Patriots

Mike Vrabel is diving straight into things as he takes over as Patriots coach, and he still has lots on his to-do list in his crucial first offseason.

The roster rebuild appears to be done along with Eliot WolfNew England's de facto general manager who managed to emerge unscathed from the frustration of 2024.

Vrabel and Wolf met for a couple of hours to go over the roster, the brand new coach told WEEI's “The Greg Hill Show.” That relationship has already come under scrutiny considering Vrabel's previous issues with the Tennessee front office.

“No, we didn’t win enough games in Tennessee,” Vrabel said, half-joking. “I think that was the problem.”

Vrabel was asked if he was comfortable working with Wolf, who took over as head of human resources following Bill Belichick's departure.

“Absolutely,” Vrabel said. “More than comfortable. I wouldn't be here enthusiastic about the conversations and the interview process and the conversations with Eliot and Robert [Kraft] and with Jonathan [Kraft]and I'm just attempting to put together a roster and a program.

“For me that’s the biggest thing. I want to try to build a program around our coaches, our support staff, our human resources and especially our players that people want to be a part of and are proud of.” ”

There has also been quite a lot of interest in what the offense will seem like under Vrabel, whose Titans teams have been amongst essentially the most run-heavy teams within the NFL. From Vrabel's perspective, the offensive philosophy was more influenced by the proven fact that Derrick Henry was the most efficient running back within the league.

“Our best player was our running back,” Vrabel said. “So we tried to structure the offense and construct the offense around what we thought was our greatest player and what our strength was. When we had plays around Derrick that we were comfortable with, we threw them as successfully as we ran them.

“Every system and scheme you have, you base it on the players you have. I think there’s a lot of versatility, not just myself but hopefully the coaches we hire.”

Vrabel's tenure marked a high point for a once-struggling quarterback in Ryan Tannehill, who missed the primary few games of the season in 2019 before returning after a profession 12 months. Tannehill began 10 games and threw for two,742 yards, 22 touchdowns, 6 interceptions and a league-best passer rating of 117.5, enough to earn him a Pro Bowl nomination and the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year award.

However, Vrabel agreed that the brilliant spot for the Patriots offense is that quarterback Drake Maye — quite than a star running back like he did at Tennessee — may lead to a shift in emphasis from his Titans offense.

“Sure,” Vrabel said. “And again, we want to throw it as often as possible while remaining efficient and explosive.”

It stays to be seen who shall be the first architect of this offense as Vrabel begins to round out his coaching staff. Offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt seems almost certain to be out; The position he opened might be Vrabel's most significant addition because the Patriots look to develop Maye.

When it was learned that former Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski had said the primary call needs to be to longtime New England coordinator Josh McDaniels, Vrabel wasn't exactly a convincing endorsement.

“Um…yeah, I mean, I’ll look at every possible candidate that can help us,” Vrabel said. “We’re going to start that process this afternoon and visit with some great coaches and then see where things go.”

When asked directly whether McDaniels was on the list of candidates, Vrabel replied: “Yes, the list is long. I had a relationship with Josh and I have relationships with other offensive and defensive coaches that we will be interviewing and that we want to include here.”

Celtics

Saturday night appeared to be business as usual for Kristaps Porzingis. After a slow begin to the season after getting back from injury in November, Porzingis seemingly did all the things he normally would in Boston's win over the Chicago Bulls.

He scored 22 points, second most on the team behind Jayson Tatum's 43-point triple-double, added seven rebounds and two blocks and managed a dunk within the win.

But when asked if he would finally rejoin Kristaps Porzingis tonight, who helped lead Boston on its championship run, the 7-foot-3 center hesitated.

“Honestly, I still get there. I want to feel a little better,” Porzingis said. “I know I'm playing a little better, but my rates aren't perfect. I don't feel my shot perfect. … I know I can play a lot better.

“…I just still feel like I need to conserve some energy. But overall, I’m getting there, and as soon as I get there, you’ll know and I’ll let you know.”

Kristaps Porzingis said he's still not 100% back in the case of his stamina and rhythm:

“I know I can play a lot better… but overall I'm getting there and once I get there you'll know and I'll let you know.” pic.twitter.com/EYne2iw0jl

— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) December 22, 2024

Porzingis has proven that when healthy, he’s the proper addition to Boston's starting lineup. His ability to protect a few of one of the best players within the league while also scoring at multiple levels and stretching the ground is an ideal fit for Joe Mazzulla's systems each offensively and defensively.

However, Porzingis has had some issues staying on the court for prolonged periods of time, as was the case throughout his decade-long NBA profession.

Despite his limited sample size this season, there hasn't been a very notable decline in his offensive game. He is averaging 19.1 points per game, one point lower than last season, and seven.1 rebounds per game, just shy of his 7.2 per game within the 2023-24 season.

A healthy Porzingis makes it even harder to stop an already dangerous Boston unit, so the Celtics are undoubtedly looking forward to him getting back to 100% in the approaching weeks.

I enjoy driving and that's good since it gives me so many opportunities to check gadgets for drivers.

This week I'm a handful of useful things that could make your ride safer or more comfortable.

You'll notice I've included two air pumps. I like them each and so they each have their benefits. The prices listed are retail, but you could find them cheaper.

Dr Well Laxon DR-6000 Air Massage Seat for Vehicles

As I grow old, a cushty seat becomes more essential. I enjoy driving long distances, but after about 90 minutes in the driving force's seat, my hips and back begin to hurt.

The Laxon DR-6000 Car Air Massage Seat ($399.99, Laxon.us or Amazon.com) is designed to take a seat on top of your seat, strapping to the headrest and across the back of the seat.

The DR-6000 uses a small air compressor to quickly fill air chambers strategically placed on the back and bottom of the seat. There are several massage modes that supply different massage intensities. I'm an enormous guy, so I liked the more aggressive settings.

The compressor is housed in a small bag that hangs below your knees. It is quiet and fills the air chambers quickly.

The DR-6000 also has heated seats, which I didn't need this summer in Texas, but I'm sure will turn out to be useful this winter.

The massage and warmth levels are controlled via a small wired handheld remote control that may be stored in a bag next to the compressor.

Topdon V2200Plus jump starter

A small, battery-operated jump starter has replaced the jumper cables in my vehicles lately.

The Topdon V2200Plus ($149.99, topdon.us) can jump start your vehicle as much as 35 times on a full charge.

It can initiate to 8-liter gasoline or 6-liter diesel engines and delivers as much as 2,200 amps of peak current.

The clamps are smart enough to stop you from causing damage to your vehicle or the jump starter in the event you attach them to the incorrect terminals.

The V2200Plus also has Bluetooth so it will possibly communicate with an app in your phone that will provide you with a report on the health of your vehicle's battery.

It also has a (handy) LED flashlight and might charge your phone or other USB powered devices.

I can't let you know how many individuals I've helped with a transportable jump starter. This is an excellent one.

HOTO Air Pump Master

A flat tire is not any fun. We've all been there. Just a little yellow tire pressure warning light comes on in your dashboard and also you now should work out which tire is flat.

I also don't like on the lookout for a working air pump at a gas station, let alone one which doesn't require a bank card.

The HOTO Air Pump Master ($169.99, hototools.com) is a cigar box-sized compressor with a sleek LED screen within the control wheel.

Simply set the specified air pressure and let the pump do the work. It will stop when the goal pressure is reached.

The Air Pump Master features two hoses to inflate anything you wish to inflate, from automotive and bike tires to air mattresses, inflatable tents, kayaks and paddleboards, and sports balls.

The interface is actually easy to make use of and inflation is quick. It takes a couple of minute to inflate a automotive tire or kayak.

The rechargeable 7,500 milliamp-hour battery gets the job done, or you’ll be able to plug it into your automotive's 12V port and use all of it day long. According to HOTO, you’ll be able to inflate as much as 16 automotive tires on one battery charge.

It has a built-in LED light that makes it easy to make use of even at night, and the interior battery is charged via the USB-C port.

Included is a pleasant, sturdy storage bag to maintain the inflator and all hoses and filling suggestions organized and prepared to be used.

Pitaka MagEZ Car Mount Pro 2 Qi2

These days, everyone seems to have a phone mount of their automotive, and in the event you're smart, you'll have a charger built into that mount to maintain your phone's battery full.

The Pitaka MagEZ Car Mount Pro 2 Qi2 ($59.99, ipitaka.com) is a 15-watt wireless fast charger in your compatible iPhone or Android phone. It can charge your phone from zero to 100% in 2 hours and 40 minutes.

Connect the included USB-C cable to the MagEZ and your phone's battery will stay full when you navigate.

This mount is accessible in two models, one for cars with horizontal or vertical air vents and one for Tesla Model3/Y.

It uses the Qi2 charging standard adopted by Apple and various Android phone manufacturers. Its magnet is robust enough to maintain your phone secure even on the bumpiest of roads.

If your phone doesn't have a magnet on the back like my iPhone, you'll need a case to make your phone follow the charger. Pitaka sells cases, but you’ll be able to get them elsewhere.

The MagEZ has an interesting and strange feature: it has a three-position switch that prompts NFC shortcuts.

Once you arrange NFC, you’ll be able to have your favorite music or navigation app start routinely while you put the phone within the charger. Great feature.

The MagEZ has a universal 17mm swivel ball mount, so in the event you don't wish to use the included vent mount, you should purchase one other mount to connect it to your dashboard or a window or anywhere else you want.

Syncwire Portable Inflator Air Pump

This is a small inflator that anyone can take with them. I might even recommend it for e-bike or motorcycle riders.

About the dimensions of a soda can, Syncwire's Portable Inflator ($79.99, syncwire.com) can inflate automotive, motorcycle and bicycle tires or items corresponding to sports balls, air mattresses and inflatables. It has a maximum inflation capability of 150 psi.

The interface could be very easy. Press the facility button, select the filling mode, use the + and – buttons to set the specified pressure and connect the hose to the device you wish to fill. Once connected, the display will show the present pressure.

Pressing the facility button starts inflation and the compressor stops when the specified pressure is reached.

It has a 5,200mAh rechargeable battery that charges via a USB-C cable.

There can be a USB-A port which you could use to charge your phone.

I tested this on my SUV. I deflated my tires to 25 psi and it took about two and a half minutes to pump them as much as 33 psi. I did notice that the inflator gets quite warm during use, but that was tolerable.

This inflator is inexpensive, easy to make use of and stores super conveniently within the included carrying bag. It matches in any trunk, saddlebag or toolbox.

Originally published: August 10, 2024 at 5:20 am