Patriots
“Generally the efficiency is not going to be extraordinary, however the management and the demeanor needs to be.”
In a preseason opener the place a number of Patriots gamers thrived and New England easily handled Washington, 48-18, the lopsided rating in favor of New England didn’t translate over to Mike Vrabel’s postgame musings.
No less than when it got here to the crew’s beginning QB, Drake Maye.
After preaching all summer season lengthy of the significance of New England limiting turnovers, New England’s head coach was not thrilled along with his QB’s strip-sack and subsequent fumble on his first drive of the night on Friday.
“That’s a nasty choice and I feel we’re going to want higher from him and I feel he is aware of that and I feel that’s apparent,” Vrabel said postgame. “Wasn’t there and we simply have to have the ability to discover a approach to do away with the soccer or take a sack and punt and play protection. However to the protection’s credit score, they compelled a discipline purpose and I feel that was missed. However it was a sudden-change alternative.”
Even when a miscommunication between rookies Will Campbell and Jared Wilson led to stress bearing down on Maye in brief order, the second-year QB’s choice to attempt to prolong the play somewhat than take a sack or throw the ball away was a lapse on the a part of the younger QB.
Speaking on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show” on Monday morning, Vrabel was requested about Maye’s improvement and the requirements set for the highest participant on New England’s roster.
The Patriots’ new head coach acknowledged that Maye’s decision-making and execution is just not anticipated to flawless — be it on the apply discipline or in sport conditions.
However as Vrabel tries to set a brand new normal in Foxborough and domesticate a brand new management group in New England, he acknowledged that Maye might be below a microscope this season because the crew’s teaching employees tries to spherical out the failings in his sport.
“The expectation is that he’s main this soccer crew,” Vrabel stated of Maye. “That’s what the job of the pinnacle coach and the quarterback is. That’s just about how this factor goes. And that he can’t take days off.
“I imply, typically the efficiency isn’t going to be extraordinary, however the management and the demeanor needs to be. And I feel he’s studying that. I like the truth that he’s keen to be taught and push and attempt to do these issues to the place he’s demanding of all people and ensuring that everyone’s on the identical web page.”
Maye was one of many few shiny spots on an in any other case listless Patriots offense final season, throwing for 15 touchdowns and a pair of,276 yards over 13 video games final season whereas additionally gaining 421 yards on the bottom with two dashing scores.
However Maye was additionally susceptible to turnovers as a rookie — committing 10 interceptions whereas additionally shedding two fumbles.
Because the Patriots look to re-establish themselves as viable contenders within the AFC, Vrabel stated that New England’s revamped roster can’t be hindered by the identical missteps that stalled out drives and sapped momentum in 2024 and the earlier years below Mac Jones.
“We talked about staying off the curler coaster, you already know what I imply?” Vrabel stated. “Curler coasters go up, they go down, they get caught typically, and you then’re actually in bother. So we’re attempting to remain off the curler coaster and simply proceed to construct some consistency in what we’re doing positively.”
A lot will fall on Maye’s shoulders in terms of taking the subsequent step in his improvement throughout the 2025 season.
However Vrabel burdened that the Patriots have additionally constructed up an atmosphere in Foxborough that ought to assist Maye by the anticipated rising pains that await — particularly with longtime offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels again within the fold.
“Properly, actually it’s key to teaching,” Vrabel stated of McDaniels’ presence and his monitor report of catering offensives to his QB’s strengths. “And issues that we ask our coaches to do is simply attempt to develop gamers. And I feel that the one factor that’s necessary is – yeah, you need to use testimonials of different gamers, however you additionally need to watch out the way you body it, proper?
“Ensuring that it’s related, and that they’ll see the similarities – perhaps who you’re attempting to make use of for instance, proper? And simply completely different gamers that he’s coached, and never simply Tom [Brady], per se. However the improvement of different younger quarterbacks by this method, I feel, might be very helpful.”
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