Why the Patriots have adopted a 'Road Warrior' mentality - ESPN

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Quick-hit thoughts and notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:

1. Road Warriors: As the «home» team in their matchup with the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX (Feb. 8; 6:30 p.m. ET), the Patriots had the choice of jersey.

Captains and the leadership council chose the standard road white jersey with white pants, and it highlights one of the themes of the Patriots' season — they are «road warriors,» the first team to post a 9-0 record away from home.

They've taken the theme and run with it. It began with coach Mike Vrabel showing a clip of the 1979 film «The Warriors» in an October meeting as the Patriots were embracing a stretch of three straight road games — at Buffalo, New Orleans and Tennessee. The Patriots had pulled off a 33-27 road win over the Miami Dolphins in Week 2, and Vrabel was looking for a way to highlight the importance of continuing to come together to start a road winning streak.

«I ran out of [WWE] clips to show them about the 'Road Warriors' [tag team]. So, the next thing I could think of was that movie clip, and that's what we went with,» he said. «It's amazing what sticks. Here we are at the end of January, and it's still sticking.»

So much so that veteran wide receiver Mack Hollins arrived at the AFC Championship Game in Denver last Sunday dressed as one of the main characters of the film, Luther, and reenacted one of the iconic scenes as he walked from the team bus to the locker room. Hollins had glass bottles clanking in his hand while repeating the line «Warriors, come out to play!»

Mack Hollins — «Warriors!» pic.twitter.com/yQJytzZHE4

Likewise, Vrabel referenced it in his postgame speech to players. It has become one of the team's rallying cries.

WARRIORSSSSSS