Mike Vrabel Sidesteps Struggles by Drake Maye, Patriots Offense After Win vs. Steelers

The New England Patriots picked up a win against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, but it wasn't because of a strong offensive showing.

After the 20-3 win, head coach Mike Vrabel wasn't interested in criticizing quarterback Drake Maye and the offense.

"Just trying to win the game. You're not going to run my Sunday," Vrabel told reporters when asked about his level of concern with Maye and the offense.

Getting the win is what matters most, but there are certainly some concerns that Vrabel and his staff will want to address. Maye finished with just 208 passing yards and an interception on 14-of-22 passing. He also took three sacks and was hit seven times total.

▶️ Full Steelers-Patriots Recap

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Luckily for Vrabel and the Patriots, the Steelers managed just 278 yards of offense as New England's defense did its job. Aaron Rodgers threw an interception in the red zone, and the Pats forced a fumble that turned into a touchdown.

While the Patriots had enough to win on Sunday, that kind of offensive performance won't fly against the Jacksonville Jaguars next week or the Buffalo Bills the following week.

It wasn't a turnover fest for the Patriots' offense, but rather drives fizzling out earlier than they should have.

"Definitely not where we want to be," Maye told reporters. "I think it's just a point of making the plays, picking up the first downs and just stalling out. I think it starts with me making good decisions, good plays and it starts with us finishing the drives."

The Pats' offense was even worse in Week 1, albeit against a better defense. In a 13-10 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, Maye threw for just 178 yards and a touchdown, along with three interceptions, one of which sealed the win for the defending champions.

New England is hoping to get back to the Super Bowl this year, but its offense has looked far from a championship contender through the first two weeks of the season.