Vrabel says injured Patriots stars Brown and Stevenson doing 'pretty good' ahead of Munich game

MUNICH (AP) — Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown and running back Rhamondre Stevenson have looked “pretty good” in practice, coach Mike Vrabel said Friday before cautioning that their game status will be determined later.

Brown is dealing with ankle and knee issues, and Stevenson is trying to overcome a knee injury in time for Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions in Munich.

Vrabel, speaking to the media at Bayern Munich's facilities before practice, was asked to gauge Brown and Stevenson's progress.

“Based on yesterday I think pretty good,” the coach said. “Again, still have to go through today and see where that goes.”

Stevenson, the team’s leading rusher, was limited in Thursday's jog-through practice after the team arrived in Bavaria. He was injured in last week's loss to the Packers and sat out practice Wednesday before their overnight flight.

“We’re just always looking for guys that are looking for ways in as opposed to ways out,” Vrabel said. "At this point of the season, 10 weeks straight without a bye, there’s pretty much nobody out there that’s 100%. We have to realize that, we have to recognize that, but we also have to find ways to do our job.

“Rhamondre is one of those players that’s looking for a way in,” he added.

Brown, the team’s top offseason acquisition, has just nine receptions for 101 yards so far this season as he's battled through injuries. He's been limited in practice this week.

“The more that we can get everybody back, I think the more that it contributes to what we feel like we want to be as a team,” Vrabel said. "One guy certainly doesn’t make the difference, but certainly the more that we can get guys back, it’s exciting, the pieces can start to build and come together.

“We’ll see where things go today,” he continued, “and hopefully those guys that haven’t been with us or maybe got hurt last week could be available.”

Before traveling Wednesday night, the Patriots ruled out LG Ben Brown (knee), CB Carlton Davis III (knee) and RB TreVeyon Henderson (illness).

Henderson said last week that he spent several days in the hospital undergoing tests to determine the cause of unexplained neurological symptoms that have affected his strength and coordination.

“I talk to TreVeyon everyday,” Vrabel said. “Just like everybody else that’s not available, he’s working hard to get back. When that is, I don’t know., I don’t have a timetable.”

Vrabel reiterated that he wants his players to have the right attitude.

“We talk about a lot of things that require no talent or skill. We talk about competitive spirit, we talk about communication, we talk about toughness, we talk about our attitude,” he said. “There are a lot of things that you can do that require no skill that hopefully can help us win. Those are some qualities that we’re trying to build.”

Creating turnovers is key, he added: “We have to find some guys that can go take the ball away from the other team — tip a pass, hit a guy hard enough to knock the ball loose. ... There’s a lot of ways to do it. It starts by hopefully affecting the quarterback.”

Players won't be under lock and key in Munich.

“I’m not going to sit there and babysit them and make them sit in a circle and hold hands,” Vrabel said. “They’re grown men.”

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel watches his team during an NFL football practice in Munich, Germany, Friday, Nov. 13, 2026 ahead of the match between the New England Patriots and the Detroit Lions on Sunday. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

New England Patriots players attend an NFL football practice in Munich, Germany, Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026 ahead of the match between the New England Patriots and the Detroit Lions on Sunday. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

New England Patriots Chandler Brayboy (1) warms up with team mates during an NFL football practice in Munich, Germany, Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026 ahead of the match between the New England Patriots and the Detroit Lions on Sunday. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

New England Patriots running back Corey Kiner (9) arrives wit team mates for an NFL football practice in Munich, Germany, Friday, Nov. 13, 2026 ahead of the match between the New England Patriots and the Detroit Lions on Sunday. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel attends a news conference before an NFL football practice in Munich, Germany, Friday, Nov. 13, 2026 ahead of the match between the New England Patriots and the Detroit Lions on Sunday. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (AP) — Saud Shakeel missed out on a century for the second successive time but his gritty 97 foiled Sri Lanka's push for a win on the fifth and final day in the drawn first cricket test against Pakistan on Friday.

It was the first drawn game for Pakistan in its disappointing campaign in this World Test Championship cycle, losing seven and winning two of its previous nine test matches.

Shakeel, who made 93 in Pakistan’s first innings of 434-9 declared, dug in for almost entire final day before he was bowled by Lahiru Kumara after facing 210 balls late on the fifth and final day.

By that time, the home team had reached 284-8 for an overall lead of 272 as the players shook hands and the match was called off.

Sri Lanka's pace bowlers had rattled the top order under overcast conditions in the first session by reducing Pakistan to 125-5, but Shakeel showed lot of temperament and shared a match-saving 92-run stand with Ghazi Ghori, who made 35, to deny Sri Lanka unlikely win.

Milan Rathnayake (3-47), Asitha Fernando (2-35) and Kumara (2-65) had given Sri Lanka a sniff before Shakeel stood firm and saved Pakistan from going down in the two-test series.

The second test will be played at the same Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium from next Tuesday after it was relocated to Rawalpindi due to increase in the smog level at Lahore.

“I am happy with how we batted and with our bowling in the second innings,” Kusal Mendis said after hitting a century in his first test as Sri Lanka captain and sharing 249-run stand with Dhananjaya de Silva in the first innings.

“I feel I still have to improve (as captain), but the senior players helped me quite a lot," he said. "Pakistan laid out a good wicket and there was moisture, (but) we did not bowl well initially and I feel that’s where we need to learn.”

Pakistan’s batters had stumbled against Sri Lanka captain Kusal Mendis’ innovative field setting in the first session which was disrupted by 20-minute stoppage of play due to bad light.

Skipper Babar Azam scored 34 and Salman Ali Agha made 13 before both fell into Mendis’ fielding trap and offered catches at short backward square leg on a second successive overcast morning at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, where 117 overs were lost due to bad light and rain during the first four days.

Pakistan, which curtailed the Sri Lankan first-innings lead to 12 on the back of an inspiring seven-wicket debut by fast bowler Saqib Khan, led by just 139 runs at lunch and had given Sri Lanka a chance.

Shakeel successfully overturned an lbw decision against him early in the innings and also got a nasty blow on the shoulder off Dilshan Madushanka’s short ball as the Sri Lankan seamers got plenty of seam movement in favorable conditions.

Resuming on 57-1, Pakistan had a disastrous start to the final day when both overnight batters, Azan Awais and Mohammad Taha, were dismissed without adding to their scores of 22 and 24, respectively.

Awais flashed hard at Kumara’s first ball and was caught at slips while Fernando’s delivery seamed enough to get the outside edge of Taha’s bat from the other end.

Babar added 50 runs with the defiant Shakeel and struck six boundaries with his trademark cover drives and straight drives but yet again couldn’t convert a good start into big innings as his century drought in test matches was extended to 42 innings.

Babar also survived two chances. Kamindu Mendis grassed a regulation chance in the second slip when Babar was on 22 and then had a close lbw call go in his favor on an umpire’s call before he fell into Mendis’ trap and gave a simple catch to Lahiru Udara.

Rathnayake executed the fielding plan well with another short ball to Agha and Pasindu Sooriyabandara brought up a spectacular catch before Shakeel and Ghori stood firm.

“We are trying to figure out why Saud is getting out in the nineties,” Babar said. “Saud knows very well how to churn longer innings in crunch moments and he is the backbone of our team.”

Babar praised player of the match Saqib for his seven wickets on test debut.

“It is very good to see how Saqib Khan played,” Babar said. “He had a lot of confidence because of the first-class cricket he has played. He had hunger to get wickets. He was outstanding.”

See AP’s full cricket coverage here

Pakistan's Saud Shakeel reacts after losing his wicket during the fifth day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Friday, Nov. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

oPakistan's Saud Shakeel plays a shot during the fifth day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Friday, Nov. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

Pakistan's Saud Shakeel plays a shot during the fifth day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Friday, Nov. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

Sri Lanka's Lahiru Kumara celebrates after taking the wicket of Pakistan's Azan Awais during the fifth day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Friday, Nov. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

Sri Lanka's Milan Rathnayaka, center, celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Pakistan's Babar Azam during the fifth day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Friday, Nov. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)

Pakistan's Babar Azam walks off the field after losing his wicket during the fifth day of the first test cricket match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Friday, Nov. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Anjum Naveed)