Mike Vrabel clearly understands how the Patriots neutralized Maxx Crosby

The Las Vegas Raiders suffered a brutal 45-17 loss to the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. It was their second consecutive defeat after a surprising 3-0 start, and the key factor was one player: Maxx Crosby .

The star pass rusher had one of his quietest performances of the season, finishing with just one tackle and no sacks. New England’s offensive line kept Drake Maye clean for most of the night, allowing only one sack throughout the game.

Vrabel highlights Patriots’ offensive line

After the victory, Mike Vrabel was quick to praise his offensive line’s performance.

“I’m just proud of our offensive line, and I want to recognize them. I thought that they understood what the protection was and how to keep the middle of the pocket clean. There was a lot of time for us to progress down the field,” Vrabel told reporters after the game.

The Patriots head coach also explained how his team managed to neutralize Las Vegas’ pressure packages.

“The Raiders run blitz zero, and we blocked it up and were able to hit some plays down the field. That’s a testament to them understanding what they have to be able to do. Guys stepped up. Caleb [Lomu] had to go in there, and everybody, we had all hands on deck,” Vrabel added.

A defense that dominated and a team that responded

Beyond shutting down Crosby, Vrabel praised the team’s collective effort in overcoming injuries and limiting the Raiders’ offense.

New England held Las Vegas to just 17 points and 38 rushing yards, while also recording three sacks in a dominant defensive performance.

“I think all the credit goes to the players. Josh [McDaniels], Zak Kuhr, and Jeremy [Springer] do a fantastic job. I think our coaches are great. They understand the game plan and try to get their players ready, but ultimately, that’s what they expect. That’s what they expect of themselves,” Vrabel said.

Raiders facing a crucial test against Bills

With little room for error, Las Vegas will host the Buffalo Bills on October 18 at Allegiant Stadium in Week 6 . Playing at home could help, but the Raiders will face another team looking to bounce back from a difficult stretch.

A loss would drop Las Vegas to 3-3 and extend its losing streak to three games. The matchup will reveal whether the Raiders’ early 3-0 start was the beginning of something real or simply a mirage.