Mike Vrabel’s sets the tone as Patriots begin ‘critical’ 48-hour stretch

Super Bowl LX between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks is quickly approaching. The teams have just four more days to prepare for the big game, with that prep ramping up starting Wednesday.

Both teams will hold their first practice of the week Wednesday afternoon, and now will try to get back into a normal (as normal as the Super Bowl can be) routine with most of their travel and media obligations behind them. Speaking on Wednesday morning Patriots coach Mike Vrabel noted this is the time where most the important prep work will get done.

"We try to make it as normal as we possibly can, knowing that it's not going to be. And we try to stay on the same routine and try to keep the meeting times the same, the treatment times. These guys were able to work on Monday, have yesterday off," Vrabel explained. "I think that's what everybody has to do to make sure that they're ready."

"The next 48 hours will be critical for us, as we kind of get back into our normal routine here of a Wednesday and Thursday, and then the families come in and things just start to ramp up," Vrabel added.

Vrabel also got into what his messaging to the team will be over the next 48 hours. He's playing up the details, and that any one single play could make or break this Super Bowl.

"Trying to be intentional with the schedule, but also just trying to keep them engaged, keep them locked in and get them to believe that something that we do at practice today is going to come up in the game, and how we handle that or how we execute that could make the difference," Vrabel explained. "So, that's how we've tried to approach all our practices, is that something that you're going to do today is going to help us win. I don't know which play it is. I'm not sure which correction that it will be, but there's going to be a play today that somebody's going to make or not make that's going to make the difference in the game on Sunday."

Speaking after Vrabel, wide receiver Stefon Diggs delivered somewhat of a similar message. He also talked about trying to keep things as normal as possible, while also making sure to make the most of the moment.

"I had a conversation with somebody who said, 'Are you excited?' I said, 'I'm not excited at all,'” Diggs shared. "I feel like excitement is a little bit of a different emotion. Excitement is what I get when I maybe buy a car, buy something new or buy a watch or something. Right now, I just want to work."

"I look forward to this week," he continued. "We've got three to four days. Three days of practice, four days for preparation. I just feel like, take it one day at a time. I'm not going to make it more than it is or less than what it is. But I have the same mindset I've been having. I don't want to switch up the macaroni and cheese, get to doing stuff I don't typically do. I can't wait to get back to practice today and get after it. I’m not doing nothing different."

That work for Diggs and the Patriots will continue Wednesday afternoon. They're scheduled to practice at 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN. Unlike other practices up to this point these are almost fully closed to the media, with the exception of one national pool reporter. That pool report - and the first injury report of the week - will come out following practice.