It’s Mike Vrabel’s job to downplay the significance of one regular season game out of 17. Yes, his New England Patriots can clinch the AFC East title with a win at home Sunday against rival Buffalo. They could also clinch it later down the line, say Week 17, when the Patriots play the Jets, and the Bills play the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
Pick your favorite NFL cliche. Vrabel could’ve bored us all to death with them this week.
But he didn’t. Not even close, actually.
Vrabel’s been preaching two words to both his team and Patriots fans entering Sunday’s massive showdown: “Championship Week.