Patriots Players Postgame Transcripts 1/11
PATRIOTS PLAYERS
Stefon Diggs, WR
(On what was going through his mind during the game since there haven’t been too many gritty, low scoring games this season)
“That’s a great football team. They’re well-coached, they’re disciplined, they came in with a great game plan. For us, Drake Maye played a hell of a game. I don’t know if y’all watched or y’all really know the plays inside and out, but he made good decisions. Everybody worked their tail off. We talked about straining all week and talked about liking us, not about everybody else, and I still don’t believe we played our best ball. Even myself included, I want to be better, but I feel like the will to win, it matters. When it comes to X’s and O’s, they’re cool and all, but I guess it’s the Willie and the Joe’s, they make the difference. Drake’s out there playing well, guys making plays, showing up.”
(On what he saw from Drake Maye on the sidelines and the huddle after the turnovers and how he bounced back)
“I kind of touched on it a little bit during the week. I expected the same person, and it was the same person I got throughout the season. He’s consistent. He’s not going to get too high, he’s not going to get too low and always focused on that next play. I always tell him, his next play is your what, you know what I’m saying? I think y’all know the rest, but if y’all don’t, it’s your best play.”
(On the defense tonight)
“I’m putting all my chips on the defense. They scored three points. That says a lot about our defense. That’s a well-coached team. They had a good offense. They’ve got a great quarterback over there, they’ve got a good run game, and they’ve got some huge O-linemen. So, they play that tough nose, that Harbaugh defense, and coming out with a stand and having them get three points, I don’t know how many yards they had, but our defense looks like they’re back in rare form.”
(On the rookies on the team)
“They’re contributing. They’re ready. The moment isn’t too big for them. I feel like you can trust those guys out there. They’ve been the same guys. They’ve been consistent, and we’ve got a lot to play for. We want one of our brothers back. He’ll be back soon, but those young guys are holding it down. They’re holding it down how they’re supposed to. Throughout the season, you saw them be productive. You might not see them catch many passes, but what they were doing on the practice field, [Efton] Chism [III] has been putting it on display all year, so I’m super proud of him. He’s just being a young dog. I called him a dog earlier, I was like, ‘Just keep being that, man. I’m super proud of you guys.’ You know Kyle Williams. Matter of fact, y’all know Kyle Williams, and y’all going to continue to know Kyle. There you go, give him some love.”
Will Campbell, OT
(On his first playoff game)
“It was cool. The stadium was electric tonight, best I’ve seen it since I’ve been here. The crowd was into it. Shout out to our defense, they played their tails off tonight, Andy Borregales played his tail off tonight. We started off a little slow, they kept us in it. We were able to put some points up later, but those guys played their tails off too, so hats off to them.”
(On how it feels to be moving on)
“It’s a blessing. It’s what you work for. Get another opportunity to go out there and play, it’s everything you can ask for. You got to have a good week, find out who we’re playing, just get ready to go.”
(On what he saw from Drake)
“He’s a very poised player, nothing can really rattle him. Everybody on this team has the most confidence in him to just be him. No matter what happens, everybody in this locker room has full trust in him, that he can lead us and run the show to get us what we need to do and that’s exactly what he did.”
(On how the team improved and fought through the game)
“Shout out to our defense. They showed up ready to play, they stopped the run, not a lot of passing yards for the other team. They just played their tails off, played with their hair on fire all night. That was huge.”
Hunter Henry, TE
(On the game and emotions throughout the game)
“Sixty minutes of a dog fight. Juices were flowing early and obviously we didn’t execute to the best of our ability early, but we just kept fighting and kept sticking to it. Credit to our defense for just hanging us in there and just playing unreal all day long. Just really, really cool to watch, just a lot of guys competing at a high level. Continuing to strain and find different ways to make a play. A pretty cool night and the atmosphere was awesome. It was fun.”
(On gaining playoff experience with this team)
“It is definitely different than the regular season. It’s cool to get everybody out there and come out with a big time win. You feel the environment and feel everything that it takes to win a big time game. It takes everybody, offense, defense and special teams. That was on full display today.”
(On his touchdown catch)
“It was honestly just great scheme and great design by Josh [McDaniels]. Good timing. It’s something we work on and obviously they’re a very predominantly zone team. They played zone and we just caught them. Drake [Maye] obviously threw a great ball. It took all guys and they blitzed a guy I just saw up the middle. TreVeyon [Henderson] made a big time block, I’m pretty sure it was TreVeyon, up the middle right there to give Drake a little extra time. It takes all 11 guys. Kyle [Williams’] speed out there is a threat and guys have to really respect him. [Kyle Williams] ran a great route and they have to respect him. It takes all 11 guys and we were just able to execute in a big moment.”
(On the crowd and atmosphere today)
“That was really special and elite. It was really cool to be a part of, it really was. We all felt the energy. Just thankful for Pats Nation and for coming out and for supporting. That was really a special night.”
Rhamondre Stevenson, RB
(On his first playoff win)
“It feels great. Like you said, it’s my first time getting a playoff win and it was at home, so you know we’re going to enjoy it until tomorrow and see who our next opponent is.”
(On what’s going right for him right now)
“I’m just trying to stay disciplined, trying to stay in the places I need to be. Stay disciplined on my run reads, on where I need to be in the pass game and things like that. I’m just making some plays.”
(On the offense today)
“Well, I think every game is a little different. The Chargers defense, that’s a good a defense. They fly around and things like that. I think it just took us a little longer than it needed to be for us to settle in and things like that, but we came out with a [win], so we’re excited.”
(On the team’s resolve)
“We’re relentless. We’re going to fight together, no matter if it’s a good play or a bad play. [If we’re] going through some ups and downs and things like that, we’re going to fight together and see what happens at the end of the game.”
(On the team responding to the playoff environment)
“It’s great to see. We kind of did it in Baltimore a few weeks ago. We rallied back. Just being in the room with these guys every day, I know how close knit we are and how relentless we are. I know how we stick together, so it wasn’t really something I needed to see, but it’s great to see.”
Milton Williams, DT
(On the team’s confidence going forward after tonight’s tough win)
“It’s playing football, it is going to get ugly, it is going to get nasty. You just have to keep going. Good, bad, whatever. Move on to the next play and figure out what to do to get a stop.”
(On Coach Vrabel splitting his lip)
“Man, I was just turning. That is just pure emotion. I think I gave it to everybody, but I forgot that [Coach Vrabel] does not have a helmet on. It will be all right, though.”
(On the goal line stand)
“Standing up in the red zone is big. If you play good red zone defense, you are going to win a lot of games. Just a shout-out to our coaching staff, to our players. We stood up when we needed to and got a big stop. Got our offense the ball back and kept the points down.”
(On his leadership)
“Like I said, I just keep it simple. I am not a big rah-rah guy unless we are playing. I just keep it simple. Tell the boys, man, this is just another football game. We have been doing this all our lives. Keep it simple. We do not need any superhero, superhuman effort from anybody. Just go out there and do your job and be where you are supposed to be. The rest is going to take care of itself. We did it tonight.”
(On his return to the lineup)
“Football is a tough sport. You are going to go down and you are going to miss some games. Shout-out to our training staff. Make sure guys come in every day and do what they need to do to get back. Shout-out to our strength staff, keeping guys ready, keeping us in shape, making sure we are lifting. And our nutrition staff, making sure we get our food. Everything that we need to do. They have been helping us check out all the boxes.”
Robert Spillane, LB
(On being back on the field and the defensive effort)
“First and foremost, I am just so proud of this defense. We have really come together, and to hold an offense like that to three points in a playoff game is huge for us. It is just another boost of confidence for what we have already been doing all year, so we are just going to continue sticking to the game plan that we have been on and take it from here.”
(On the early goal line stand after the Chargers interception)
“Early in the game, you know you need a stop. It is first-and-10 on the 10-yard line, and for us to come out of there, only giving up three points was our defensive goal. If we did not get a turnover there, we wanted to hold them to three, and for us to get that done was such a huge start for us early in the game. Eventually, keeping them out of the end zone altogether, in this game was huge.”
(On Zak Kuhr’s blitz packages)
“Zak [Kuhr] has been great all year. He keeps the dial spinning. He keeps offenses guessing. All year, he has been doing that. You know, just after the game, talking to a few of the guys on the other team, they had no clue what we were doing. And they came up and said that, ‘We had no clue what you guys were in all game.’ So for him just to be able to build those packages throughout the week, our back-end players to know how to disguise the different defenses, really keeps quarterbacks guessing.”
(On pressuring Justin Herbert throughout the game)
“Our defensive line did a phenomenal job. Milton [Williams], KC [K’Lavon Chaisson], guys that are called upon in big situations, coming up with big-time plays. I could not be happier for those guys. Marcus Jones coming off the edge. He’s always a feisty blitzer, and he gets the job done. So, for him to be able to come out and Milt [Milton Williams] with that game-winning sack, just to seal it, it is huge for us. We are just going to continue to build on what we already know works.”
(On what Milton Williams means to the defense)
“You look back at how our season started, and it started in Miami with the Milton Williams’ game-winning sack. So, for us to be able to be in the playoffs and him to come up with a huge play like that, I’m going to just go tell him we are going to need more of that. So, everything that you have given us, just give us some more. I know he will because he is a hard-nosed player who comes out and works every day.”
K’Lavon Chaisson, LB
(On his strip sack)
“We knew going into the week, obviously their quarterback was having some issues with his hand. So, ball security was going to be a thing going into the week. So, every chance we get to attack the ball, get the ball out, and when we do, we need the opportunity. We talk about that all the time with [Coach Vrabel], every chance we get, attack the ball with violence and effort, and that is going to do it. It’s an opportunity every time we get a chance to get around the quarterback. Like I said, we knew he had a hand problem going into it, just try to punch the ball out for sure.”
(On what made the pass rush so productive)
“Just violence and aggression. Just who wants it more, and that is all this game was about. We knew we had opportunities. Shout out to the defensive backs and the back seven, just giving us a couple extra seconds to get to the quarterback.”
(On Coach Vrabel leading the team by example with grit)
“It is huge, man. I think [Coach Vrabel] obviously still wants to play. That experience, the excitement, the aggression. I think that is the true identity that we all try to display and get on the field. Grateful to go to war with a guy like that, and I know he will not ever change for sure. So exciting to be with him.”
Carlton Davis III, CB
(On the way they approached the Chargers game plan)
“I mean, I’m not going to give you the secret sauce, so I would never do that. But we did have a good feel for what they wanted to do. Obviously, it’s the playoffs, and you’re going to be who you are in the playoffs. You’re not going to go out there and try different stuff. So, as long as we lock in and study other habits and what they do, I think we’ll have a good chance every week moving on.”
(On how they allowed less than 10 points tonight)
“Just playing complimentary football, going out there, everybody just doing their job. I think that’s the biggest thing. Everybody’s worried about what they have to do, and being accountable for one another. I think the biggest thing is — this team — we don’t want to let each other down. So, everybody went out there and played their game. We got to get better, but it was good enough tonight.”
(On if the team feels like an underdog during playoffs)
“Me personally, I’m not really worried about being an underdog, or what people are saying around the league. I just sort of go out there and prove it. I think this team wants to go out there and prove it. A lot of the things we talk about in our locker room is not worrying about the outside noise, concentrating on what we have to do, and playing to our identity.”
Marcus Jones, CB
(On the atmosphere tonight)
“Oh, I loved it. I would definitely say the fans were loud, and you could tell by the false starts that the Chargers had that everything made a difference within the game. And then the home atmosphere, having everyone be loud and everything like that for the offense. Also, making it hard for the opposing teams on the defensive side. We love it.”
(On making big plays on third down)
“Yeah, we knew going into the game they were a good third down offense. Our main thing is always to end up putting them in certain situations. So, get back on track, having a good first down so that they are behind the sticks on second down. So, being able to do those things — kind of put it into our hands — because we are also good on third down. We were just trying to make sure we play good first and second down defense.”
(On getting a home playoff win and a chance next week)
“Yeah, I was just happy and a lot of people on the team were happy to bring a playoff game home, being able to host it. It means a lot. Our fans come out and support us, and we always want to put on the show when it comes down to it. There has been legacy here for a minute, and we are trying to get our own. We are trying to take it one game at a time, so we are glad to get the W tonight.”
Jaylinn Hawkins, S
(On the defensive coverage)
“We were pretty tight tonight. Everybody was sticky. [Justin] Herbert’s a great player, let me say that first. Great team, great receiving core. We knew that it was going to be a challenge going in. We knew what they were going to bring, but the plays and stuff they were trying to hit us with, we were on it. We were alert, we were sound, we played all together, we were all on that. We just have to build from it going into the next round, round two, and keep it going.”
(On what the defense did to disguise coverage)
“You just go into preparation throughout the week. We harped on the little things this past week. We were on it all together, focused on stuff. Going into this week, we have to tighten up the screws even more. These weeks get tighter and tighter, opponents get better and better, so just tighten up the screws. We were all sound, we were coordinated, we messed around a little bit, disguised a little bit. We were having fun out there.”
(On the pass rush building momentum)
“I felt that. From drive to drive, I’m just seeing [Herbert] moving around the pocket and obviously he’s a good athlete, so he’s going to get his scrambles, he’ll run for 10 [yards] or however long. But we got to him and it was good to see.”
Andy Borregales, K
(On how it feels to be a rookie kicker in the playoffs)
“It feels great. I really just go in there not really dwelling on the fact that it’s a playoff game. I just go in there and just treat it like any other game. No moment’s too high, no moment’s too low. I like to stay neutral. That’s how I like to say it. I just go from there and stay neutral.”
(On what it was like to see this tight game unfold)
“You’ve got to stay locked in no matter what. Even if we’re up big, or it’s a close one. I really don’t look at the score much, just because I can go in at any moment, you never know. But, it was very exciting to watch, obviously on the sidelines. I know what’s at stake, but when I go in, I’m kind of just not thinking about it.”
(On completing his first playoff game)
“Yeah, definitely. On my way here I was like, ‘wow.’ I kind of took a step back and was like, ‘Dang, playoffs. My rookie year.’ Not too many people can say that. I just praise God for that.”
(On if he visualized himself in big playoff moments)
“Yeah, there’s been a lot of times like that. Lots of dreams, lots of daydreaming. But actually being able to live it, is a different experience. All I have to do really is just praise God and thank him for the path that he has me on. Just following his path, wherever he guides me, I’m going.”