New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel did not hold back when it came to the expectations for the offensive play-calling following his team’s victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was a rare moment when Vrabel gave outsiders an inside look at how he breaks things down and relays it to his team behind the scenes.
This wasn't a situation where Vrabel necessarily picked one side over the other. He admitted that sometimes the play-calling is bad, and the players still find a way to make a play. In the same breath, sometimes the play-calling is good, and the players fail to make a play.
“There’s plays where they’re dog [expletive] calls and the players make a play. There’s good calls, and the guys don’t make a play," Vrabel said on The Greg Hill
Show. "You have to watch every play. Like there will be a X play run—I’ll watch every 20-yard gain—and it’s either a guy making a play or there’s a holding call that they miss. And that’s what it is. I think the easy thing is to say, ‘Well, that’s a terrible play call or the guy should’ve done better.’ Fellas, we have to be able to get into a rhythm.”
The Patriots defeated the Steelers by a 20-3 margin in a game where the offense scored only 13 points. It was another sluggish performance by a unit that was expected to be one of the best in the NFL in 2026.
Granted, A.J. Brown got injured in the opener, and third-year quarterback Drake Maye is having to adjust without Stefon Diggs and Kayshon Boutte at receiver. So far, he has thrown only one touchdown and four interceptions through two games in the season.
The good news was that Romeo Doubs found life and led all receivers with three catches for 96 yards. It will take more performances like the one he had against the Steelers to improve his connection with Maye and boost the overall confidence in the offense as a whole.
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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Patriots coach Mike Vrabel gets candid about offensive play-calling
