From Dianna Russini scandal to Patriots decisions, Bill Simmons questions whether Mike Vrabel has lost his ‘crisp’ edge

New England picked up its first win of the season Sunday, beating the Pittsburgh Steelers 20-3. But Bill Simmons did not walk away from that result feeling reassured. On Monday's episode of "The Bill Simmons Podcast," the longtime Patriots fan acknowledged the defensive performance while raising something that stuck with him. Beyond Drake Maye's struggles, Simmons turned his attention to Mike Vrabel himself, questioning whether the head coach has been as sharp as the Foxborough faithful have come to expect from him.Is Bill Simmons right to question Mike Vrabel's decision-making this season?Simmons kept the tone light, but the observation landed with some weight. Referring to Vrabel as "post-Sedona Mike Vrabel," he said: "I wouldn't say he's as crisp. There's some clock management stuff that he missed today that I was like, 'Oh, Vrabel doesn't usually miss that stuff.'"The "Sedona" reference points to what became one of the NFL's most talked-about off-field stories this past spring. Photos surfaced showing Vrabel alongside NFL reporter Dianna Russini at an Arizona resort. Both initially disputed the public reading of those images. The Athletic later concluded that Russini had violated company standards by not disclosing an alleged relationship with Vrabel. The fallout was significant enough that Vrabel briefly stepped away from his duties and sought counseling. Even Russini's former podcast co-host, Chase Daniel, weighed in publicly.Simmons was not suggesting a direct line between those events and a missed timeout. His "post-Sedona" framing was clearly a joke. But underneath it was a real point. Vrabel's reputation in New England is built on precision. Game management. Situational awareness. Those are the qualities Patriots fans have trusted him for, and Simmons noticed something different in the first two weeks of this season.What do Drake Maye's early struggles say about the Patriots' offensive direction?Maye has not helped matters. Against Seattle in Week 1, he threw for 178 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions in a loss. He followed that with 208 yards and another pick against Pittsburgh. Through two games he has completed 37 of 55 passes for 386 total yards, with just one touchdown against four interceptions. Simmons called him "a mess" and pointed to underthrown deep passes and what he described as a visible drop in pocket confidence compared to last season.The bigger picture, though, is that this is not just a quarterback issue. Simmons questioned why New England has not used more two-tight-end sets or leaned on play-action more consistently. The Patriots reached the Super Bowl last year. The gap between that team and what Foxborough has seen in September has been noticeable. Vrabel, for his part, kept his post-game tone measured and forward-looking. He said the formula for New England remains the same: put pressure on opposing quarterbacks and give their own quarterback a chance to play clean football.New England is 1-1. There is time to fix things. But when someone like Simmons, who has watched this team for decades, starts noticing the coach making uncharacteristic calls, it is worth paying attention to.Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.