Super Bowl Sunday didn’t feature the storybook ending that Mike Vrabel and the New England Patriots were hoping for, as the Seattle Seahawks showed superior form.
The Patriots, led by Drake Maye, advanced through the AFC Playoffs, with wins over formidable opponents including the Houston Texans, Los Angeles Chargers, and Denver Broncos. However, they hadn’t yet faced a team quite like the Seahawks.
In the first half, New England was unable to get its offense going, with Seattle recording three field goals. They held a 9-0 lead going into halftime thanks to their kicker, Jason Myers, and a solid defense that rattled Maye’s attempts to get his team down the field.
Ultimately, the final score was 29-13 in favor of the NFC Champions, with quarterback Sam Darnold leading the Seahawks franchise to its second-ever win in the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, the combination of coach Vrabel and quarterback Drake Maye was unsuccessful in their first attempt to claim the ultimate prize.
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Following his team’s loss, the Patriots’ head coach spoke to the media, offering his explanation of what he felt went wrong during his team’s biggest game of the season.
“You know we couldn’t gain any rhythm, field position. We gotta get into drives better offensively. Defensively, we’ve been really good against the run lately, and we weren’t, and you know again, we were just playing catch-up,” Vrabel told reporters.
“We did great in the red zone, and we competed, but unfortunately, I think the turnovers ultimately cost us, and I appreciate the way the guys offensively battled and competed, but just not enough consistent execution,” he explained.
While Maye seemed flustered and unable to get much going in the first half, he and the Patriots’ offense finally generated some points, scoring twice in the final quarter. Maye finished with 295 passing yards and two touchdowns, but also was picked off twice and sacked six times for a loss of 43 yards due to Seattle’s defensive intensity.
In his first season as head coach, Vrabel did an admirable job with the Patriots, guiding them to a 14-3 record and the AFC Championship. Due to their successful turnaround, Vrabel won the NFL Coach of the Year Award last week.
Super Bowl LX also marked New England’s first appearance in the big game since legendary quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick won the team’s sixth in 2019.
Many believe this is a team with a strong chance to return, but based on Vrabel’s postgame remarks, they’ll really need to address those critical mistakes if they want a legitimate shot at contending for the Lombardi Trophy.
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