Giardi: It's just another Monday for the AFC East champion Patriots

FOXBOROUGH - On the morning after winning the AFC East title, it was business as usual for the Patriots. Players were in early for treatment, morning meetings, and individual film study. If that doesn’t tell you all you need to know about this group and its mindset, I don’t know what to tell you.

Sure, they had their moment last night, as shared by the team’s social media arm. As they returned to Gillette on the team bus, players huddled around tablets watching Josh Allen’s two-point pass fall incomplete. 

Thanks to the hard work of the support staff, those same hats and t-shirts that were ready to be busted out of the box three weekends ago against the Bills were awaiting the team when they returned.

“It was about 15 minutes to get a picture, the shirt's passed out, the hat's passed out and the pictures organized, but other than that, back to work, focused on the Dolphins, focused on who we may have and a plan that we'll have to try to put together to improve,” Mike Vrabel summarized at his Monday morning press conference. “And I think that's the biggest thing, is just trying to really target the things that can reasonably be improved from a technical standpoint, and just things that come up throughout the game that we've maybe been working on and that we've seen or saw, and then some things that we've maybe been working on that haven't shown up. And that's what you do. You stay consistent and just continue to coach."

Even for those on the outside with the most outsized expectations, unseating the Bills in year one was unexpected. Internally, of course, this was one of their stated goals, but after week three, the Pats sat at 1-2. Yet it was that loss that solidified a feeling K’Lavon Chaisson had dating back to the spring.

“I think definitely the Steelers game kind of told me everything I need to know for sure,” he said on Monday afternoon of that one-score loss at home in late September. 

Chaisson recalls how the team kept battling back, despite the five turnovers, showing fight until the bitter end.

“Just some constant adversity throughout that game,” he noted, “Just coming into the locker room and watching how everybody’s head was still high, knowing that obviously we didn't play our best game, but we know we got a lot to look forward to this season.”

There was more to it than that. Like others, Chaisson sensed a brotherhood and a level of togetherness that hadn’t been seen in Foxborough for a handful of years, maybe more. The players have referenced that bond throughout the year.

“It’s a special, special dynamic,” Chaisson said.

And a special season indeed, but one that is far from over.

ON THE INJURY FRONT

Will Campbell is eligible to return from IR after missing the last four games with a knee injury. Does Vrabel expect him to practice this week?

“I think he will,” Vrabel said.

The rookie left tackle has remained engaged in the meeting room and accompanied the team to both Baltimore and yesterday, to New Jersey. That’s not entirely uncommon - Mack Hollins also took the road trip to MetLife - but it’s also not the norm.

“Well, I think Will cares deeply about this team and the players on it,” Vrabel said. “That was his decision. I mean, I usually would rather these guys stay, get some rest, recover and treatment, and once he started feeling good enough to travel, he asked to go. And so, I think it can only help him to be around his teammates, be into the game, and help them just like Mack did yesterday.”

In Campbell’s absence, four-year pro Vederian Lowe has capably filled in. Lowe is an improved player and may be in line to make himself some money as a free agent (tackles with starting experience are hard to find). I asked him what has changed for him and where he has made the biggest strides.

“I definitely improved the most mentally in terms of just trying to be more consistent,” he said. “With Coach McDaniel's offense, it's a ton of details. And if you execute them the right way and use them the right way, you can have a lot of success. I think this is the most detail-oriented offense I’ve ever played in. And when I bought it, I hunkered down and really got to iron out every detail that they have. That's when I started realizing the success and then being able to consistently do that. I think that has helped a lot as well.”

If Campbell does in fact return to play Sunday - Milton Williams was eligible this past week and didn’t get activated for the game - Lowe will return to the bench. But his play should give you confidence that if the Pats have to turn back to him, he can be competitive, and that’s not something too many felt this summer.

HE’S MY SPECIAL BOY

During his interview on WEEI, Vrabel revealed that the offensive line gave him a Christmas present.

“I got a T-shirt from the offensive line that was nice. It had me and my little buddy Will (Campbell) in a BabyBjörn. It was cute.”

The head coach and his first-round rookie have developed quite the relationship, one that goes back to Campbell putting Vrabel on his ass during a pre-draft workout. That love affair has only grown since then, which is why the rest of the line took it upon themselves to create something that not even Santa’s elves could have dreamed up. They also got Campbell one.

“Coach Vrabes and Will, you know, they have an amazing relationship,” Lowe told us. “And so I think that some of the guys in the o-line room wanted to kind of make fun of that. And it was hilarious, actually. And then we had our assistant O-line coach in the background, kind of, you know, looking because he also has a great relationship with Will as well.”

It has been confirmed that both the head coach and the player have worn the shirts around the building, although we’re unsure if we’ll ever get a good look at them.

“I’ve debated putting it on social media since Thursday, since I got it, but he would kill me,” Vrabel laughed.

ODDS AND ENDS

Hollins’ abdomen injury happened during the win over the Ravens. It should be noted that he only has to miss four weeks, not four games (as is the case for regular-season IR). That means if the Pats end up with the number one overall seed, the bye week would count as a game/week missed. That means Hollins could return in time for the AFC title game if the team gets that far. Vrabel was noncommittal on that front. 

As for fullback Jack Westover, his ankle is sore, but Vrabel said he could have returned to the game had they needed him.