To say that Bill Belichick ran a tight ship probably wouldn't tell half of the story. For over two decades, the future Hall of Famer ruled with an iron fist, and while some may question his methods, his results spoke for themselves.
Belichick instilled the Patriot Way in Foxborough, and countless players got better because of it. That includes Mike Vrabel, but it doesn't mean he's taken the same approach to team management now that he's in charge.
Unlike Belichick, Vrabel has given rookies the chance to make mistakes and grow from them. That was the case again in the loss to the Chicago Bears, with Gabe Jacas and Eli Raridon redeeming themselves after earlier miscues.
Mike Vrabel is giving Patriots' rookies a longer leash
Raridon was caught for a false start before scoring a touchdown on the very next play. Jacas, on the other hand, was flagged for roughing the passer, but he kept him on the field, and his pressure led to a sack on the same drive.
Granted, this may also have to do with the team's well-documented depth issues; he doesn't have many options. That said, he was also a player, so he knows what it's like to be in the trenches and make mistakes.
Belichick was many things, but a great communicator wasn't one of them. Vrabel knows how to connect with his players, and while he'll push them and demand top-notch effort from every guy in the building, he knows there are different ways to push everyone's buttons.
Raridon has been a somewhat surprising contributor through the first seven weeks of the season. He looked more like a developmental/long-term project, but he could be a legitimate scoring threat for years to come.
As for Jacas, he's quickly making up for lost time after missing most of training camp because of a contract dispute. He's shown flashes of greatness, and he won't be long before he's a full-time defender. Much of that has to do with how Vrabel has handled their workloads.
In the end, letting the youngsters grow through their mistakes is the only way to battle-test them and prepare them for when it counts. Contending teams can't always afford to let their youngsters mess up, but that's the clearest path to improvement.
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