When the Patriots hired Mike Vrabel to be their head coach, most New Englanders thought they knew what to expect: A hard-nosed, no-nonsense, old-school kind of football lifer who would lead the locker room with a heavy hand.

Vrabel has filled that description to some extent. Yet he's also managed his players with a surprisingly soft touch.

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And after Vrabel led the Patriots to their eighth straight victory to improve to 9-2 on the season on Thursday night against the Jets , his starting quarterback -- and bona fide MVP candidate -- Drake Maye was quick to credit the coach for so much of his and the team's success.

"Yeah, he brings it every day," Maye told the Prime postgame show after New England's 27-13 wi

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