NFL Execs Point to One Major Flaw That Could Derail Patriots’ Playoff Push

The Patriots are constantly in the news these days for the affair head coach Mike Vrabel had with a prominent NFL reporter that spanned several years and continues to provide tabloid fodder. 

But as SportsBoom exclusively reported last week, owner Robert Kraft isn’t mulling any sort of coaching changes and is convinced Vrabel gives him the best chance to win.

New England hopes to return to the Super Bowl, but that seems unlikely to other NFL decision makers who have studied their roster, and they would suggest that New England’s offensive line is a far greater obstacle to them repeating as AFC East champs than anything involved the head coach’s off field activities.

“They needed to replace the left tackle,” said one NFL long-time personnel exec of a team that will face New England this season and has studied them. 

“Drake Maye got hit too much. I don’t think they have enough talent on the OL (offensive line) and DL (defensive line) to do what they did last year.”

New England didn't add veteran upgrades to the offensive line and trading up for Utah tackle Caleb Lomu was seen as something to fortify their line for the future more than the present, with Lomu needing time to develop.

Status Quo Not Good Enough

With so much attention going to everything related to Vrabel, perhaps not enough focus is on a team that took leaps and bounds last season facing a very weak schedule and after spending big in free agency to improve the roster. 

One could argue that Maye, an MVP finalist, is just scratching the surface, but then again that was said about Commanders QB Jaylen Daniels after his 2024 campaign and a bad offensive line, pedestrian run game and too many big hits totally derailed his sophomore campaign. 

New England’s tackle play was a problem before it became a national story in the postseason. 

The Patriots really trailed in games last season and could rely on getting volume in the run game to help out the poor pass protection and help Maye get through the season. Game script might not be nearly as conducive this time around.

“Maye is going to be under a lot of pressure,” as one GM put it.

The Patriots led in the first half in 15 of their 17 games, they went on to win 13 of those contests, a figure that is virtually certain to drop this season as they play a first-place schedule. Their offense caught opponents by surprise a year ago but no longer.