What Mike Vrabel Told Patriots Following Loss vs. Bills

For the first time since Week 3, the New England Patriots ended their game on the losing end.

A second-half collapse to the Buffalo Bills resulted in a 35-31 loss, and the Patriots were unable to unwrap the hats and t-shirts sitting in their locker room as this year's AFC East champs.

With all that hanging over their head, the Patriots aren't worried. That all started with what their head coach told them postgame.

"That's exactly what I told them," Vrabel said postgame when asked if this loss was a learning experience. "We have an opportunity to improve like we have when we won, the same as today when we lost and came up short. There's a lot of good stuff in there that I'm proud of and that we'll be able to use as a positive, and a lot of stuff that we have to correct and make sure that we fix. And we'll do that tomorrow and try to get as healthy as we can and put a plan together for Baltimore."

The Patriots Fail To Become The First Team To Punch Their Playoff Ticket

It was a first half that the Patriots could only have dreamed of. Three straight touchdowns gave the division-leading Pats a 21-0 lead that seemed like a true passing of the baton in the AFC East. Instead, five drives by Buffalo that resulted in red zone touchdowns gave Josh Allen another signature, come-from-behind victory to stay afloat in the race for a home playoff game.

Out of halftime, the Patriots looked like a completely different team. Sloppy errors, from penalties to miscues in coverage, let the Bills stay in the game before two massive scores from tight end Dawson Knox and running back James Cook were the kill shots for the Patriots.

Dec 14, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Buffalo Bills linebacker Matt Milano (58) sacks New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) during the second half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

A comeback of their own fell short, as after the two-minute warning and trailing by four, the Patriots drew up two pass plays that both sailed on their intended receivers. In what could have been a stamp on Drake Maye's MVP campaign, he struggled in the second half en route to the team's first loss in months.

"We just have to be better when we're up," Maye said. "It starts with me making some throws. And from there, like coach (Vrabel) says, 'no naps, not relaxing.' I didn't feel like we relaxed, just didn't make enough plays. Credit to them. And I think it's one of the things that we're emphasizing during the week, and gotta do a better job."

But now the Patriots can use this loss to try and fuel their way to a postseason berth, their first since 2021 when a rookie Mac Jones was under center for them.

"We weren't able to get any stops," Vrabel said. "When we had an opportunity to make a play, we weren't able to make it. Penalties. And that's how this game goes. A few small plays make the difference."

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