FOXBOROUGH, Mass — It was Victory Monday at Gillette Stadium, with the New England Patriots having earned the day to recover and celebrate the big win.
But, there were still some unanswered questions remaining following the game, and head coach Mike Vrabel spoke with reporters, answering a bunch of them.
Here's what I'm hearing at Gillette Stadium today:
The latest on Mack Hollins
Mack Hollins, who has been one of Drake Maye's favorite targets after losing A.J. Brown, departed Sunday's win early due to an injury, and on Monday, head coach Mike Vrabel was asked if he had an update. While he didn't say anything definitively, he did make it sound like Hollins missing this week is a possibility.
"I think we'll probably know more here in a little bit. I don't know if he'll be
able to practice here for a couple days, but again, I don't have every detail," he said. "I'll get in there with Jim [Whalen] here afterwards and kind of see where we are and then make sure we have guys that are ready to go. Everybody's preparing as a starter. We know the energy that Mack brings, and next guy has to be ready to go."
Brown isn't eligible to return until next week, and then, without Hollins, the wide receiver room is a bit thin. So, could they explore adding someone?
"Sure. Anybody that can help us," Vrabel said. "We'll go explore here shortly."
Will Efton Chism get more opportunities?
Efton Chism's one-handed, game-winning touchdown catch is one that will be remembered for a long time. The young receiver earned a spot on the roster last season as a UDFA, and the same occured this summer. And due to injuries, Chism saw an increased role that led to the viral moment.
So, has he earned more time on the field?
"Sure, of course. That's what happens," Vrabel said. "I mean, guys continue to take advantage of their opportunities, they get more opportunities. I mean, we've been finding ways to work Chis in there previously. And it's a balance, but he certainly did a lot of things well. I know that he'll continue to do things well for us and continue to know a bunch of different spots."
Drake Maye bounces back
After a lackluster performance in the first three weeks, Drake Maye looked much more like himself in the win, and because of his efforts, he was awarded a game ball in the locker room by his head coach.
"The thing to me is, we fumbled the snap, it's a mistake. But we picked the ball up, we stayed alive and we hit an X-play. So, I think that really has to exemplify what we want to be, who we want to be as a team and who we want to be as an organization," Vrabel explained. "There's going to be things that happen, things that we don't plan for. But certainly, the play isn't over, the game isn't over, and I think that really sums up everything that we want to do. So, I think that was a huge moment for us of just saying, "Hey, pick the ball up and go try to find a way to make a play, a positive play," but also figure out why the quarterback-center exchange is – we had the ball on the ground twice."
As for the two fumbled snaps, Vrabel said they "have to practice it and continue to practice it."
"Sometimes things happen," he added. "So, I know he's trying to get off the line of scrimmage. In our haste to get off the line of scrimmage, we have to stay in there and secure the snap. So, we'll continue to focus on those things. We have to be good in critical situations: short yardage, low red zone. When it gets tough, we have to be really good."
In the losses to the Seahawks and the Jaguars, as well as the win over the Steelers, the biggest issue appeared to be Maye's confidence. This time he was running with the ball and throwing it with certainty and confidence.
"I can try to help his confidence and show him things that he does that should make him confident. But ultimately, that's on each and every player," Vrabel said. "I think that gets built throughout the week, how you feel about certain plays, certain looks or how things looked in practice. And that's all we want to try to do, is what the players feel they have confidence in, to be able to run with speed, be aggressive and be decisive. So, that's why we put the plays in, that those are the ones that we feel like they have confidence in, and then they practice them throughout the week. So, that's what everybody's striving for and that's what we'll have to try to continue to do moving forward in order to improve."
Keeping Dalton Kincaid at bay and preparing for Brock Bowers
One of the biggest strengths of the Patriots' defensive game plan was neutralizing Dalton Kincaid and not allowing Josh Allen to connect with him. It clearly threw the Bills off their game.
"I think awareness. I think that [Robert] Spillane did a nice job. On one play, they tried to hide him over there on the line of scrimmage," Vrabel stated. "It's not where he usually hangs out, and so he ran the over, and Spillane was able to carry him, I think, just long enough for Josh to go in a different direction. Felt like good coverage all day, being able to mix zone and mix man. But having an awareness of where he is and not letting him just run free."
And this is especially helpful as the Patriots will have their hands full with another very talented tight end this week.
"Again, they're feeding their tight ends. They have a great group," he said of the Raiders. "Certainly different play styles, but Brock (Bowers) is as elite as they come at that position. So, we'll have a huge challenge. We'll just be getting started here in a little bit."
Erick Hunter at gunner
Linebacker Erick Hunter slotted in on special teams at the gunner position and made a major tackle in the game.
"Thought he did fantastic. I thought Erick's really progressed every day since he's been here," Vrabel explained. "I think Jeremy [Springer] and Tom [Quinn] have done a fantastic job of working with him in our special teams, and he's trying to work with our defensive coaches. A lot of new things for Erick, and he's willing, he's got a really good length and he can run. We just figured, as we get guys that are down, we need bodies or DBs have to play or go down, why don't we give Erick a try? He didn't disappoint."
Romeo Doubs big game
Romeo Doubs has arrived.
Similar to Maye, Doubs has also had a slower start to the season, but he has come alive in the last two weeks and has become one of the quarterback's trusted targets. It showed as he was on the receiving end of both fourth-down conversions as well as two of the three passing touchdowns.
"Yeah, it was great. I think that Rome puts a lot of pressure on himself to perform, like most players and most people that try to excel at a high level," Vrabel said. "I think that for him to not have a great play and to be able to come back is everything that we want to be able to do. We have the power to choose our response. When things happen, there's a moment in there where we get to choose. And so, I think his response to some of those plays have been really good."
How did Ben Brown do?
For the third game in a row, the Patriots had a new player starting at right guard. So, how did he do and do they anticipate him starting there again this coming week?
"That's probably too quick for me to answer right now, just being less than 24 hours after the game, as far as a roster spot or positions," Vrabel stated. "But I thought Ben competed. I thought he did what Ben normally does. He goes in there and fights, and that's what I love about Ben, and that's what everybody on this team loves about Ben."
Interior defensive line steps up
Last week, following the Patriots' loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, Vrabel said he wants to see more from the interior defensive line. This week, they stepped up big time.
"I felt like those guys, especially early on, stopping the run. This was a team that could get the run going pretty quickly. But I think Milt [Milton Williams] factored, was disruptive and did a nice job with his hands. Cory [Durden], DaQuan [Jones], Josh [Farmer] and Lenny [Leonard Taylor III], they all had a role," Vrabel said. "I thought the outside linebackers did a nice job. I think they just continue to develop, especially looking at Gabe [Jacas] improving. I'm proud of the way that they all played, and I'm proud of the efforts, seeing how many guys got to the football, being able to hammer the football out and look at those chances.
"They hit a couple plays down the field, hit an X-play when he pump faked Gabe. We didn't get him on the ground down the middle of the field, but those are the plays that they're going to make. But we also forced their MVP quarterback to throw the ball behind his head that should've been returned for a pick-6. So, they did a lot of really good things, and we'll have to continue to do that as we move forward."
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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: What I’m hearing at Gillette Stadium: Monday buzz (Week 5)
