Mike Vrabel stands by Drake Maye after three interceptions raise serious questions following Patriots’ embarrassing loss to Packers
Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love completed 23 of 29 passes for 372 yards and three touchdowns, added a rushing score and finished with a 153.2 passer rating. Christian Watson caught seven passes for 171 yards, while Matthew Golden had 164 yards on 10 catches. Maye finished with 299 passing yards and three touchdown throws, but his interceptions overshadowed those numbers. His season total now stands at 11 picks in nine games, compared with eight interceptions across 17 games last season. NFL.com lists his interception rate at 4 percent.
The Patriots also lost a fumble, making four turnovers. “Certainly the turnovers didn’t help, but I also know that Drake’s won us a lot of games and contributed to that, and he’ll continue to find ways to help this football team win.
Vrabel said four turnovers made winning difficult. “I can only focus on how we play and how we respond, and we didn’t respond well enough last night,” Vrabel said, in comments shared by WEEI on X on November 9. Vrabel also told Boston.com that Maye had prepared hard and played well in recent games.
Still, he made clear he was not ready to lose faith in his quarterback. He pointed to possible miscommunication on one interception, while noting that Maye had made good throws too.
Mike Vrabel has backed Drake Maye after the New England Patriots quarterback threw three interceptions in Sunday’s 45-27 loss to the Green Bay Packers. The defeat took Maye’s interception total to 11 this season, the most in the NFL, and stressed that the whole team must improve.
Speaking on WEEI’s The Greg Hill Show, the coach said the turnovers hurt but reminded listeners that Maye has helped the team win. He said he was focused on how his team prepared and played, not the opponent’s record. The Patriots, he said, have to perform well against everyone.
Vrabel was also asked about New England’s record against teams with winning records.