Mike Vrabel calls Patriots fortunate after 26-19 win over Jets
New England extended its winning streak to three games on October 18, but its coach said poor play and turnovers left him dissatisfied.
New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel said his team was fortunate to beat the New York Jets 26-19 on October 18 in Foxborough, Massachusetts, despite extending its winning streak to three games. Afterward, he said the Patriots had played poorly and needed to improve, putting the focus on their mistakes even as they secured another victory.
Why Vrabel criticized the Jets win
The Patriots led 17-3 at halftime before the Jets narrowed the final margin to seven points, NBC Sports reported. Vrabel opened his postgame remarks by calling New England ‘lucky to win.’ Quoting a team transcript, NBC reported that he said: ‘We just didn't play very well. We tried to beat ourselves, but we made enough plays in critical situations to help us get through here today.’
Vrabel also said winning was the most important outcome, but he did not think the team had improved on its performances over the previous two weeks, according to Boston Sports Journal. He said he had to work out why: his job was both to get the Patriots wins and to help them improve. That distinction explains why he was dissatisfied after a result that kept their winning run going.
Turnovers remain Vrabel's concern
New England lost two fumbles against the Jets and had committed 13 turnovers for the season, NBC Sports reported. Boston Sports Journal identified DeMario Douglas and TreVeyon Henderson as the players who fumbled. It also reported dropped passes by A.J. Brown. Those errors formed part of the uneven performance Vrabel described after the game.
Vrabel returned to the turnover problem during a Monday morning appearance on WEEI. ‘We turn the ball over at a historic rate, and it's ridiculous,’ he said, according to NBC Sports, which credited ESPN's Mike Reiss for the remarks. ‘It's an embarrassment.’ His comments made clear that a third consecutive win had not eased his concern about how often the team gives away possession.
There was a more encouraging trend at quarterback: Drake Maye had committed no turnovers in the previous two weeks after nine in the first four weeks of the season, NBC Sports reported. Boston Sports Journal described Maye as comfortable against the Jets despite the mistakes around him, and reported that he completed 12 of 20 passes for 152 yards and a touchdown against their zone coverage. Vrabel's immediate task, by his account, is to turn wins into better performances across the team.
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Sources and context
- Bedard: Sorry, Mike Vrabel, there was no luck involved in Patriots' win over JetsBoston Sports Journal; Greg A. Bedard
- Mike Vrabel: We were lucky to win on SundayNBC Sports ProFootballTalk; Josh Alper
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.