So far, the Patriots’ decision to hire Mike Vrabel has paid off.

After back-to-back 4-13 seasons, New England appears to be experiencing a football renaissance, sitting atop the AFC East at 5-2.

During the Patriots’ 31-13 blowout win over the Titans, CBS analyst Charles Davis broke down why other teams will be looking for a coach like Vrabel during future searches.

““As we start coaching searches in the NFL, and we’re gonna have a few more,” Davis said. “I believe people are going to use Mike Vrabel as a model about what they’re looking for in their next head football coach.

“With an organization, he pulls together everyone, right? Yes, he’s known as a defensive coach. I get that,” Davis added. “But the relationship he’s forged with his quarterback, Drake Maye, who’s playing at a really high level, lets you know that he’s locked in on everything on this team, special teams, offense, defense, the whole deal.”

New England, of course, was only able to hire Vrabel because the Titans decided to fire him after the 2023 season. Vrabel spent a year as a consultant with the Cleveland Browns, whom New England will face at Gillette Stadium next week, before returning to the franchise he won three Super Bowls with as a player.

Vrabel played linebacker for the Patriots, but he has shown an ability to connect with players in all three phases of the game. He has a hands on approach which involves him wearing a practice jersey at times during practice. He often refers to players, such as Stefon Diggs, by nicknames in press conferences.

Defense is Vrabel’s forte, and he inherited a team that was already pretty good at stopping the run. Their pass-defense is a work in progress. But, the biggest transformation has taken place on offense where Maye, Diggs, and Josh McDaniels have helped revive a once-dead down field passing attack.

The quick turnaround suggests that Vrabel’s approach works beyond the areas where he’s most comfortable with, Davis said.

“He has his hands on everything, every part of the organization and the pulse,” Davis said. “He’s like the antidote to all the offensive guys that we talk about. We use the word presence a lot with coaches. Does anyone have more presence than Mike Vrabel? He’s got it.”

Khari A. Thompson

Sports Reporter

Khari Thompson covers professional sports for Boston.com. Before joining the team in 2022, Khari covered college football for The Clarion Ledger in Jackson, Miss.

No. 6 Pittsburgh edged No. 4 Louisville, 3-2, in a fiery top 10 rivalry matchup on Sunday, October 19. The two ACC foes duked it in a rematch of the 2024 national semifinals, feeding off the energy in a bouncing L&N Federal Credit Arena. 

In a tightly contested five-setter that showcased the best of what each defenses had to offer, the Panthers found the edge with 10 blocks while hitting .313 despite the Cardinals efforts. 

Pitt stuck first, taking a 25-20 win in set one. But Louisville flipped the script in set two and three, earning commanding wins and a 2-1 edge entering the fourth. In a do or die situation, the Panthers owned set four, 25-17 and forced the rivalry match to five. 

With the Cardinal crowd on their feet, Louisville punched first but a 6-0 Pitt scoring run put the Panthers ahead 7-3. Louisville fought back within one point of striking distance before Pitt took total control and clinched the victory, 15-11. 

Outside Olivia Babcock had a historic day, powering a program-record 41 kills on .423 hitting. Babcock’s elite performance marks her as only the fourth NCAA player since 2019 to record 40 kills in a single match. She passed her previous career-high of 33 kills in set four which she earned in 2024 against Louisville in their Final Four loss. 

The 2024 National Player of the Year shared five blocks on the day with middle Ryla Jones, forcing the Louisville offense to a .167 and .000 hitting percentage in the fourth and fifth sets. 

With the win, Pitt earned its seventh ranked victory of the season and avenged its 2024 national semifinal heartbreak while handing Louisville only its fourth loss at home since 2020. The two rivals will meet again Wednesday, Nov. 26 at the Peterson Events Center in Pittsburgh, PA. 

See final stats here. 

HARTFORD, Conn. (WFSB) – Early voting for the local elections in Connecticut was set to open on Monday morning.

It’s a two-week period where residents can vote ahead of Election Day on November 4.

Early voting runs every day until November 2.

Here’s what to know ahead of time:

• Most polling places are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., however there are some exceptions.
• The location for early voting may be different than the regular polling place, so officials recommended checking the specific town’s website for details.
• If someone is not registered to vote, they can register on site.
• Anyone can vote early.

“It’s super convenient just to go on your own schedule. Making it on one day is pretty difficult. I have a daughter in daycare, a very busy schedule, so the more opportunities people have to vote, the better,” said Nick Rodriguez from Hamden.

The ballots casted over the next two weeks will be sealed and counted on Election Day.

Fore more information on early voting, click HERE.

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