The New England Patriots didn't start off the Mike Vrabel tenure on the right foot. New England lost on Sunday in Week 1 of the NFL season, to the Las Vegas Raiders. Las Vegas defeated the Patriots, 20-13.
Patriots quarterback Drake Maye had a tough outing. Maye finished the game with 287 passing yards, a touchdown, and an interception. While those numbers aren't horrific, it was not the debut the quarterback wanted.
“I thought there was some good, positive plays and really good command of what we were doing,” Vrabel said about Maye, per MassLive. “Then there were times that maybe he missed somebody. We will have to see.”
Maye didn't seem too pleased after the game. An image shared by ESPN reporter Mike Reiss showed Maye's face at the podium, as he took questions from the press. Maye looked disappointed, to say the least.
Drake Maye’s expression tells the story. pic.twitter.com/DJUHqFkvvl
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) September 7, 2025
The Patriots defense also struggled in the contest. Raiders quarterback Geno Smith torched New England's secondary, as the veteran posted more than 360 passing yards.
“We are disappointed, but we can't sit there too long,” Vrabel added. “We have to embrace moving on.”
New England moves to 0-1 on the season. Vrabel is the third coach the franchise has had in as many years. He replaced Jerod Mayo, who was fired after just four wins in 2024. Mayo replaced the legendary Bill Belichick, who last coached New England in 2023.
The Patriots need to find some answers
New England managed just 60 rushing yards in the game. It was difficult for the squad to move the chains all day. The Patriots finished the contest with just four third-down conversions, on 14 total attempts.
Maye was hitting the right notes in the first quarter, as he had some long completions. The second half though proved to be difficult for his offense to move the ball. New England scored just 3 total points in the entire second half.
Vrabel took responsibility for some of those struggles.
“We have got to help him out. We have got to be more balanced,” Vrabel added.
The Patriots next play the Miami Dolphins in Week 2. Patriots fans are hoping to see much better results in that game.