Mike Vrabel questions Aaron Rodgers and Steelers offense after Patriots defense delivers a brutal Week 2 warning
Mike Vrabel did not want the New England Patriots to get carried away after their 20-3 Week 2 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. TreVeyon Henderson broke free for a 39-yard touchdown, while Elijah Ponder returned a fumble 19 yards for another score. The 20-3 score made the result look one-sided, but the biggest issue for Pittsburgh was how little it could create when the Patriots took away its early chances.
The Patriots defense had a strong day against Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers offense, but Vrabel quickly pointed out that tougher attacks are still ahead. His message was clear: enjoy the win, but do not treat one game as proof that everything is solved just yet. New England turned those mistakes into points. The Patriots also added two field goals from Andy Borregales. For Rodgers and the Steelers, the next games will offer a chance to show whether Sunday was simply a bad outing or a sign of bigger problems on offense. That made Vrabel’s warning especially relevant after a win that came mostly through defensive plays.
Rodgers entered the game after helping Pittsburgh beat the Atlanta Falcons 20-13 in Week 1. That result gave the Steelers a 1-0 start, but their offense could not repeat that performance in Foxborough. New England’s defense gave the team a strong response in Week 2, but Vrabel made it clear that the real test will be doing it again against different opponents.
That performance could have been enough for Vrabel to praise his defense without adding much else. Instead, he made sure the win stayed in context. Against New England, Pittsburgh struggled to move the ball and failed to reach the end zone. Vrabel, meanwhile, is already looking beyond the win. His comments suggest he knows the Patriots will have to deal with stronger offenses as the season moves forward.
Speaking on WEEI’s The Greg Hill Show on Monday, Vrabel said, “I don’t think this was one of the best offenses we’ll face all year, so I try to keep things in perspective and go from there.