FOXBORO, MASS. (WHDH) - Mike Vrabel and the Patriots are moving onto the AFC Championship game. Vrabel wants his team to appreciate the opportunity in front of them.
“Just try to keep it all in perspective, I want them to enjoy everything about this, but we have to also embrace the preparation and everything that’s required to get us to this point, but then, y’know, being able to perform, and being able to go on the road, in a hostile environment,” Vrabel said.
A hostile environment in Denver against a backup quarterback in Jarrett Stidham. The former Patriot is set to start for injured Broncos starter Bo Nix. Vrabel said Stidham is a guy who the Patriots nearly signed this past offseason.
“Uh… Well, I guess it was kind of ironic, y’know, just speaking with his agent… They’re like, ‘well, if you don’t want your starter to get hurt, hire, uh, sign Jarrett,'” Vrabel said. “Because I just think he sees things really well, I think he’s athletic enough to extend, y’know, like we talk about a lot of quarterbacks. Uh, accuracy, I think the decision-making, y’know, he was really decisive in games that we went back and watched.”
After surviving a battle against the top-ranked Texans defense, Vrabel knows it won’t be any easier for his offense this Sunday in the mile-high city.
“They’ll be the best defense we play to date, ’cause it’s the next one,” Vrabel said. “I mean, that’s just how this goes, they’re playing with a lot of confidence. They’re good on the perimeter, really good up front, they have athleticism, they have size… They put a lot of pressure on you, so… That’s just how this thing goes, each and every week, they get tougher.”
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