The New England Patriots were expected to take a step forward in their first season with Mike Vrabel as head coach, but what they’ve accomplished this season has exceeded even the most optimistic expectations.
Vrabel’s group is AFC Championship-bound after beating the Houston Texans 28-16 in Sunday’s Divisional Round matchup. It’s the Patriots’ first trip to the conference title game since the 2018 season, and it’ll be Vrabel’s second appearance as an NFL head coach (2019 with Titans).
Sunday’s win marks the latest chapter in a storybook season for New England. After back-to-back 4-13 finishes, Vrabel revitalized the franchise with a 14-3 record and an opportunity to win a seventh Super Bowl title.
On Patriots Postgame Live, NBC Sports Boston’s Phil Perry labeled the team’s Divisional Round triumph a “definitive Mike Vrabel program victory.”
“What a program victory for Mike Vrabel in his first year to be able to go to the AFC Championship Game,” Perry said. “It is just absolutely mind-blowing that any of us are watching this situation play out the way it’s playing out right now, and to watch this game play out the way it did today.
“You saw a ton of mistakes, but you saw a team that was able to overcome those mistakes, that was able to force the mistakes on the other side for the Houston Texans. Drake Maye with some really hellish turnovers, but also some great plays down the field, touchdown passes to some of his best receivers. So, I look at this as a definitive Mike Vrabel program victory.”
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The Patriots’ turnaround under Vrabel has been remarkable, but the job isn’t finished. That’s the mentality in New England’s locker room as the team prepares for its trip to Denver.
“I’m excited for these guys, but they’re also — they’re not satisfied, and I can tell that,” Vrabel said after Sunday’s win. “It wasn’t pretty, the defense kept us in there and when we needed it, the offense was able to come through late in the game there.”
It was a sloppy day in Foxboro with the Patriots and Texans combining for eight turnovers. New England’s defense tallied five takeaways, including four interceptions against Houston QB C.J. Stroud. Maye fumbled four times and lost two of them.
While it was far from an MVP-like performance, Maye made up for his turnovers with three touchdown passes. One was a perfect throw to Kayshon Boutte, who made an incredible one-handed grab to make it a two-score game in the fourth quarter.
Vrabel & Co. will shift their focus to the No. 1 seed Broncos, who defeated the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round. Denver won’t be at full strength in next week’s showdown, however, after losing QB Bo Nix to a season-ending ankle injury on the second-to-last play of Saturday’s game. Instead, ex-Pats backup QB Jarrett Stidham will look to ruin his former team’s Super Bowl hopes.
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