Chargers’ Jim Harbaugh says Patriots remind him of this player

Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh is anticipating a bodily matchup on Sunday night time when his staff takes on the Patriots at Gillette Stadium. 

Talking on Monday afternoon, Harbaugh stated that New England’s identification as a staff revolves round excess of simply Drake Maye’s playmaking capabilities.

Fairly, Harbaugh acknowledged that New England’s depth, scrappy strategy, and a spotlight to element are the issues that first bounce out to him when reviewing Patriots tape. 

It’s the kind of identification that doesn’t come as a lot of a shock to Harbaugh, who famous that New England’s present staff performs a complete lot like their head coach — Mike Vrabel — did throughout his NFL profession. 

“His groups play like he performed,” Harbaugh said of Vrabel Monday afternoon. “I do discover that. Robust, gritty, bodily, sensible, quick. They type of wish to hit like he preferred to hit. That’s what I’ve seen.”

Harbaugh has some historical past of matching up towards Vrabel earlier than the latter took up teaching. Throughout Harbaugh’s remaining years as an NFL QB, Vrabel was simply beginning his professional profession as a linebacker for the Steelers — the place he performed from 1997-2000 earlier than thriving in New England for eight seasons. 

Harbaugh and the Chargers final confronted off towards New England final season, with Los Angeles going into Gillette Stadium and beating a Jerod-Mayo-coached staff, 40-7, within the penultimate sport of the 2024 marketing campaign.

Harbaugh doesn’t count on the identical lopsided end result on Sunday night time. 

“A very powerful classes they’re prime 5, prime 10 — Factors per sport, run protection,” Harbaugh stated. “It’s not plenty of takeaways, that’s not within the prime 10, nevertheless it’s actually good, sound. In a position to play a 3-4 staff that may play as an 4-3 staff, a 4-3 staff that may go to a five-man line.

“Hallmarks of their coverages, which they play rather well. They play the single-high, split-safety, all actually good, efficient. Very downhill, very bodily, superb tacklers. Actually sound,” he added. “Participant pushed, they put gamers in place to achieve success. They do an important job with that. Lengthy checklist of issues that they do properly.”

The buy-in put forth by New England’s revamped roster beneath Vrabel has been evident. However, Harbaugh was additionally candid when requested in regards to the complications that New England presents on the sector when Maye is extending performs and torching secondaries with deep throws down the sector. 

“Simply actually efficient in each a part of the quarterback play,” Harbaugh stated of Maye. “Throwing with accuracy, throwing outdoors the numbers, deep, within the center, athleticism, poise, toughness, sturdiness… A fantastic yr for him by any quarterback normal.”

 

Conor Ryan is a workers author overlaying the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Pink Sox for Boston.com, a job he has held since 2023.