Patriots Coach Mike Vrabel Makes Bold Comment On Texans Defense

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel has high praise for the Houston Texans’ defense.

The Patriots are set to host Houston on Sunday afternoon in the divisional round in an intriguing game. Heading into the game, Vrabel was asked if Houston is the best defense they will face, and he didn’t hesitate to say yes.

“Yeah, of course,” Vrabel said on Wednesday. “I mean, they have great talent, great scheme, they play hard and I respect how hard they play. They’re not only talented, but they have a play demeanor that I can appreciate.”

Houston allowed just 17.35 points per game and 277.23 yards, which ranked second and first in the NFL, respectively, showing how dominant they can be.

Vrabel believes Houston plays sound defensively, and their physical play can create a lot of turnovers, so Drake Maye and the offense need to be on their A-game.

“They play to the football,” Vrabel said. “They chase the football, and they get a lot of hats to the football. They create turnovers. They play physical.”

Maye, meanwhile, also echoed Vrabel’s comments and felt like Houston’s defense can pose a lot of problems for the Patriots.

“They fly around, they’re relentless,” Maye said on Wednesday. “They’re great up front, they’re great in the back end, they’ve got great linebackers. They’re great all around. They have great coaching. So, we’ve got our hands full, and we know it’s going to be a tough game. We’ve got to play the game the right way, and we’ve got great players all around.”

Despite Vrabel saying the Texans have the best defense the Patriots have faced, New England is still a three-point favorite at home.