PATRIOTS HEAD COACH MIKE VRABEL

PRESS CONFERENCE
October 5, 2026

Q: Given Efton's [Chism III] exploits in the game, might that earn him some more game reps?

MV: Sure, of course. That's what happens. I mean, guys continue to take advantage of their opportunities, they get more opportunities. I mean, we've been finding ways to work Chis in there previously. And it's a balance, but he certainly did a lot of things well. I know that he'll continue to do things well for us and continue to know a bunch of different spots.

Q: Mike, you have one of the better records in the league as a head coach right now when Vegas has you guys as underdogs going into a game. Is there anything about that underdog label that you relish in when you're going into a game?

MV: Again, I just try to get the team prepared each and every week the best that I can, get them to understand what it is that they need to do to win the game, what we all need to do and the role that we all play in the game. So, that's all we try to do each and every week.

Q: Mike, with Drake [Maye], obviously he got one of the game balls after the win, and your message in the locker room was kind of like, "Never lost faith." What was it like to see him go out in that game and perform?

MV: The thing to me is, we fumbled the snap, it's a mistake. But we picked the ball up, we stayed alive and we hit an X-play. So, I think that really has to exemplify what we want to be, who we want to be as a team and who we want to be as an organization. There's going to be things that happen, things that we don't plan for. But certainly, the play isn't over, the game isn't over, and I think that really sums up everything that we want to do. So, I think that was a huge moment for us of just saying, "Hey, pick the ball up and go try to find a way to make a play, a positive play," but also figure out why the quarterback-center exchange is – we had the ball on the ground twice.

Q: Did you come to a conclusion on the two center exchanges on the ground?

MV: I mean, we have to practice it and continue to practice it. And whether the center's moving laterally, he has a block that he has a guy off his body, and he's moving one way. Is the quarterback excited on the goal line to try to get off the goal line? I mean, I think you see those plays down there, and I know that he's thinking he has to get off the line. I mean, you saw what happened with Jayden Daniels and those things when the defensive lineman's taking all the ball on the goal line and they're attacking. Sometimes things happen. So, I know he's trying to get off the line of scrimmage. In our haste to get off the line of scrimmage, we have to stay in there and secure the snap. So, we'll continue to focus on those things. We have to be good in critical situations: short yardage, low red zone. When it gets tough, we have to be really good.

Q: Mike, we saw Erick Hunter at gunner this week. How did that come to be and how'd you feel like he performed in that role?

MV: Thought he did fantastic. I thought Erick's really progressed every day since he's been here. I think Jeremy [Springer] and Tom [Quinn] have done a fantastic job of working with him in our special teams, and he's trying to work with our defensive coaches. A lot of new things for Erick, and he's willing, he's got a really good length and he can run. We just figured, as we get guys that are down, we need bodies or DBs have to play or go down, why don't we give Erick a try? He didn't disappoint.

Q: Mike, you mentioned last night that when you're playing Josh Allen you have to be aggressive when you were asked about going for it on fourth down. Given the way you guys performed offensively, is that aggressive mindset one you want to take into every game weekly?

MV: I mean, we always do. Again, it's just the way that the game's going, how I feel like how things are unfolding and what's going to give us the best opportunity to score, how many points we may or may not need. But certainly, we always want to be aggressive and not reckless, and if we believe in the play and we believe in our ability to convert those chances into touchdowns.

Q: Your approach at the end of the half there, was that also related to going against Josh Allen? I think there were 16 seconds left in the second half?

MV: We had a lot of timeouts. I mean, we had a couple timeouts and we thought we could try to hit a play, and then maybe hit two plays and be able to call a timeout and try a long field goal. It didn't work out. I mean, you could see what some teams have done with just seven, eight or 10 seconds. They hit a play down the field, call timeout and hit a long field goal. So, we want to be able to take advantage of every scoring opportunity that we get, but also be mindful of being really smart with the ball and. Rome [Romeo Doubs] knows that he's got to secure that catch, then we'll call timeout and then figure out what the next play is.

Q: Speaking of Romeo, to be able to bounce back from that, having the two fourth down conversion catches and then 2 touchdowns, just what was it like to see him come out there and perform the way he did?

MV: Yeah, it was great. I think that Rome puts a lot of pressure on himself to perform, like most players and most people that try to excel at a high level. I think that for him to not have a great play and to be able to come back is everything that we want to be able to do. We have the power to choose our response. When things happen, there's a moment in there where we get to choose. And so, I think his response to some of those plays have been really good.

Q: Mack Hollins didn't finish the game. I understand these things can shift being this close to the game, but what is the sense of the severity of what he's dealing with?

MV: I think we'll probably know more here in a little bit. I don't know if he'll be able to practice here for a couple days, but again, I don't have every detail. I'll get in there with Jim [Whalen] here afterwards and kind of see where we are and then make sure we have guys that are ready to go. Everybody's preparing as a starter. We know the energy that Mack brings, and next guy has to be ready to go.

Q: [Dalton] Kincaid had been very productive leading into this game and obviously you guys limited his production. I know it's never one thing, but what were some of the factors in that?

MV: I think awareness. I think that [Robert] Spillane did a nice job. On one play, they tried to hide him over there on the line of scrimmage. It's not where he usually hangs out, and so he ran the over, and Spillane was able to carry him, I think, just long enough for Josh to go in a different direction. Felt like good coverage all day, being able to mix zone and mix man. But having an awareness of where he is and not letting him just run free.

Q: So going back to the post-game video, the message you had for Drake. To paraphrase, you said, "We're not taking any more stuff." How important was it to you for him to know not only you had his back this week, but the rest of the team also still had his back as well?

MV: I mean, I think that that all goes without saying. We spend a lot of time together. Everybody understands how the quarterback has to perform in this league for teams to have success. And everybody does have his back, starting with me and everybody all the way down. Again, Drake wants to be as perfect as possible. We know that that's not possible. We have to be precise, and we have to lead the offense, be able to distribute the football and not just focusing on one single receiver, being able to spread the football around. If it's not there and he doesn't feel like it's there down the field or whatever it may be, then finding the check down. Again, a lot of positive things. We've still got to take care of the football, got to do a better job with the pocket. There were some good pockets. Every week is going to be a good front, that's what happens in the National Football League.

Q: With A.J. [Brown] out and Mack now hurt, might you explore bringing somebody else in?

MV: Sure. Anybody that can help us. We'll go explore here shortly.

Q: Mike, you said you wanted more from the interior defensive line last week. Did you feel like you got that yesterday?

MV: I felt like those guys, especially early on, stopping the run. This was a team that could get the run going pretty quickly. But I think Milt [Milton Williams] factored, was disruptive and did a nice job with his hands. Cory [Durden], DaQuan [Jones], Josh [Farmer] and Lenny [Leonard Taylor III], they all had a role. I thought the outside linebackers did a nice job. I think they just continue to develop, especially looking at Gabe [Jacas] improving. I'm proud of the way that they all played, and I'm proud of the efforts, seeing how many guys got to the football, being able to hammer the football out and look at those chances. They hit a couple plays down the field, hit an X-play when he pump faked Gabe. We didn't get him on the ground down the middle of the field, but those are the plays that they're going to make. But we also forced their MVP quarterback to throw the ball behind his head that should've been returned for a pick-6. So, they did a lot of really good things, and we'll have to continue to do that as we move forward.

Q: Mike, how do you feel Ben Brown did, and do you anticipate him staying at right guard?

MV: That's probably too quick for me to answer right now, just being less than 24 hours after the game, as far as a roster spot or positions. But I thought Ben competed. I thought he did what Ben normally does. He goes in there and fights, and that's what I love about Ben, and that's what everybody on this team loves about Ben.

Q: Mike, some of those things you talked about defensively with the guys up front, what are you able to do to prevent Josh Allen from scrambling? I don't think he had one single scramble in the game.

MV: I mean, he had the one in the red zone where they called me and Marcus [Jones] for penalties. I think that they understood, when you show him as many plays as we did of him going out to his right and and making explosive plays, either running for 20 yards or throwing the ball for much more than that, they realized, "Okay, yeah, this is an issue. This is going to be an issue if this guy gets out there." So, whoever was that outside rusher over there multiple times, it's usually an outside linebacker, but sometimes it was [Christian] Elliss. We did a good job mixing it up, but they pretty much took one for the team. You can't just come under over there and they play for it, and then Spencer Brown throws you inside, Josh goes and extends and guys uncover. And so, they were very unselfish, and that's what you have to be if you want to win football games on the road against a team that hasn't lost much at home or really anywhere.

Q: Mike, how did the team react to the Craig Woodson's interception?

MV: Well, I think we were all really excited. Unfortunately, we have to be ready to go offensively to get out there and understand that we're going to need a first down to win the football game. So, it was great to have Craig back. It's fun to watch him play. It's just a young player that when you have a vision for a guy, you draft him and see him fulfill that vision and sometimes even exceed it. So, that's how these games go. Get your heart pills and be willing to stick around and fight to the end.

Q: Mike, you mentioned the awareness when you're talking about defense with Kincaid. How important will that be as you look ahead to another tight end coming in [Brock] Bowers?

MV: Again, they're feeding their tight ends. They have a great group. Certainly different play styles, but Brock is as elite as they come at that position. So, we'll have a huge challenge. We'll just be getting started here in a little bit.

Q: Mike, could you speak to how big of a factor confidence was in Drake Maye's performance yesterday?

MV: Well, I'm not in charge of Drake's confidence. I can try to help his confidence and show him things that he does that should make him confident. But ultimately, that's on each and every player. I think that gets built throughout the week, how you feel about certain plays, certain looks or how things looked in practice. And that's all we want to try to do, is what the players feel they have confidence in, to be able to run with speed, be aggressive and be decisive. So, that's why we put the plays in, that those are the ones that we feel like they have confidence in, and then they practice them throughout the week. So, that's what everybody's striving for and that's what we'll have to try to continue to do moving forward in order to improve.