New England Patriots - NESN.com
The New England Patriots (8-2) probably won’t have too much trouble taking care of business in their matchup with the New York Jets (2-7) on Thursday Night Football.
It’s going to be hard getting them to admit as much, though…
“That’s human nature,” head coach Mike Vrabel said during his press conference on Tuesday, per team-provided video. “We just have to stay consistent through our actions. It’s a quick turnaround — our guys were locked in and prepared… We never want to take the cheese and certainly there’s a human element to it, but when things are going good you have to prepare for when things are not.”
Vrabel was extremely impressed with his team’s outlook entering what many people are considering a “trap game” — even cracking that he was disappointed in not being able to throw things around and fabricate doubt. New England’s players have made that completely and totally unnecessary, though, as they continue to ignore the noise.
“I haven’t heard anyone say that this was gon’ be an easy win,” offensive lineman Will Campbell told reporters in the locker room on Tuesday. “I don’t think that records in the NFL matter… Every team has players that can hurt you if you don’t do your job.”
“We’ve had that mindset since we beat (the Buffalo Bills) — ignore the noise,” quarterback Drake Maye said during his media availability Tuesday. “… The Jets are coming off a win and they’ve got some great players, so we’ve got a tough task and they’re coming in here wanting to win.”
The Patriots’ ability to send the right message and take the right approach is admirable, but it might be slightly off-base.
The Jets just traded their two best players — shipping defensive tackle Quinnen Williams to the Dallas Cowboys and cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts — and despite rattling off back-to-back victories, still rank in the bottom-third of both total offense and total defense.
I don’t want to jinx it or anything, but let’s all be real…
New England should have zero problem taking care of New York — which is the way things have always been, and will continue to be.
