England held on for the win.
However, following the win, some fans of opposing teams questioned the Patriots’ easy schedule. WEEI’s Chris Curtis brought it up to Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel, who scoffed at the notion.
“I don’t know, you want me to comment on the schedule, or you want me to comment on my message to the team?” Vrabel said on WEEI on Monday. “What are you trying to say? You’re working a lot into there. Like, is that the national perspective, or is that yours?
“I can only coach one team at a time. I don’t make the schedule. Every team beats every (team), you know what I mean? Like, that’s just mind-boggling to me, in the National Football League, that there be strength of schedule. You got a salary cap. Everybody spends the same amount of money. So you guys know in this league, that that doesn’t really mean anything.”
Vrabel doesn’t understand why the strength of schedule matters or is a talking point in the NFL, as any team can beat any team on any given week.
“I love your little smirk over there,” Vrabel said. “You know, like, you come up with this question and you want to ask me about the strength of schedule and my message. My message has been the same every week. That we have to put everything that we have into each week, and that everybody has to prepare as a starter. I love our practices and the way that we compete, and then you go and play the game.
“You know, I did see the talent that Atlanta had. That’s a talented football team. How many first-round picks? I don’t know, 10 or 12 on the roster? Good skill players. So I’m never gonna apologize for our guys winning.”
The Patriots will return to the field on Sunday on the road against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
