It was a throw by Drake Maye that gave the Chicago Bears another chance to add to their lead before halftime of the New England Patriots' 30-24 loss on Thursday night. The rookie tight end Eli Raridon was the unfortunate recipient of the interceptable pass. Even after the “bone-headed play” by the critics, where the head coach defended his quarterback, Vrabel admitted that Maye would want the throw back but praised him for competing until the end for the team.
Mike Vrabel on Drake Maye's interception
Maye's mistake was committed with a total of 3:31 remaining in the second quarter; it happened when he attempted to complete a pass to Raridon in the end zone, but the Bears intercepted the ball and scored points before halftime to improve their position.
For New England, the play hurt at a time when the offense needed to make the most of its opportunities.
Vrabel spoke about the turnover after the loss. He made sure not to let one bad call define Maye's night. The Patriots coach praised the quarterback's effort under pressure. Highlighted the plays he ran with both his arm and his legs.
“He gave us a chance. He competed,” Vrabel said. “I know he'd like to have that throw back to Eli, but I thought he really competed. Whether that was running around or scrambling... I'm glad he's ours.”
Drake Maye played well against the Bears
The numbers backed up Vrabel's praise. Maye completed 24 of 31 passes for 321 yards and two touchdowns, finishing with a 77.4% completion rate.
He ran for 26 yards and scored a rushing touchdown, giving him a hand in all three of New England's touchdowns.
The quarterback was under pressure from the Bears' defense, which applied blitzes to try to stop him. He responded by going outside the pocket to avoid the pressure, scrambling around and generally finding a way to keep the offense on the field. His interception was an exception, not the rule.
New England entered the game without several impactful players. Wide receivers Romeo Doubs and Mack Hollins were unavailable, while injuries left the offensive line without multiple starters. Those absences added to the challenge against Chicago.
The defeat ended the Patriots' three-game winning streak and spoiled their unbeaten run through October.
from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/tPZIkAv
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