The New England Patriots are back on the practice field this week after tallying an impressive 48-18 preseason win over the Washington Commanders. The team is preparing for joint practices on Wednesday and Thursday and a preseason matchup with the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday in Minnesota.

New England’s offense put on a show versus Washington last Friday, but it sounds like the unit had a tough practice on Monday, which led to head coach Mike Vrabel looking ‘visibly unhappy.’

“Another Patriots practice in the books. Brutal day for the offense,” Ben Volin of The Boston Globe said. “Poor blocking and poor execution by Maye and the receivers. Vrabel was visibly unhappy after an apparent delay of game penalty.”

The Patriots’ offense has a plethora of new pieces and a young quarterback who is still developing, so there are going to be some growing pains. Additionally, the unit underwent a major coaching change this offseason with Josh McDaniels returning as offensive coordinator after a short stint as Las Vegas Raiders’ head coach.

However, the talent is there for the offense to be productive in 2025. The offensive line should be improved with the additions of Will Campbell and Jared Wilson in the draft. The wide receiver room should also be solid if prized free agent signing Stefon Diggs can rebound from a torn ACL that cut his 2024 season short.
Obviously, the performance of the offense is going to heavily rely on second-year quarterback Drake Maye. The 2024 No.3 overall pick showed some promise during his rookie campaign, but he will need to be even better for New England to have a chance at the playoffs this season.

Despite a rough day at the office on Monday, there shouldn’t be any panic about McDaniel’s offense. The group has the potential to be a high-powered offense this year, but it’s going to take some time for everyone to get on the same page.