Why Mike Vrabel previously called Gillette Stadium a ‘viper’s den’

FOXBORO — Patriots players and coaches are expecting an electric environment at Gillette Stadium come Sunday night.

The Patriots, as the No. 2 seed in the AFC, have home-field advantage over the Chargers. Head coach Mike Vrabel previously referred to Gillette Stadium as a “viper’s den” when he was coming to Foxboro to play the Patriots in the postseason as head coach of the Titans.

Vrabel was asked about those comments on Wednesday.

“It’s just got to be a tough place to play in January,” Vrabel said. “If we’re able to get there in January like we are, we have to create an environment that makes it difficult to play. Whatever the record was back when I was looking at the stats in 2019, 21-3 or whatever it was in January – I’m going to be off by a couple games because it’s a few years ago – but we were talking about what we would have to do to come in and win. We need to create a hard environment, we need to play well, let our crowd feed off of us and let us feed off of them.”

That playoff matchup against the Titans following the 2019 season was actually the last postseason game in Gillette Stadium, so it’s been a while since Patriots fans have been able to cheer their team on for January football.

“I think it’s going to be awesome,” left tackle Will Campbell said. “First one here in a while. I expect it to be the loudest it’s been all year, the most packed, the most fans, tailgating whenever we pull up to get here. That’s what I expect and hope that we deliver on that, because we’re going to need it.”

The Patriots finished 8-0 on the road and 6-3 at home this season.