Patriots’ Vrabel Criticizes Refs After Playoff-Clinching Win
There was a brief moment of silence when Patriots quarterback Drake Maye made a perfect 40-yard throw to wide receiver Kayshon Boutte with 3:19 left in the game. The duo had connected well throughout the season, and once again, Boutte found himself in a good position for a one-on-one downfield matchup. Maye delivered a catchable pass, but as Boutte tried to make the catch near the end zone, Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey made a questionable move by tackling him before the ball arrived.
Despite the clear interference, no flag was thrown. The Patriots were trailing 24-21 and urgently needed a touchdown. Humphrey wrapped his arms around Boutte, dragging him to the ground as Boutte still had control of the ball. However, the ball came loose when he hit the ground. On the broadcast, Cris Collinsworth was stunned that no penalty was called on the play. But despite the controversial no-call, the Patriots fought back to win 28-24, securing a playoff spot with a 12-3 record.
Vrabel’s Frustration with the Refereeing
After the game, coach Mike Vrabel expressed his frustration with the officiating, particularly regarding the missed call on Boutte. He was visibly irritated but stopped short of making any comments that could lead to a fine from the league.
“It’s unfortunate for Kayshon, whatever they called there was completely—ah, whatever they called,” Vrabel said, catching himself before continuing. “But I thought Kayshon’s effort to compete for that ball was great. I thought we were going to get that one. Kayshon is going to help us, and all of our receivers will step up.”
When asked about the explanation for the no-catch ruling, Vrabel was told the reason was that Boutte needed to “survive the ground” after making the catch, but no explanation was given for why Humphrey was allowed to tackle Boutte before the ball arrived.
Injuries Add to the Patriots’ Struggles in Week 16
In addition to the refereeing controversy, the Patriots were dealing with a long list of injuries in their win over the Ravens. Right tackle Morgan Moses left the game in the first half, and his backup, Thayer Munford, also went down. Rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson suffered a head injury, while defensive linemen Khyiris Tonga and Joshua Farmer were sidelined with foot and hamstring injuries, respectively. Cornerback Charles Woods and receiver Pop Douglas also went out with hamstring issues.
Despite these setbacks, Vrabel remained focused on surviving and finding a way to win. The Patriots were already missing key players like left-side blockers Will Campbell and Jared Wilson, linebacker Robert Spillane, and defensive lineman Milton Williams.
Patriots Focused on Resilience and Identity
Looking ahead to upcoming games against the Jets and Dolphins, Vrabel knows his team’s health will be a major factor. He acknowledged the tough task of managing the roster with so many injuries.
“That’s on the players and training staff to evaluate guys, and then we’ll figure out what we can do on the coaching side,” Vrabel said. “We lost a lot of defensive linemen, but we’re focused on finding what we can still do and adapting.”
Vrabel emphasized the team’s resilience and mental strength in Baltimore.
“We talked about bringing our belief and identity with us,” he explained. “We needed to believe that no matter the circumstances, we were going to win. And I think we did that.”
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