Mike Vrabel isn’t ready to join the pile-on over Josh McDaniels after the Patriots’ Week 1 loss to the Seahawks.
The conversation around New England’s opener quickly turned to the offense, and specifically to what many saw as a cautious game plan. Fans bristled at the steady diet of first-down runs, especially with the offensive line struggling to open room and the Seahawks’ front waiting to clamp down. Drake Maye also didn’t get many chances to push the ball downfield until the Patriots were forced into catch-up mode late.
That frustration has put McDaniels under the microscope since Sunday, even though some of the same people questioning him weren’t exactly thrilled when he was brought back. Vrabel, though, pushed back on the idea that the Patriots were playing scared.
During his weekly appearance on WEEI, Vrabel was asked directly whether he viewed the offense as conservative, and he made it clear he didn’t see it that way.
“I don’t look at things as conservative. That’s what we felt like was best against this defense.
We didn’t hit some things, and you have to be able to run the football against split safety defense. That’s no secret.
You don’t play split safety defense to stop the run; they play it to not give up big plays. We tried to hit some shots down the field.
We threw it to the running backs a couple times for 12 or 15 yards when they were all off there, and on the interception should have thrown it to the back again for a third time. You just can’t get bored doing things right. If it’s not there it’s not there.”
Vrabel also pointed out that the Patriots did try to work different parts of the field, even if the results didn’t show it. The bottom line, in his view, was that the plan wasn’t the problem so much as the execution.
There’s still plenty for the offense to clean up before Sunday’s matchup with the Steelers, and the Patriots will need a much sharper showing to have a real chance. But Vrabel also said it’s too early to make sweeping judgments about McDaniels or the offense as a whole.
“Every game is different, every defense is different. We all sit down, we game-plan.
Josh game-plans with his staff; each guy has an area. I’ll sit in with those.
I think to look and say, ‘Well, this guy, this team put up number…’ - we didn’t win the game. ”
New England’s Week 1 loss still leaves plenty to critique, but Vrabel’s message was clear: one game is not enough to define the offense. The Patriots have a chance to show something different against the Steelers at Gillette Stadium this weekend.
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