NEWS: Patriots' Mike Vrabel Assigns Blame for Disappointing Run Game

(Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

Drake Maye #10 of the New England Patriots hands the ball to TreVeyon Henderson #32 during the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Gillette Stadium on September 07, 2025 in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

Stop us if you’ve heard this before, but the Patriots and coach Mike Vrabel came into the 2025 season hoping to establish the run, which was not exactly news because there are 31 other coaches in the NFL who said much the same thing. Still, New England was decidedly deficient in its ability to do that on Sunday, gathering just 60 rush yards on 18 carries.

For a team that came in with a relatively strong running-back room, featuring established veteran Rhamondre Stevenson, experienced third-down back Antonio Gibson and electric rookie TreVeyon Henderson, that is a disappointment.

Stevenson carried seven times for just 15 yards. Henderson had five carries that went for 27 yards, including a long of 14, plus six catches for 24 yards. Gibson had just one carry for three yards.

It’s easy to blame the backs for the paltry production. But coach Mike Vrabel does not see it that way.

Mike Vrabel Does Not Blame Running Backs

Assessing the running game after the uninspiring 20-13 loss to the Raiders at home on Sunday, Vrabel assigned very little blame to the backs themselves. He felt the team’s schemes and the offensive line’s ability to execute those schemes was lacking, as well as quarterback Drake Maye’s ability to get the plays set up.

“I think to have a successful offensive play, it takes really everybody. It takes the play caller, right?” Vrabel said, referring to Maye. “Getting the play in efficiently, it takes us being able to identify the players that we need to block, the ones that we’re not going to be able to block and the ones that when we block them and we’re in combination, that we have to move them, and then the backs have to have to run where they’re not. And we say that.”

Patriots Need ‘Everybody’ to Make Run Game Work

Vrabel also turned to the execution of the offensive line, which featured two rookies–guard Jared Wilson and tackle Will Campbell–making their NFL debuts.

“It’s not just the players that we have that we’re handing the ball to, it’s everybody. Again, we have a lot of confidence in the running backs, but also, we have to be able to have a great execution in any scheme, whether that’s a zone scheme, gap scheme,” Vrabel said. “So again, the bottom line is we have to run the ball better and we have to run it more efficiently because then I think that all opens up some more of the stuff that we’re doing, can do and want to be able to do so that it’s not just a drop-back passing game.”

Patriots OL Rated by PFF

All in all, it was not a bad outing from the offensive line. It was just not a great one, either. The rookies are obviously an area of concern, but even the veterans need time to come together. Center Garrett Bradbury is a new addition via free agency, as is right tackle Morgan Moses. Mike Onwenu, at right guard, is the only returning player on the line.

It’s a small sample size, but Pro Football Focus rated the Patriots linemen thus in Week 1: