Mike Vrabel Said Patriots Win Over Dolphins Felt Like A Street Fight

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Nov 17, 2025, 5:25 PM

mike vrabel said patriots win over dolphins felt like a street fight

Send this article to your social connections. Send this article to your social connections. Mike Vrabel’s first win as head coach of the Patriots almost didn’t happen because of shoddy special teams tackling. Miami’s Malik Washington broke tackle attempts from Brenden Schooler and Charles Woods before racing past punter Bryce Baringer for a 74-yard touchdown late in the game. But New England’s Antonio Gibson quickly erased Miami’s slim lead with a 90-yard kick return touchdown of his own. The Patriots took a special teams gut punch and came back with a haymaker.

New England Patriots’ Drake Maye throws during the second half of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) New England Patriots’ Drake Maye runs for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft talks to New Englan Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) The New England Patriots got the bounce-back Week 2 win they were hoping for on Sunday. It took responding to a 74-yard Miami punt return for a touchdown with a 90-yard kickoff return for a score, followed by a late defensive stand to secure it. Mike Vrabel got his first win as Patriots coach, but it didn’t come easy.

New England emerged from Hard Rock Stadium with a 33-27 win over the Dolphins. It was the Patriots’ first win in Miami since 2019 when they beat their rival, 43-0. “I felt like we were willing to get into a street fight,” Vrabel said after the game. “We had a little lull and we didn’t pack it up and quit." There were several lead changes, back-to-back kick return touchdowns, two missed PATs from New England and several penalties taken by the Patriots. But they found a way to win between a big game from Rhamondre Stevenson and a game-sealing sack from Milton Williams.

"I’m just excited for these guys," Vrabel said. “I’m really excited that they could fight and compete.” The New England Patriots got the bounce-back Week 2 win they were hoping for on Sunday. It took responding to a 74-yard Miami punt return for a touchdown with a 90-yard kickoff return for a score, followed by a late defensive stand to secure it. It’s exactly the kind of victory that Patriots coach Mike Vrabel wants to see his team emulate going forward: a group that finds a way to win games. “It just takes one play,” Vrabel said of earning his first victory as Patriots coach.

“I felt like we were willing to get into a street fight. We had a little lull, and we didn’t pack it up and quit.” The win snapped a five-game losing streak for New England in Miami. Because you are coming from a location (Washington) covered by a Privacy Law, many of the features of TribLIVE.com, like videos and social media elements are disabled. If you wish to proceed to the site under those conditions (doing so will effectively opt you out of the sale of your personal data) click here. However you will not experience the full features of TribLIVE.com that rely upon third party networks that may require your personal data.

Click here to agree to experience the full features of TribLIVE.com and to opt in to the use of your personal data to provide that experience and advertising. Bookmark this page to manage your preferences any time in the future. If YOU ARE NOT visiting us as a resident of Washington? Please update your location to ensure you are presented with the best experience. New England defeated Miami 33-27 in Week 2. As Drake Maye took a knee to close out a 33-27 win over the Miami Dolphins, the quarterback made sure to hand the football to the New England Patriots’ equipment manager.

That was so the ball could be delivered to Mike Vrabel after his first win as the Patriots head coach, which it was by owner Robert Kraft in the locker room. “I took that football, the one I kneed there, and gave it right to Stick, our equipment guy, and let coach get that ball,” Maye said. “That means a lot and I think it meant a lot to him. It took everybody, but obviously he’s leading the charge and that meant something special.” After not winning in Miami since 2019, New England knew what challenges awaited for them despite the Dolphins trending downwards to start the season. The Postgame Live crew share their instant reactions to the Patriots’ 33-27 win over the Miami Dolphins.

Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel challenged his team after an underwhelming performance in its season-opening loss. It's safe to say Vrabel appreciated the response. Stream NBC10 Boston news for free, 24/7, wherever you are. "I'm just excited for these guys," Vrabel said after a 33-27 victory against the Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday afternoon. "I'm really excited they could fight and compete and come on the road, be in a game, get off to a good start, not be front-runners. Everything that we talked about."

The New England Patriots earned their first win under head coach Mike Vrabel in Week 2. However, Vrabel wasn't fully pleased with the Patriots' performance. New England defeated the Miami Dolphins 33-27 after some wild fourth quarter circumstances. Both the Patriots and Dolphins returned a kick for a touchdown. With New England's coming second, and with an extra field goal, they were able to sneak away with the win. Still, this was a game that began by the Patriots holding a 12-0 lead.

Vrabel admitted that New England was, “willing to get in a street fight.” However, the fact the matchup went to those lengths gave the head coach a clear vision of where his team stands,... “We're not front-runners,” Vrabel said. “And that's a big thing in this league.” The Patriots seemed to be getting out on the right track, as Drake Maye threw a pair of touchdown passes to open the game. But both extra points were missed, perhaps sending an ominous sign. While they'd kick a field goal to stay up a point, the Dolphins scored a pair of touchdowns to cut the lead to 15-14 at half.

Mike Vrabel picked up his first win as head coach of the Patriots on Sunday as his team survived another rollercoaster in Miami. There were four lead changes in the second half — including a Dolphins punt return touchdown and a Patriots kickoff return for a score in the space of three plays — but New England... “I appreciate the character, certainly don’t have to put it to the test all the time with mistakes and silly penalties,” Vrabel said after New England’s 33-27 victory. “There’s a lot of things out there that we have to do better. But we didn’t pout, we didn’t drop our head, and we kept competing, and I appreciate that. We have to learn how to compete and believe that we can come down here and win football games and I believe we did.”

On Antonio Gibson’s 90-yard kickoff return touchdown, Vrabel could be seen sprinting down the sideline on a huge momentum swing on a big day for New England’s running backs. “I told you, we had to have those guys be a weapon for us,” Vrabel said. “And Rhamondre [Stevenson] answered, then Gibby answered. We had a similar situation in practice where we had a couple bad plays, and we have to keep going on and snap the next play. Then somebody hit a play. A back hit a play.

Mike Vrabel Said Patriots Win Over Dolphins Felt Like A Street Fight

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"I’m Just Excited For These Guys," Vrabel Said. “I’m Really