FOXBOROUGH — With the Patriots readying for a divisional round playoff game against the Texans, Mike Vrabel had a message for his team before their first practice of the week.
“There’s 24 teams at home right now,” Drake Maye relayed. “There’s eight of us practicing and still working. He mentioned it to us today before practice, ‘Take a look, raise your hand, who was still practicing at this time last year?’”
Not many hands went up.
“I think Milton (Williams) was the only one,” Maye chuckled.
The big-ticket defensive tackle won a Super Bowl with the Eagles last February, but most other current Patriots were relegated to their couches at this time a year ago.
Vrabel’s message had the desired effect on Maye, who was a part of the 4-13 Patriots last season.
“It’s just eye-opening to see, man,” Maye said. “There’s eight teams left and this is a chance, an opportunity that we have, to play a home football game, a home playoff game, at a time when it matters most. Just reflect on that and realize the opportunity we have, and at the same time, how much work we’ve done to get here and enjoy it.
“He just reminded us to take advantage of it and know that we’ve got a chance.”
