Vrabel confirms Cory Durden intentionally jumped offside to save clock

Cairo Santos followed by drilling a 58-yard field goal

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated 51m1 min read

Mike Vrabel shares that DT Cory Durden was instructed to go offside late in the game to save time. He also credits Cairo Via @MikeReiss on X

What happened: Patriots coach Mike Vrabel instructed second-year defensive tackle Cory Durden to commit an encroachment penalty on third-and-inches in the fourth quarter of Thursday's 30-24 loss at Chicago, awarding a first down to stop the clock from running. Vrabel also credited Bears kicker Cairo Santos for converting the subsequent 58-yard field goal that extended the margin to two possessions.

Why it matters: Conceding the automatic first down prevented Chicago from bleeding an extra play clock before the ensuing set of downs, giving New England's defense a chance to force a quicker stop. Instead, Santos connected from

By the numbers: Santos' 58-yard field goal set a New England's defense surrendered seven plays of at least 21 yards in the 30-24 defeat, topped by gains of 58 and 26 yards.

What to watch: New England enters a mini-bye following the Thursday night loss with extra time to correct defensive breakdowns before Week 9.

Sources

@MikeReiss 2026-10-23T03:40:15.033952+00:00

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