Usually, the Patriots would have Monday off aside from a meeting here or there and some treatment.

But, players were back in the building this Monday ready to go after playing on Thursday night and earning a few days off over the weekend. Some guys spent time with family (and pets), some got to know Boston a little better, while others took in the Celtics game on Sunday night. Mike Vrabel went down to Tennessee.

He also didn’t care how guys spent the few days away, as long as they were locked in when they returned to Foxborough.

It sounds like they certainly were.

“Whatever gets us back to neutral and be able to move forward, prepare and stay on our conditioning,” Vrabel said when asked specifically whether he wanted players to completely get away from the game, or find a way to stay engaged.

“But, it’s a long stretch of games that we just had, and I think that the energy is great right now where we’re at, coming back in here on a Monday, meeting, getting all those things reviewed and working out. And so, those would be good.

Along with Vrabel, rookies Jared Wilson and Craig Woodson also spoke briefly.

Woodson said he pretty much only checked in on the Chiefs Sunday, choosing to get away from the game as much as possible.

“This weekend I tried to get away,” he said. “Yesterday, I caught a few games, the Chiefs game, whatever. Just because I have old teammates from Cal that played, but yeah, when it’s my time off, I just try to get away and get my mental back right.”

Wilson says he watched some film, but otherwise had the house to himself and tried to take full advantage.

“I watched a little film here and there, but, mostly I was just chillin, watching moves. I was chilling with the dog,” he said with a smile. “My fiancé, she went back down to Florida for a couple days, so it’s been a quiet house. Just been chilling and relaxing.”