Patriots
“I feel we’re going to want higher from him and I feel he is aware of that and I feel that’s apparent.”
Mike Vrabel was candid earlier this week when requested a few turnover-heavy exhibiting from the Patriots throughout their in-stadium scrimmage on Aug. 1.
“The turnovers are definitely going to get us beat. … that’s one thing that — these issues that you just talked about, I feel, overshadow lots of the good things that we did in a group setting that had the group break up up and completely different guys working with completely different guys subsequent to them,” Vrabel mentioned.
The Patriots head coach didn’t change his tune on Friday night time, even after New England opened preseason motion with a convincing 48-18 win over the Commanders.
On a night where multiple players stood out at Gillette Stadium, Vrabel was left wanting extra from his beginning QB, Drake Maye, after getting knocked for a fumble on his first drive of the night.
“That’s a nasty resolution 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 mentioned postgame. “Wasn’t there and we simply have to have the ability to discover a strategy to eliminate the soccer or take a sack and punt and play protection. However to the protection’s credit score, they pressured a discipline aim and I feel that was missed. Nevertheless it was a sudden-change alternative.”
After rookie TreVeyon Henderson opened the game with a bombastic 100-yard kickoff return for a landing, Maye and the Patriots had been unable to hold that momentum into the primary drive of the night for the offense.
On a six-play drive that resulted in simply 10 yards, Maye coughed up the ball at New England’s personal 32 yard line.
Miscommunication and poor pass-blocking from rookies Jared Wilson and Will Campbell allowed Washington defensive lineman Jer’Zhan Newton to slide previous them and begin to wrap up Maye behind the road of scrimmage.
Whereas Maye might have simply taken the sack and handed the ball to Bryce Baringer for a punt, Maye tried to wrestle free from Newton earlier than making an attempt to let go of a cross as Commanders lineman Jacob Martin additionally closed in on him.
Maye’s try and both hit a participant down discipline or just throw the pigskin away backfired, as he misplaced possession of the ball simply as Martin pounced on it.
Regardless that Washington began in favorable discipline place, Washington kicker Matt Homosexual was not capable of make the Patriots pay for the miscue after he failed to attach on a 49-yard discipline aim.
Nonetheless, it was a painful method for Maye to open his 2025 season.
Yeah, disappointing,” Maye mentioned postgame. “I imply, I used to be excited to get on the market and TreVeyon takes it 100 yards. It was fairly candy. However yeah, you’ve acquired a bit of little bit of a drive going — third down and yeah, simply can’t do this on my first outing.
“It simply put a damper. I’m glad that we responded nicely on that subsequent drive, however yeah, identical time, it’s one thing that I can management. On the finish of the day, simply can’t put a protection in that place when video games matter and in season. I advised these guys, ‘That’s on me. We’ve acquired to get again on the market.’ I’m glad that I used to be capable of get one other sequence going.”
Maye did bounce again in what was in the end a two-series stint for the QB in Friday’s recreation. New England’s subsequent drive went for eight performs and 61 yards down the sphere — aided by a 33-yard pickup after Henderson blasted by means of a lane for 18 yards whereas additionally getting a Washington participant whistled for a facemask.
Maye’s tendency to increase performs together with his legs and combat by means of contact does expose him to the danger of harm and turnovers — as was the case on the primary drive.
However the second-year sign caller did benefit from his wheels and that slippery scrambling means within the pink zone on that second drive, ultimately dashing into the top zone on a five-yard scramble to make it a 14-0 recreation on the time.
For Maye, one of many prime hurdles in his growth this season will likely be combating the pure intuition to attempt to preserve performs alive — particularly when the danger doesn’t match the reward in essential conditions.
“It’s intuition,” Maye mentioned of attempting to remain on his toes main as much as the fumble. “It was the primary time I’ve been hit since, shoot, again in Week 17. So it’s instinctive and I’m going to attempt to do my greatest to not get hit, however I’m going to do my a part of staying in there and delivering throws.
“You recognize it’s going to occur. However yeah, it’s an intuition of simply taking part in soccer and clearly attempting to get the ball within the different man’s arms, as a result of they’re higher runners than I’m. However simply preserve the protection trustworthy.”
Regardless of that miscue, Maye felt inspired by what he deemed a robust effort from New England throughout a “full 4 quarters.”
Regardless that sweeping proclamations a few soccer group shouldn’t be made off of a preseason contest, Maye feels as if New England’s revamped roster has persistently been transferring in the fitting course since coaching camp opened in July.
“I feel you simply to acquired to proceed to work at it on daily basis, each week. Study from it, be taught from the tape. That’s the most important factor,” Maye mentioned. “I’ve seen these guys. They wish to get higher, they’re asking questions. There’s lots of soccer speak round within the locker room.
“I feel that’s one thing that you just like seeing. These guys — we wish to win. And it begins with the top coach, the depth … You see guys taking trash till the whistle and that’s what you need. That’s what you need across the locker room. You need these guys and it’s simple for me to get excited taking part in with guys like that beside me.”
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