Vince Wilfork fine with doubters

For the first time in a long time, the Patriots [team stats] are not the prohibitive favorites to win the AFC East. Given offseason moves made by both the New York Jets [team stats] and Miami Dolphins [team stats], they don’t even register as a blip on many scorecards.

The way some see it, the Pats are no longer among the elite and are looking up at some teams, including one or two in their own division. One national pundit, in a recent listing of his 10 best teams on paper heading into training camp, didn’t even have the Patriots on the list.

What does Vince Wilfork [stats] make of all the experts taking a pass on his team? How does he view the lack of respect?

In true Rodney Harrison [stats] fashion, he’s loving every minute of it.

“Hey, that’s fine with me. We’ll hide behind the bush the whole season,” Wilfork said. “I’m pretty sure if you talk to a bunch of other guys, and they’ll say the same thing. That’s just fine with us, because only the Patriots know what we have, and we’ll know even better once we get in camp.

“Everybody has opinions,” the mammoth nose tackle said during a recent interview with the Herald. “The more people don’t pay us no attention, that’s even better.”

Imagine the Patriots hiding in the weeds, sneaking up on teams? That certainly hasn’t been their calling card the past decade, especially with three Super Bowls on their resume. But getting blown out in the first round of the playoffs by the Baltimore Ravens last season and having their flaws exposed has created more doubters than supporters.

Wilfork won’t argue about the problems that existed last season, both on and off the field, but he is on board with the changes that were made during the offseason. He believes some of the new personnel will help the cause going forward. Having spent a lot of time with the group through organized team activities (OTAs) and minicamp, he is particularly sold on the group’s make-up.

“I think we learned a lot of stuff. We’re far away from where we need to be, but I think guys have their head on right, and understand what we’re trying to do, and how we’re trying to do it,” he said. “Everyone needs to be on the same page. If we’re on the same page, we give ourselves a great shot to win every week.

“We’ll see where it goes, but I love what we have here,” Wilfork said. “I love the people (we’ve brought) in. I love the teammates we have. Whoever else we bring in, join the party. I’m looking for a fun, exciting season. Hopefully, we can win.”

With a new five-year, $40 million extension secured, Wilfork feels more comfortable taking on a greater leadership role in the locker room. He is still going to lead by example, because that’s his style. But the way he sees it, if enough guys follow his lead, the Pats will be proving all of their early-season doubters wrong.

“For myself, if I’m called upon to say something, I’ll say something. But that’s not my style. I’d rather go out and play hard, then watch everyone around me follow,” he said. “I’m just going to go out and be the best athlete I can be, the best teammate I can be, the best leader I can be. A lot of times, that’s not about talking, that’s about going out and doing. It’s about playing hard and, hopefully, the guys will follow behind me and we can have a hell of a ballclub.

“One thing that don’t lie, when you put that film on Monday after games, everyone sees what everyone is doing. I want to be one of those guys playing my tail off. That’s how you get people rallying around you. People will see, ‘Man, Vince is doing this. I need to do this.’ That’s how it’s got to be.

“A lot of guys in that locker room hate to lose, and hate to be last in anything,” he added. “So if one guy is trying to outdo another guy, that brings out the best in another guy. That’s how it’s got to be. So I’m excited about this season. I hope everyone else is, too.”

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(bostonherald.com)