A cold front—both literally and figuratively—is hitting New England this week.
Sitting at an impressive 8–2 to start the season, the Patriots will welcome the Jets to Foxborough on Thursday night to kick off Week 11 in the NFL. When they do, they’ll debut their new Nor’Easter-themed uniforms as part of the league’s “Rivalries” series, just as temperatures begin to drop across the Boston area.
It’s well known that Mike Vrabel is a players’ coach. From being the first person out on the field when a player is injured, to greeting them at the locker room door following each game—win or lose—the 50-year-old former linebacker does everything he can to garner trust and buy-in from his unit.
Said buy-in has the Patriots wanting to do everything they can to win for him and, more importantly, the team. That became evident on a near-freezing day at Gillette Stadium on Tuesday.
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Following New England’s first and only true practice session on a short week, quarterback Drake Maye took to the podium and revealed that Vrabel gave the team the option to practice inside. The players declined, opting to get their session in in the elements.
“It’s good to get out there,” said Maye. “Good to get used to playing in that weather. It’s part of playing up here and making it something that—it was important to get out there and embrace being in this weather. I think it’s good to be able to practice in it. I think it’s an advantage.”
Maye has put together a sensational second season with the Patriots, one that has him as the frontrunner for the NFL’s MVP award through 10 weeks. The 23-year-old has completed 72% of his passes for 2,555 yards, 19 touchdowns, and five interceptions, while also adding 283 yards on the ground and two more scores.
“It goes back to the little things,” Maye continued on Tuesday when asked about the biggest keys to embracing playing in the New England weather. “Details and, when it’s raining, gripping the football or being good in and out of your breaks if you’re a receiver. Just going back to fundamentals and knowing that will be what you’re battling against. Little things. Two hands on the ball. Not losing the little things if it’s raining or snowing … We’re trying to make it hard to play up here in December and late in the season. I think we have the advantage, so just trying to embrace it. I think part of it is just the mentality of getting out there and out of the locker room. Just making a choice of what kind of player I want to be today.”
Kickoff from Foxborough is set for 8:15 p.m. ET on Thursday night, with the forecast calling for mostly clear skies, a mere 3% chance of precipitation, and temperatures around 38° as New England looks to make it eight in a row against their AFC East rival in the Jets.
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