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January 27, 2004
Versatile Vrabel is typical of Patriots' players
THE NEW YORK TIMES
HOUSTON
The notebooks and game plans are starting to pile up at Mike Vrabel's house, souvenirs of the hours of film study and coaching machinations he has observed and, perhaps, bits of a coaching resume yet to be formed. Vrabel hopes to be a coach someday.
He will be able to talk to a linebacker about dropping into coverage, to a defensive end about rushing the quarterback on passing downs, even to a nose tackle about the rare opportunity to drop into coverage - all from his playing experience. Vrabel is the epitome of the Patriots' system of defense, one in which the versatility of a player is at least as prized as his speed or strength. Vrabel is as flexible as a rubber band, as cerebral as the New England coaches who concoct those game plans.
It is players like Vrabel - not high profile or dominant, but able to perform a number of roles - that allows the Patriots' system to function.
Vrabel thrives on the little tips and tendencies the Patriots' outside linebackers coach, Rob Ryan, unearths each week, and he had no mental errors in 2001.
"He's very smart - that's Vrabel's biggest asset," defensive end Willie McGinest said. "He knows the defense inside out. That's a big advantage for him. He's a good athlete - he can run, he can cover, he can rush when we need him to. He does what the defense needs him to do."
This season, Vrabel was expected to be part of the linebacker rotation. But when Rosevelt Colvin sustained a season-ending injury in the second game, Vrabel was pressed into even more action. Despite missing three games with a broken arm, he led the Patriots with nine and a half sacks.
"I've had to be versatile in my career just to stick around," Vrabel said. "The more you can do, it gives you a better chance to stay on the field.... By having versatility and understanding what everyone's doing, it gives me an advantage of being able to line up in different places."
Vrabel marvels at Coach Bill Belichick's uncanny preparedness, that no play in an opponent's package is ever forgotten.
"Maybe 10 years from now, I'll pull it out and try to dial up some stuff we did now," Vrabel said. "If I end up coaching, some of that stuff might help me down the road."