New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel had high praise for Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence ahead of Sunday's Week 3 showdown.
After beating the Pittsburgh Steelers, Vrabel noted that the Patriots would see better offensive teams down the stretch. The Jaguars, with Lawrence under center, would probably count as one of those teams.
Lawrence has thrown for 434 passing yards, four touchdowns and one interception through two games, while maintaining a 67.3 completion percentage. With that said, the Patriots' defense has dominated early in the season by holding their last two opponents to 16 points combined.
That includes allowing only three points to the Aaron Rodgers-led Pittsburgh Steelers offense last week. Nevertheless, Vrabel knows
that slowing down Lawrence will be a challenge.
“He’s big, he’s athletic, arm talent," Vrabel said of Lawrence on The Greg Hill Show. "Again, we’ve played against him a lot from our days in Tennessee. We’ll have to be at our best. They’re a good football team. Very talented. Very long on defense up front.“
The accuracy and chain-moving ability that Lawrence possesses will make for a fun chess match against a Patriots defense that has been aggressive and stingy. It might also light a fire under Patriots quarterback Drake Maye and the offense to come out of its shell.
Strong defensive play will clearly be important, but the Patriots will also need the help of their offense to go blow-for-blow with an expected playoff contender.
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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Patriots coach Mike Vrabel shares initial thoughts on Trevor Lawrence
