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Mike Vrabel wasn’t happy with Drake Maye’s turnover: ‘That’s a bad decision’
"I think we’re going to need better from him and I think he knows that and I think that’s obvious."
Mike Vrabel was candid earlier this week when asked about a turnover-heavy showing from the Patriots during their in-stadium scrimmage on Aug. 1.
“The turnovers are certainly going to get us beat. … that’s something that — those things that you mentioned, I think, overshadow a lot of the good stuff that we did in a team setting that had the team split up and different guys working with different guys next to them,” Vrabel said.
The Patriots head coach did not change his tune on Friday night, even after New England opened preseason action with a convincing 48-18 win over the Commanders.
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On a night where multiple players stood out at Gillette Stadium, Vrabel was left wanting more from his starting QB, Drake Maye, after getting knocked for a fumble on his first drive of the evening.
“That’s a bad decision and I think we’re going to need better from him and I think he knows that and I think that’s obvious,” Vrabel said postgame. “Wasn’t there and we just have to be able to find a way to get rid of the football or take a sack and punt and play defense. But to the defense’s credit, they forced a field goal and I think that was missed. But it was a sudden-change opportunity.”
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After rookie TreVeyon Henderson opened the game with a bombastic 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, Maye and the Patriots were unable to carry that momentum into the first drive of the evening for the offense.
On a six-play drive that resulted in just 10 yards, Maye coughed up the ball at New England’s own 32 yard line.
Miscommunication and poor pass-blocking from rookies Jared Wilson and Will Campbell allowed Washington defensive lineman Jer’Zhan Newton to slip past them and start to wrap up Maye behind the line of scrimmage.
While Maye could have just taken the sack and handed the ball to Bryce Baringer for a punt, Maye attempted to wrestle free from Newton before attempting to let go of a pass as Commanders lineman Jacob Martin also closed in on him.
Maye’s attempt to either hit a player down field or simply throw the pigskin away backfired, as he lost possession of the ball just as Martin pounced on it.
Even though Washington started in favorable field position, Washington kicker Matt Gay was not able to make the Patriots pay for the miscue after he failed to connect on a 49-yard field goal.
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Still, it was a painful way for Maye to open his 2025 season.
Yeah, disappointing,” Maye said postgame. “I mean, I was excited to get out there and TreVeyon takes it 100 yards. It was pretty sweet. But yeah, you’ve got a little bit of a drive going — third down and yeah, just can’t do that on my first time out.
“It just put a damper. I’m glad that we responded well on that next drive, but yeah, same time, it’s something that I can control. At the end of the day, just can’t put a defense in that position when games matter and in season. I told those guys, ‘That’s on me. We’ve got to get back out there.’ I’m glad that I was able to get another series going.”
Maye did bounce back in what was ultimately a two-series stint for the QB in Friday’s game. New England’s next drive went for eight plays and 61 yards down the field — aided by a 33-yard pickup after Henderson blasted through a lane for 18 yards while also getting a Washington player whistled for a facemask.
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Maye’s tendency to extend plays with his legs and fight through contact does expose him to the risk of injury and turnovers — as was the case on the first drive.
But the second-year signal caller did make the most of his wheels and that slippery scrambling ability in the red zone on that second drive, eventually rushing into the end zone on a five-yard scramble to make it a 14-0 game at the time.
For Maye, one of the top hurdles in his development this season will be fighting the natural instinct to try and keep plays alive — especially when the risk doesn’t match the reward in critical situations.
“It’s instinct,” Maye said of trying to stay on his feet leading up to the fumble. “It was the first time I’ve been hit since, shoot, back in Week 17. So it’s instinctive and I’m going to try to do my best to not get hit, but I’m going to do my part of staying in there and delivering throws.
“You know it’s going to happen. But yeah, it’s an instinct of just playing football and obviously trying to get the ball in the other guy’s hands, because they’re better runners than I am. But just keep the defense honest.”
Despite that miscue, Maye felt encouraged by what he deemed a strong effort from New England across a “full four quarters.”
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Even though sweeping proclamations about a football team shouldn’t be made off of a preseason contest, Maye feels as though New England’s revamped roster has consistently been moving in the right direction since training camp opened in July.
“I think you just to got to continue to work at it every day, every week. Learn from it, learn from the tape. That’s the biggest thing,” Maye said. “I’ve seen these guys. They want to get better, they’re asking questions. There’s a lot of football talk around in the locker room.
“I think that’s something that you like seeing. These guys — we want to win. And it starts with the head coach, the intensity … You see guys taking trash until the whistle and that’s what you want. That’s what you want around the locker room. You want those guys and it’s easy for me to get excited playing with guys like that beside me.”
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