The New England Patriots were headed on an upward trajectory after the seesaw Week 2 win in Miami against the Dolphins. In an exciting game that ultimately turned into a Patriots victory, things began to fall somewhat more into place, especially on offense. The offensive line seemed to be settling in, and one player in particular shone.
Second-year quarterback Drake Maye had a breakout game against Miami. He matched a career-high monstrous 82.6 percent completion rate, threw for two touchdowns, and ran for another while throwing no interceptions. A clean game by your quarterback usually will give you a good chance to win, and they did.
In Week 3, however, the Patriots reverted to form, losing by a touchdown at home again, this time to a listless Pittsburgh Steelers team. It was a game that was theirs for the taking, yet the Patriots mistook their way to a second loss in three games. The team exhibited more miscues than a rebuilding team can handle, and they gift-wrapped an eminently winnable game to Pittsburgh.
The Patriots blew their Week 3 game and fell in the NFL power rankings
A performance punctuated by five turnovers and an accompanying five sacks allowed is a prescription for losing on any given Sunday. The Patriots aren't good enough to survive if they lose a turnover battle, and coughing up five almost guarantees a loss. That type of performance would drop any team in NFL team rankings, and it did in The Athletic's.
The Athletic's Chad Graff and Josh Randall released their power rankings of NFL teams for Week 4 after the conclusion of the Week 3 games.
"26. New England Patriots (1-2) Last week: 23 Sunday: Lost to Steelers 21-14 QB confidence: A rare bright spot
"Not much has gone as planned for the Patriots. The running backs can't hang on to the ball. The receivers can’t get open. The defense hasn’t been as good as expected. But through three games, Maye has taken a step forward, ranking fifth in the NFL in completion percentage over expected and eighth in expected points added per play."
Graff and Randall very succinctly summed up several key aspects that have contributed to the Patriots' 1-2 record, rather than possibly being tied at the top of the AFC East with the powerful Bills. They noted that the running backs are prone to fumbles and the receivers struggle to get open. Spot on. Additionally, the issues of sacks allowed and other miscues also need to be taken into account.
Mistakes have punctuated the first three games. Turnovers (five alone against the Steelers) and a whopping 27 penalties in three games, along with 12 sacks allowed, tell the story of a losing team. Penalties and turnovers are mistakes. Well-coached, disciplined, and ultimately winning NFL teams avoid them. The Patriots haven't.
Mike Vrabel has to get his team untracked before the 2025 season slips away
Mike Vrabel's coaching in the first three NFL games with the Patriots has left a lot to be desired. In a totally unforeseen development, it's evident that Vrabel's team has not only been outplayed but he and his coaching staff have been outcoached, as well.
Well-coached teams don't exhibit the mistake-prone performances that are becoming the trademark of the 2025 Patriots. If the trend continues, only the complete ineptitude of the Dolphins and Jets may prevent the Patriots from returning to the cellar of the AFC East again. One thing never anticipated by a Mike Vrabel-coached Patriots' team was that they'd be out-coached. They have been, all season long.
The Patriots turn the ball over, commit a significant number of penalties, and can't tackle or block effectively. This indicates a lack of fundamental coaching skills. These mistakes are plaguing the Patriots on an almost game-by-game basis. Unless this changes, Vrabel's Patriots will fare little differently than the two teams that preceded him and finished at the bottom of the AFC East.
Vrabel has to clean things up fast. Penalties, turnovers, and sacks can't be addressed by anything but adjustments in snap counts and maybe the team's personnel. The offense's performance outside of Maye and Hunter Henry has been poor. If turnovers and sacks allowed are your defining characteristics, you're headed for a losing season. While some issues with the two rookie starters on the offensive line can be tolerated, penalties and turnovers can't be allowed to continue unchecked.
These ongoing gaffes, coupled with vanilla offensive play-calling that doesn't utilize Drake Maye's running ability, are a losing combination. They're threatening to send the Patriots careening back to the bottom of the NFL.
This is Mike Vrabel's team; it's up to him to make the right decisions to right the ship before it capsizes. Otherwise, Vrabel's first season in charge will be eerily similar to the last two, and that's not a very good optic at all.