Mike Vrabel wasn’t in the mood to turn a Patriots win into a postgame autopsy.
After New England beat the Steelers in its first home game of the season, reporters tried to steer the conversation toward Drake Maye and the offense. Vrabel wasn’t having it.
When asked, “What’s your concern level with Drake Maye and the offense right now?”, he fired back, “Just tryna win the game, Ben. You’re not gonna ruin my Sunday, but I’ll come back to you tomorrow.
Thanks, bud.”
A second question followed, and the coach shut that one down, too.
It was an easy reaction to understand. The Patriots had just come through a game that carried real pressure after a frustrating finish in last week’s Super Bowl rematch.
The performance still wasn’t clean across the board, but New England was better in plenty of areas, and that mattered. Against a tough defensive front and a future Hall of Fame quarterback, the Patriots found a way to answer back.
And they did it while dealing with a battered roster. Several key players were out, and the game brought more hits to the depth chart.
Mike Onwenu, who has been an anchor of the offensive line over the past seven years, went down. Rookie Eli Raridon, who scored the only touchdown last week and also hauled in an impressive 30-yard catch in this game, was sidelined.
Safety Craig Woodson also left.
That’s where the real concern lives for New England moving forward. But Vrabel clearly wasn’t interested in making those issues the headline on a day when his team had just dug in and won. For now, he wanted the focus on the victory, not the flaws.
In Other News...
Patriots Are At The Center Of Another NFL Rules Crackdown
A familiar Patriots workaround is back in the spotlight, and this time it has pushed the league to redraw the lines. The NFL has adopted a new rule aimed at video board use during field goal and extra point attempts, requiring teams to stick with either a static image or the same all-22 camera angle for both sides.
The change is designed to keep the playing field even and prevent any home team from using the scoreboard to distract opposing kickers. It is also a reminder of how often New England, especially in the Bill Belichick era, has found itself at the center of leaguewide rule tightening, with the Patriots once again serving as the example that forces everyone else to adjust. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Showed Needed Fight In A Win That Came At A Cost
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Christian Gonzalez had a strong night in coverage against Steelers receiver Metcalf, another encouraging sign for a unit that needed one. The win, though, came with a price, as the Patriots also saw several players go down, including Mike Onwenu and DreMont Jones, leaving the team to sort through a victory that felt important for more than one reason. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Passing Game Just Took An Early Hit Fans Feared
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Brown has now been placed on injured reserve, which means he will miss at least four games while the team adjusts. With him out, the spotlight shifts to the other receivers on the roster, who are now expected to take on larger roles and help carry a passing attack suddenly short on one of its newest options. [Read more 🡒]