Welcome to the Friday Five!

Ready, set, football.

1. The Patriots’ strong stance

Coming down from the tumultuous news cycle of the week, where Stefon Diggs was charged with felony strangulation or suffocation and misdemeanor assault and battery, and Christian Barmore faces a misdemeanor charge of assault and battery on a family/household member, the Patriots’ stance on these matters has crystallized beyond the statements they released.

After all, actions speak louder than words.

But first, a few important words that should go without saying but nonetheless too often bear repeating.

Diggs and Barmore are innocent until proven guilty. Rushing to judgment on either player before the legal process can play out and provide a fuller account of what led to these charges serves no one. I don’t know what happened, and don’t pretend to.

As for the Patriots, their access to Diggs and Barmore, the investigative capabilities of their security staff and the available court documents give them perhaps the best available accounts of what happened. Presuming that information has informed their statements and actions that followed both incidents, it’s now clear the organization believes one of two things.

No. 1: Diggs and/or Barmore are innocent of any wrongdoing. Diggs has categorically denied the allegations, while Barmore’s attorney, David Meier (who’s also representing Diggs) released a statement saying, “We are confident that the evidence will demonstrate that no criminal conduct took place.” Meier also described the charges as a “personal matter.”

No. 2: Diggs and/or Barmore almost assuredly will not face any legal trouble, regardless of what actually transpired in their respective incidents; likely due to a lack of evidence. Which is to say nothing of the fact domestic violence cases are among the hardest to prove in a court of law.

There is some indication that Diggs will avoid legal consequences anyway, considering his representatives are working to reach a financial settlement with his accuser, according to The Boston Globe. But again, without leaping to complete conclusions based on incomplete information, let’s set that aside.

New England Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore participates in warmups prior to a preseason NFL game between the New England Patriots and Green Bay Packers Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Matt Ludtke)

More to the point about the Patriots’ stance is Vrabel spoke a hint of defiance and borderline dismissiveness Wednesday when addressing every question about Diggs and Barmore at length; time that, by the way, he did not have to spend, and some coaches don’t, preferring to instead cower behind statements. So, for said time, this reporter is grateful.

But how disappointed was he dealing with two players facing allegations like these?

“Well, I would say not disappointing at all,” he said. “These are allegations, like you mentioned in your question. It’s things that we have to handle, and every day there’s distractions, some are smaller than others. I’m confident that we’ll focus on the Dolphins and those two individuals that you mentioned will be able to handle the ongoing legal process.”

So what does Vrabel know? Or what does he choose to believe? His apparent confidence and the Patriots’ apparent confidence is not something we need to share because we can’t answer the aforementioned questions. But the organization expressing this type of belief is sure as hell notable unto itself.

The Patriots did not need to add, “we support Stefon,” into the middle of their otherwise boilerplate statement about Diggs. They did not need to let Barmore practice and play every day after learning about his incident in August. Asked about why the Patriots felt comfortable doing so, Vrabel just referred to the charges as allegations.

If — and underscoring the word “if” here — the Patriots are wrong about either player, statements and actions like theirs invite a world of criticism, especially for an organization led by an owner who claims to have a zero-tolerance policy toward domestic violence. These would be, at best, unforced public relations errors, and at worst reckless, careless support for players who did not deserve it.

ARCHIVO – El estadounidense Stefon Diggs (8), receptor abierto de los Patriots de Nueva Inglaterra, sale del campo tras un juego de fútbol americano de la NFL contra los Bengals de Cincinnati, el domingo 23 de noviembre de 2025, en Cincinnati, Ohio. (AP Photo/Peter Joneleit, Archivo)

Again, I don’t know what happened. But the Patriots’ response tells you they think they do, or they believe they know what will happen next, which for now excludes the NFL putting Diggs and Barmore on indefinite leave via the commissioner’s exempt list.

One last thing: labeling criminal charges as “distractions” is a habit we need to kick. Doing so trivializes those charges, and the subtext of that description is that football comes before alleged crimes, that life revolves around the league, not the other way around. Going a step further, that type of messaging could suggest to any future victims that their experiences and pain and trauma are secondary.

Coaches, players and reporters are guilty of it. I have been, too, in years past. Not anymore.

Because a distraction is music playing too loudly while you’re trying to work. A distraction is someone calling you while you’re driving. A distraction is not, and never has been, allegedly choking a woman or allegedly throwing a romantic partner to the ground and grabbing her by the collar in the presence of the 2-year-old daughter you share with them.

What Diggs and Barmore are accused of is serious. And if these criminal complaints are unfounded, let’s understand one another: bringing false charges is also deeply serious. But in either case, football is not a victim here.

Not even a victim of distraction.

2. Chargers scouting report

New England, meet your most likely Wild Card playoff opponent: the Chargers.

The Bolts are 11-5. By DVOA, they rank 19th on offense, 10th on defense and 23rd on special teams. Quarterback Justin Herbert is playing at a Pro Bowl level, despite a significant hand injury.

Justin Herbert, quarterback de los Chargers de Los Ángeles, lanza un pase en el partido ante los Eagles de Filadelfia, el lunes 8 de diciembre de 2025 (AP Foto/Kevork Djansezian)

Why might the Pats beat LA?

The Chargers’ offensive line is an injured mess, allowing run stuffs on almost 23% of rushing plays and ranking second-worst at pass-blocking over at Pro Football Focus. It could become a one-dimensional game fast for LA, which also has an imbalanced, so-so pass rush.

Why would the Pats lose?

Hebert is making superhuman plays with his cannon arm and a greater willingness to scramble. He has the fourth-lowest turnover-worthy play percentage among quarterbacks at PFF. He spreads the ball around, targeting three receivers with 700-plus receiving yards; meaning Christian Gonzalez can’t eliminate their passing game by taking out one obvious threat.

Defensively, the Chargers own the NFL’s best deep-ball defense by DVOA. They’re also good in coverage, well-coached and boast one of the NFL’s best kickers.

3. Sunday plan

A common question in local media spaces this week has been: how should the Patriots approach Sunday’s season finale knowing they can’t clinch the No. 1 seed if the Broncos, who also kick off at 4:25, beat the Chargers?

Should Vrabel keep tabs on Denver’s score and sit starters late or treat Sunday like any other game? Former Patriots captain David Andrews left no doubt about his feelings when I asked him this week.

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“Go out there and kick their ass,” Andrews said. “Look, if you’re a competitor — which I think Mike has built a culture, but you’re still trying to cultivate that culture, you have to build and grow that culture — your message is we’re going out there to go out there and kick their ass.”

4. Rookies all aboard

Seventh-round rookie cornerback Kobee Minor was promoted from the practice squad Thursday and became the ninth drafted rookie on the Patriots’ active roster.

The two outliers, left tackle Will Campbell and defensive tackle Joshua Farmer, are currently on injured reserve. Campbell is tracking to be activated in time for Sunday’s game versus the Dolphins, while Farmer went on IR last week. Campbell’s addition would give the Pats 10 drafted rookies on their roster, an almost unprecedented number for a Super Bowl contender.

5. Did you know?

The last time the Patriots swept their season series with Miami was 2016, a time when Barack Obama was in the White House, Bruno Mars topped the music charts and the Star Wars film “Rogue One” was in theaters.