Falcons coach Raheem Morris said after Sunday’s loss that the Patriots were simulating the Falcons’ snap count by having defensive linemen clap, confusing the Falcons’ offensive linemen about whether the play was starting. Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel denies that.
Vrabel said on Monday morning that no one on the Patriots was intentionally simulating a snap count, and he would never tell his players to do that.
“Certainly that wasn’t anybody’s intent,” Vrabel said. “We’ve never coached that or talked about that. I can’t spend that much time focused on it. Did look at it briefly, certainly didn’t think that was anything that we did. It was pretty loud, guys are trying to get lined up, and I’m glad we took off when they snapped the ball.”
Vrabel was asked if he was annoyed that Morris made such an accusation, and Vrabel said he simply doesn’t know where it came from.
“I don’t think annoyed. I’m trying to not waste any more time looking for anybody clapping. I don’t see anything,” Vrabel said.
The officials also didn’t see anything, as the Patriots would have been flagged if they had simulated the snap count and the officials had noticed it. Instead, the Patriots were not flagged, but a key Falcons intentional grounding penalty came after a confusing situation when the ball was snapped before quarterback Michael Penix was ready for it. The Falcons think the Patriots got away with something. Vrabel says otherwise.
