Patriots Dominate Giants on MNF, But Red Zone Woes Still Linger
Mike Vrabel didn’t mince words when he laid out how he evaluates his team: there’s the good, the bad, and what he bluntly calls “the s-t that gets you beat.” And after the Patriots’ 33-15 win over the Giants on Monday Night Football, you could say New England delivered a solid dose of each - though, fortunately for them, most of what we saw belonged in the “good” column.
Let’s break down the Patriots’ Week 13 performance through Vrabel’s lens.
The Good: Energy and Execution Early
This was New England’s first appearance on Monday Night Football in three years, and they made it count. From the opening kickoff, the Patriots came out with a noticeable edge - physical, fast, and playing with purpose. That early spark set the tone for a night where they looked like the more aggressive, more prepared team in every phase of the game.
A 39-yard kickoff return on the opening play gave the offense a short field to work with, and they capitalized quickly with a field goal. Then came the defense, which wasted no time making its presence felt.
Linebacker Harold Landry brought pressure early, sacking Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart and forcing a three-and-out. But the real jolt came just moments later, when Marcus Jones took a punt 94 yards to the house - a game-changing play that lit up Gillette Stadium and gave the Patriots a 10-0 lead.
“In each game he has returned a touchdown, it has just sparked the offense and defense,” said cornerback Christian Gonzalez postgame. And he’s right - Jones has become one of those rare special teams players who can flip the momentum of a game in a heartbeat.
The Patriots didn’t let up from there. They built a 17-0 lead and stayed in control throughout, playing with the kind of physicality and tempo that Vrabel has been preaching all season. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a clear statement: this team, when locked in, can punch with anyone.
The Bad: Missed Tackles
To be fair, New England played a mostly clean game. But if we’re nitpicking - and Vrabel certainly will be - the tackling left something to be desired.
The Patriots missed eight tackles on the night, a tick above their season average of 6.3. It wasn’t a disaster, but it did show up at the wrong time.
Case in point: Darius Slayton’s 30-yard touchdown in the second quarter. What should’ve been a manageable gain turned into six points after Slayton slipped past Jaylinn Hawkins, Marcus Jones, and Christian Gonzalez on his way to the end zone.
There were also a couple of miscues on special teams - a 22-yard punt from Bryce Baringer and a missed 45-yard field goal by Andy Borregales - but neither proved costly. Still, the missed tackles are something to watch. It only takes one breakdown to swing a game, and the Slayton score was a reminder that even in a dominant performance, there’s always room for improvement.
The Stuff That Gets You Beat: Red Zone Inefficiency
Here’s where things get real. The Patriots won comfortably, but they left a lot of points on the field - and that’s the kind of thing that can come back to bite you in January.
New England scored on six of its nine meaningful possessions, but only two of those drives ended in touchdowns. They went just 1-for-5 in the red zone, continuing a troubling trend that’s been hanging over them all season. Vrabel didn’t shy away from it after the game.
“We need to be better in the red zone,” he said. No argument here.
Right now, the Patriots rank 24th in red zone efficiency, converting just 51.1% of their trips into touchdowns. Among current playoff contenders, only Tampa Bay (50%) and Baltimore (46.5%) are worse. That’s not the kind of company you want to keep if you’re serious about making a postseason run.
The issue isn’t just about play-calling or execution in a vacuum - it’s about finishing. The Patriots are moving the ball, they’re creating chances, and they’re controlling games.
But when the field shrinks and defenses tighten up, they haven’t been able to consistently punch it in. That’s the kind of flaw that can turn a playoff game - or a season - on its head.
Final Word
Monday night was a step forward for the Patriots. They played with energy, dictated the pace, and looked like a team that’s rounding into form at the right time. But as Vrabel made clear, there’s still work to do - particularly when it comes to finishing drives.
The good news? This team has the pieces.
The defense is flying around, special teams is a weapon, and the offense is moving the ball with rhythm. But if they want to make noise in the postseason, they’ll need to turn those red zone trips into touchdowns - not just field goals.
Because in the playoffs, it’s not always the big plays that decide games. Sometimes, it’s the missed chances. And that’s the kind of stuff that, as Vrabel would say, gets you beat.