Rookies Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen weren't around in 2009 when the Patriots beat the Titans in the snow. (AP)

FOXBORO — In New England, a little snow in late October isn’t that big a deal. Heck, The Patriots have even played in a snowy October Nor’easter at Gillette as recently as 2009.

Remember when the Patriots annihilated the Titans, 59-0, on Oct. 18 that year? It started off as driving rain in the morning before turning into heavy, wet, accumulating snow just around kick-off for the 4:15 p.m game.

But when you haven’t seen – let alone played in – snow, then the white stuff can take some getting used to.

When Shane Vereen played his college football at Cal, he had never really seen the snow, even when playing all those times in Pullman, Washington or either Oregon school. The only time he ever had to deal with it was on a trip to go snowboarding.

When he got up Friday morning, he noticed what was on the ground.

It new, very new. It had never happened to me before. The only time I’ve ever been in the snow was when I was snowboarding. So, it was a new experience.

That new experience came with some advice from a veteran of New England football winters – Kevin Faulk.

“‘Drive slow and be careful,’ he said,” Vereen said of the advice from No. 33, who was activated off PUP on Saturday. “That’s basically the main thing I was worried about, too, the whole driving thing.”

Then there was fellow rookie running back Stevan Ridley, who grew up in Mississippi, played at LSU just like Faulk. But it was BenJarvus Green-Ellis, another running back from Mississippi, that provided him shelter and comfort on Thursday night.

“I knew I was in for a long morning,” Ridley said. “I woke up [Friday] morning and had snow all over my car and I made it through, got to practice on time, and I’m thinking I’m adjusting all right.”

It was suggested to Ridley that perhaps it’s “nice” that he and others are getting their first taste of snow during the week in practice.

“I don’t know about nice, it’s still cold to me,” said Ridley. “I know it’s nice to y’all, but it’s cold to me. It’s going to be an adjustment.“

For what it’s worth, the only snow expected in Pittsburgh by 4:15 kick-off Sunday will be on the sidelines in the form of snow banks, when the grounds crew clears the field from Saturday’s storm.