Patriots receive strong backlash on Mike Vrabel decision before visit to Broncos

The New England Patriots are one win away from reaching Super Bowl LX. Coming into the season, only a few—if any—thought Mike Vrabel could lead this team so far in such short notice. The locker room believed, though, and the results are now out there for everybody in the NFL to see. However, one last hurdle stands in the Patriots’ way, that is none other than the Denver Broncos.

Though missing Bo Nix could prove to be Denver’s Achilles’ heel, the Broncos are putting the Patriots on notice, as a key weapon could return to help Jarrett Stidham. If all else fails, Denver can always lean on its home-field advantage, which is unique in the NFL.

As reported by The Boston Herald, the Pats won’t board the five-hour flight to Colorado until Saturday. Thus, they will be touching down in Denver roughly 24 hours prior to the AFC Championship Game on Sunday at 3:00 pm ET. According to a physics expert, Vrabel and the Patriots may be underestimating the adversity they will be up against in the Mile High City.

“Given the same temperature in Gillette and Mile High, the air is about 20% less dense in Mile High, so that’s 20% less oxygen,” physics professor Nancy Burnham forewarned the Patriots, via The Boston Herald. “If you don’t have the oxygen, your muscles can’t do their thing, so it’s a concern. I’ve been pleased to watch the Patriots’ resurgence, but I hope that they get out there soon. They’re taking a chance, they’re putting themselves at risk.”

Mike Vrabel during a Patriots game.

Home-field advantage

Throughout the league, every team likes to believe it holds an edge when playing at home. For some, that advantage comes directly from their fans. Others have created their own edge through specific elements of their stadium or field design. However, the Broncos possess an advantage unlike any other: altitude.

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At Empower Field at Mile High, players compete 5,280 feet above sea level. There has long been a debate over the best way to handle that challenge. Some believe it’s best to arrive shortly before kickoff, giving players’ bodies little time to register the change in altitude. Others, however, argue that acclimatization—arriving well in advance—is the better approach. Both theories have their pros and cons.

Vrabel and the Patriots are now leaning toward the former. New England knows it’s rolling the dice, but the belief is that this roster can push through adversity—and that playing in the Mile High City is simply another opportunity to prove it.

Patriots vie to end their hex

Nix’s season-ending injury may be the decisive factor that helps New England snap its all-time drought in Colorado. The Broncos and Patriots have met five times in the NFL Playoffs, with Denver holding a 4–1 advantage. Moreover, New England has never won a postseason game at Mile High.

Will history repeat itself, or will the Pats finally plant their flag in what’s become their house of horrors? If the Patriots advance past the Broncos, Drake Maye and Mike Vrabel would accomplish a feat not even Tom Brady and Bill Belichick could pull off.

Many will point to the fact that Stidham is making his first start in more than two years. It’s a reasonable argument, but the reality remains: New England is 0–4 in Denver, and Vrabel’s squad now has a chance to end the franchise’s curse in the Centennial State.