Patriots veteran offensive lineman Michael Owenu has seen it all in his six seasons in New England. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

SAN FRANCISCO – This is Michael Owenu’s sixth season on the New England Patriots offensive line. He’s seen the good, the bad, the ugly.

Now he’s seeing a Super Bowl. Is he shocked?

“No, I’m not shocked,” he said. “I felt like ever since I got here we’ve had the pieces, we’ve kind of just been missing pieces of our team. The season is a long season. You know you need guys whether starters or second team. We have a bunch of guys who have been or prepare like starters, so we’ve had a bunch of guys prepared to step to the plate.”

Owenu says in past years, including the back-to-back 4-13 seasons, the Patriots lost their share of close games that could have turned those seasons around.

What changed? “Our willingness to work,” Owenu said. “To go ahead on with hard work. None of us are afraid of competition, none of us are afraid of hard work. Hard work works. We’re not afraid of that, it’s something we hang our hat on.”

Owenu could sense something from the start with what new Patriots coach Mike Vrabel was saying.

“He had a good message from early in the year, from workouts, going into camp, then going into the season,” Owenu said. “It was, I don’t want to say the same message, but it was always similar, like always keeping us on track and making sure we had the right mindset.”

Owenu had to handle the transition from Bill Belichick to the one year of Jerod Mayo to now Vrabel. They all couldn’t have been more different, from one to the other.

“To be honest it’s all been cool,” Owenu said. “All three coaches have worked me hard. Kudos to all the coaches I’ve had, (including) Bill and Mayo. They’re the reason why I am here, especially Bill as well.

“Coaching style, I’d say it’s the same thing, none of the guys are inherently different, but they all have their own style, own characteristics.”

VRABEL REWORKS PRACTICE

On Friday, Patriots coach Mike Vrabel did something that one wonders why more Super Bowl coaches don’t do: About halfway through practice at Stanford University in Palo Alto, after a special teams session according to the NFL Pool Report, he had the players go off the field inside, and they spent 14 minutes there while Bad Bunny – the halftime performer – songs blared over the speakers outside.

That’s to get the players used to the longer halftime. Former Patriots coach Bill Belichick used to tell his teams that the Super Bowl wasn’t just one game with two halves, but really two seperate games (the two halves). The players returned, according to pool reporter Lindsay Jones, with first team units vs. the scout teams, etc.

The Patriots were slated to return to Palo Alto for a team photo on Saturday.

SEHAWKS EMMANWORI GOOD TO GO

Seattle safety Nick Emmanwori practiced fully at the end of the week, showing no signs of an ankle injury he suffered in practice early in the week. As Seattle coach Mike Macdonald said, “No (injury) designation. He’s alive.”

WILSON TRADE HELPED SEATTLE

Many feel the Seahawks might not be in the Super Bowl had it not been for their fleecing of the Denver Broncos in trading Russell Wilson. They sold high; Wilson was coming off a pretty good 2021 season. They got a haul, two first rounders, two second rounders, a fifth, plus players tight end Noah Fant, DE Shelby Harris and backup QB Drew Lock. In the picks, the starters are OT Charlie Cross, three-time Pro Bowl corner Devon Witherspoon, DE rotational pass rusher Boye Mafe, outside linebacker Derick Hall, and special teamer Dareke Young. Yikes, and Wilson has basically underachieved since.

SEAHAWKS FINAL PRACTICE

The Seahawks held a 44-minute final walk-through on Saturday at San Jose State, and then went to CEFCU Stadium to take their team photo, according to the NFL Pool Report by Kalyn Kahler.

“We’re in great shape,” Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said. “Guys are in good spirits. You can hear them. Finally, it’s taken a while to get here. But it’s here. It’s awesome.”

PATRIOTS ELEVATE TWO

The Patriots elevated running back D’Ernest Johnson and defensive end Leonard Taylor III from the practice squad for the fourth straight postseason game.

Taylor, one may remember, got a hand on the Broncos’ fourth quarter game-tying field goal attempt in the AFC Championship Game. This is his third postseason game while Johnson appeared in seven regular season games.

PATRIOTS PHOTO SESSION

The Patriots went back to Palo Alto for a team photo and friends and families were invited.

“I want them to enjoy this time with their families,” Vrabel said to NFl Pool Reporter Lindsay Jones. “You can see how many people care about us and helped us get to this position, and this is all part of being able to celebrate it.

“Everybody talked about getting to tis point and hoped for it to happen at the beginning of the year. Now it’s real. That’s what I think has been pretty cool.”