Mike Vrabel fires back at Patriots schedule critics amid winning streak

The New England Patriots share the best record in the NFL through nine weeks, riding a six-game winning streak that continued Sunday with a victory over the Atlanta Falcons.

But despite the success of this young Patriots team, they have caught flak from a subset of NFL fans who say the schedule has been soft compared to other teams around the league.

During an appearance on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show,” Mike Vrabel, who has taken over as head coach of the franchise he won Super Bowls with during his playing days, was asked by host Chris Curtis what he thought about the national conversation being that the Patriots have a “joke” program.

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Vrabel’s response was controversial.

“You want me to comment on the schedule or you want me to comment on my message to the team? What are you trying to say? You’re working a lot in there,” Vrabel said as he swiveled in his chair. “Like, is it the national perspective or is it [yours]?”

Curtis had said the Patriots’ strength of schedule had been a national conversation, while he also wanted to know, “How do you balance keeping [the team] in check?”

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“I can only coach one team at a time. I don’t make the schedule,” Vrabel added. “Every team beats everybody [team]do you know what i mean? It’s just amazing to me, in the National Football League, that there can be strength of schedule. You have a salary cap. Everyone spends the same amount of money. So you know in this league it doesn’t really matter.”

The Patriots started the season 1-2 after a home-opening loss to the Las Vegas Raiders followed by a win over the Miami Dolphins and another loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. But they’ve been riding ever since a blowout win over the Carolina Panthers and followed that up with a decisive road win over the Buffalo Bills, 23-20, and wins over the New Orleans Saints, Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns and now the Falcons.

But, as they say, “Any given Sunday,” and it’s there for a reason in the NFL. Just look up north in Green Bay, where the Packers were beaten at Lambeau Field as heavy favorites against the Carolina Panthers. The same Packers lost to the Cleveland Browns earlier this year.

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel leads his players during training camp at Gillette Stadium on July 28, 2025 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Winslow Townson/Getty Images)

It’s just to say that any game in the NFL can lead to a win or a loss regardless of the odds.

Vrabel and the Patriots don’t care how they’ve come across wins this year, but you play the teams that are on the schedule and that’s just the truth. And the Patriots might not have been in high spirits again if it weren’t for a missed extra point by the Falcons late in the 24-23 win for New England.

Vrabel has also always been honest with members of the media in good times and bad while head coach of the Tennessee Titans, and that clearly hasn’t changed now that he’s back in New England.

“I love your little smile over there,” Vrabel told Curtis. “You know, you’re going to come up with this question and you’re going to ask me about the strength of schedule and my message. My message has been the same every week — that we have to put everything we have into every week and everybody has to prepare as a starter. I love our practices and the way we compete and then you go and play the game.”

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel walks on the field before an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

The process has worked since Vrabel took over and the Patriots are atop the AFC East with their 7-2 record with the Buffalo Bills right behind them at 6-2.

The Patriots will have a tough opponent next week as they head to face the 6-2 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are coming off their bye week.