Patriots Captain: ‘Great Sense Of Urgency’ For Playoff Push
FOXBORO — New England Patriots team captain Matthew Slater has a voice that players and fans know well.
He is the Pats’ emotional leader, easily distinguished throughout social media as the leader of the team’s post game victory rally cry, ‘Awww Yeeeeaahh,’
On the field, Slater is one of New England’s most accomplished and respected players.
Therefore, when their 12-time team captain speaks, the Patriots listen.
After starting the season at 1-3, the Patriots have been the winners of four of their last five games, including their 26-3 victory over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 9. At 5-4, the Pats have once again entered the discussion of teams who are capable of making a push for a spot in the 2022 NFL playoffs. Despite currently holding the seventh seed in the playoff race, New England knows that the road ahead will only lead to playoff fortune by forging ahead with hard work, sound execution and determination.
When speaking with reporters on Monday, Slater cautioned that the real work has only just begun.
"I think we need to have a great sense of urgency,” Slater said. “We can't take anything for granted, we need to stay in the moment."
Keeping the team grounded is one of Slater’s areas of expertise. As a fifteen-year NFL veteran and a three-time Super Bowl Champion, he is well-versed in the time honored New England tradition of taking one game at a time. He has experienced winning streaks, as well as rough patches shrouded in defeat. Through it all, the successful Pats’ teams never lost focus.
Though he may be pleased with the Pats recent performance, Slater is also experienced enough to know that anything less than a complete team effort can derail any momentum they may have built in recent weeks.
In 2021, the Patriots found themselves in prime position to qualify for one of the top playoff spots in the conference, as well as contend for the AFC East title. Unfortunately, the team sputtered when emerging from their bye week, dropping three of their final four games. Despite entering the playoffs as the sixth seed, the Pats suffered an embarrassing 47-17 loss to the Buffalo Bills in their lone postseason matchup.
Still, the 37-year-old sees much promise in the current iteration of Patriots, trying to make their way through 2022.
"What happened last year is obviously not going to have any bearing on this team," Slater urged. “It’s a new year, with new players and new coaches. But, things will go poorly if we don’t put out a strong effort. Things can also turn for the better if you work to improve and take one day at a time.”
Should the Pats hope to continue on their current path of contention, they know that collecting a victory on Sunday is of utmost importance. New England is facing a tough test against a New York Jets team, which boasts a versatile offense and a defense that is solid at all three levels. While the Pats may have earned a 22-17 victory over the Jets during their previous meeting in Week 8, New England cannot afford to take anything for granted in Week 11.
“Stakes are high, emotions will be high … there’s a lot on the line,” Slater said of this pivotal Pats-Jets matchup. “I think we have to fight the urge to become complacent. We have to continue the preparation on a day-to-day basis, and obviously continue the execution on game day."
The Pats pursuit of the postseason begins this week, as the Pats welcome the Jets (6-3) to Gillette Stadium on Sunday for a 1 p.m. ET kickoff.
Follow Mike D’Abate on Twitter @mdabateNFL and Listen/Subscribe to his daily podcast: Locked On Patriots
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