New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel admitted his team was fortunate to defeat the New York Jets 26-19 on Sunday, despite extending its winning streak to three games. The win improved New England's record to 4-2, but the coach expressed serious concerns about the team's turnovers and overall performance.

The Patriots entered halftime with a 17-3 advantage but struggled maintaining control after losing two fumbles. New York cut the deficit to seven points in the fourth quarter, forcing New England to hold on for the victory.

“We're lucky to win, is probably where I'd start,” said Vrabel during his postgame presser. “But we're happy that we won. We'll enjoy it for about an hour, and then we're going to focus on the next task.”

The Patriots have committed 13 turnovers this season, the second-highest total in the NFL. Quarterback Drake Maye has provided some relief in that department, recording no turnovers over the past two weeks after giving the ball away nine times during the season's opening four games.

Wide receiver AJ Brown also had a difficult return after missing four games with an ankle injury. He caught three passes on 10 targets and dropped three others. Late in the fourth quarter, Brown muffed an onside kick, but tight end Eli Raridon recovered the loose ball to preserve New England's lead.

The win also came at a cost, as four Patriots players were ruled out with injuries. Wideout Romeo Doubs injured his shoulder while catching a 42-yard touchdown from Maye that gave New England an early 7-3 lead. Doubs, who has 14 receptions for 261 yards and three touchdowns this season, did not return.

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Starting left guard Alijah Vera-Tucker exited with a hamstring injury, while right tackle Morgan Moses suffered an ankle injury. Ben Brown also sustained a knee injury in the fourth quarter.

With a short turnaround before Thursday night's road game against the Chicago Bears, the Patriots face multiple challenges. Vrabel acknowledged that he lacked definitive injury updates and expressed doubt about the affected players' availability for the upcoming contest.

While New England has secured three consecutive victories, persistent errors and a battered offensive line could jeopardize its growing momentum.