Patriots Players Postgame Transcripts 1/18
PATRIOTS PLAYERS
Stefon Diggs, WR
(On how this game felt like survival)
“Yeah, just treating each play like it’s its own play and not getting caught up on it. Good, bad or indifferent, just rolling with the punches because it’s going to be playoff football. Good things are going to happen, bad things are going to happen. But I do want to give a shout out to the defense. They showed up today and played impeccable defense. They played amazing. So, if we get that kind of defense, we’re pretty much hard to beat. That’s an amazing football team over there. Their defense was second to none. They’ve got playmakers on the offensive side of the ball. So, it was definitely a challenge for us. But for us to come out on top says a lot about this team.”
(On the talk about Houston’s defense and feeling disrespected)
“It’s a good thing. Hopefully they do that again this week because that’s another good defense we’re about to go see. I feel like I spoke on it not too long ago, but playing with a chip on our shoulder. I think we’re one of those teams that play better with a chip on our shoulder – when everybody kind of counted us out. I think there was a handful of commentators and people, the little tidbits that I do see – because I try not to see too much – they all picked Houston to win. I mean, for a good reason – that’s a good football team, and I understand their vantage point. All we can do is come in, work hard during the week and put ourselves in the best position to win the game.”
(On how it feels going to the AFC Championship)
“I don’t think it’s sunk in yet. We’re going to enjoy it for the next eight hours. They’ve got a day on us right now, recovery-wise, so I think the biggest thing for us is to come in and try to be better. We have some things that we left out there, but coming out with the win means everything. I’d rather win and learn a lesson than lose. We talked about that earlier in the season. So, it hasn’t sunk in, and I hope it doesn’t. I want to just move on – move on to the next. Be thankful for where we are, but we’ve got to get another one.”
(On if the team learned a lesson today)
“Yeah, 100%. I think we learned a lesson a lot about ourselves, about our adversity. We talked a lot about it during the week, that a fight ain’t a fight until you meet resistance, until they swing back, and they definitely were swinging back the whole time. So, being able to weather the storm and come out with a W, I just feel like I’m thankful.”
(On what he thought of Kayshon Boutte’s touchdown)
“I was impressed. We was in of who could have had a better touchdown. Pop [DeMario Douglas] popped it off. I tried to follow Pop, and then I think that was the sprinkles on top of the ice cream. He’s a hell of a player. But he continues to show up, game in and game out. He’s just one of the guys that we’re going to continue to motivate, push and talk a lot of junk to. But he shows up, he makes a lot of plays and I’m proud of that guy. It’s hard to get the ball around here. When guys do get it, they’re taking advantage of their odds.”
Will Campbell, T
(On recovering two fumbles)
“Just get the ball that’s on the ground. You don’t want to give it to them in a short field, so get on there and play for it.”
(On going to an AFC Championship in his first year as a professional)
“Yeah, that’s very cool. We had a great group of guys, super excited for the opportunity. That’s what you work for, to get an opportunity like this. So, to be able to experience it my first year, is pretty cool.”
(On what makes Will Anderson so difficult)
“Oh, they’re both good. They’re both first-team All-Pro. You watch the tape, they both have combined after the night, and they both have 31 sacks. I don’t know. They’re talented. Their whole defense is, but our defense played better tonight. Our defense outplayed their defense. That’s something we talked about coming into the week. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy. We knew it was going to be a battle. Whenever your defense can get four interceptions, it’s pretty cool to watch and be a part of.”
(On Drake Maye’s resilience today)
“He is who he is for a reason. Nothing can make him flinch, I’ve said it before, and I like our chances anytime he’s in the game. He’s just a heck of a player, even better leader. Wouldn’t want anybody else commanding the huddle.”
Hunter Henry, TE
(On his emotions after advancing to the AFC Championship)
“Oh man. Gosh, what a blessing to just be in this situation, be in this moment. Gosh, it almost doesn’t feel real in a way, but I’m pumped, I’m excited. I’m really, really excited man. I’m just filled with a lot of gratitude and a lot of joy.”
(On what it’s been like to see all three units come together to contribute)
“The playoffs are hard. It takes all of us. We’ve preached that all year long and it’s really coming together right now. And to watch how our defense is flying around and making plays right now, man, it’s really, really cool. I think they were excited to kind of go out there and show who they were. Obviously, the Texans defense was – man, they were a problem. They caused a lot of problems. They do a lot of different things, and they’re very, very talented and hard to go against. Our defense stepped up to the challenge too and played lights out today.”
(On how much fun it’s been to watch Drake Maye learn to win in the playoffs)
“I think he’s learning that fast, how hard it is and how you’ve got to just stay in the game. Nothing’s really going to be perfect. You’ve just got to continue to fight, to scratch, to claw. Some things might not go your way, and you just have to come back, keep swinging. I’m proud of him for continuing to do that. I mean, just continuing to step up today in a major way, and when we needed him. I mean, he’s done it all year, but today was pretty, pretty special in those elements, the elements in Foxborough and everything. And so, yeah, he’s a special, special player and a lot of fun to play with.”
(On if he can help his teammates acclimate to the environment in Denver)
“Yeah, I mean, it’s a challenge, man. When that place is rolling, it’s going to be extremely loud. I know it’ll be an environment. They’ll be ready to go. The elevation can be an issue, but just staying hydrated, moving around a lot, we’ll be all right in a way. But I know the environment will be a lot, it’ll be loud and we’ll have to match that intensity. So, it’s a big opportunity and I know all the guys will be excited for it.”
(On his thoughts as they were in victory formation for the second week in a row at home)
“Yeah, man, that ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’ was sick. The snowfall at the end of the game, that was really, really special. The last two weeks have been, honestly, two of my favorite games I’ve ever been a part of in my career. Just the environment, just the electricity, just the fans, everybody into it the whole game, giving us a true home-field advantage. It was really, really special for me to be a part of that. And so, this game and then last week was really, really special and a lot of fun to be a part of.”
Rhamondre Stevenson, RB
(On his eye injury and coming back)
“Yeah, great team win. To start off, I think we fought hard. Our O-line was working all day. That is a great defense we were going against. Got poked in the eye a little, but nothing serious at all.”
(On the emotions of advancing to the AFC Championship Game)
“Very excited. I have been in the league for five years, have not been in this position. So going to make the most of it. Put my best foot forward and hopefully get another win next weekend and hopefully onto the big game.”
(On the overall performance)
“Yeah it takes all 11 guys on the offensive side of the ball. It feels good to end the game with the ball in my hands and just running behind my O-line. That is tough football in my eyes, controlling the clock and running it when they know you are going to run it. Great to get that done today. A lot to clean up for sure, but great to get that done.”
(On what these two playoff wins have taught him)
“It is going to take all of us. It is going to be a fight every time. It was great teams on the other side of the ball. We have got to play our best football this time of the year and just keep going. Just limit mistakes and we could win.”
(On the strip sacks on Drake Maye and what the conversations around him were like)
“Just next play really. It was not a big deal to us. Like I say when I come here all the time, it is just if it’s a bad play, a good play, just next play. So there was not really anything to talk about. We know the kind of guy he is, he knows he made a mistake or whatnot. So it was not anything like that. It was just, next play. He is our quarterback and we know he makes some great plays. So, it is just onto the next play.”
K’Lavon Chaisson, LB
(On the attitude going into the game and what the defense did to produce)
“Obviously, I think the biggest thing is to protect home. Come out there with a relentless and dominant attitude. Just play our game. And I think all week we have been hearing about the other side’s defense, so of course, that gives extra motivation, extra boost, just because of who we allow them to be. So, coming to the game, man, we knew everything was on our side of the ball.”
(On what he saw on the turnovers produced by the defense)
“I think, regardless of what kind of play it was, it was the IQ. I think the biggest thing about the game is when we finally get to the ball. When we are in this big defensive matchup going into the game, I think field position is going to be the deciding factor. So, regardless of what the play call was, man, you see ball, you get ball. So, we had our opportunity to make those plays happen, and we did.”
(On tuning out the noise and preparing for next week’s matchup against Denver with a quarterback change)
“I do not know, man. I think we are enjoying this win right now. I think we have not gotten that far, and obviously, that is our next opponent. But we are not going to skip past this win, and we are going to take advantage of some of it, for sure.”
(On preparation to get pressure on C.J. Stroud and the defense’s execution)
“Yeah, I think the back end did a great job all day, man. Giving them different looks and giving them different reads to kind of try to disguise them is a big part. So, I think that was the biggest thing, getting him to hold on to the ball and clutch. Getting seven hits to the quarterback. I think the front four, we just want to fight and do everything we can to get there. So, I think all praise goes to the back end, and the back seven continues to give us opportunities. The front four was taking advantage of it.”
(On dealing with key injuries down the stretch and getting players back for the playoffs)
“It is huge. Regardless of who is in there, everybody is preparing as a starter. But with all those guys coming in with their IQ and their ball knowledge, their gameplay is getting this team better defensively. Obviously, I think we have seen it in the last couple of games, just slowly getting guys back into things, getting a lot more dynamic on this side of the ball.”
Christian Barmore, DL
(On people picking Houston to win)
“We see that. We just stay quiet. We let our game speak. We’re not about the talk, we’re about the actions. We let the game speak and see what happens.”
(On coming together with this group of players)
“It’s guys that want to work. We’re not lazy. We work. Everybody, we work. Coach [Mike] Vrabel, he sees that all the time. If he sees somebody dancing around, he will call you out, and I love that. We love to work here, we love the crowd, we love our team, the coaches. Everything here is just about, just focus on one thing, being the best defense we could be.”
(On if the defense is in their zone)
“Yeah, we all get in the zone, especially during pregame talk – what Vrabel is telling us. We are all just up and turned up, especially when [Stefon] Diggs talks to us. All the leaders on the team talk to us, and they all set the tone and motivate us to be the best we can be.”
(On the level of confidence in the defense)
“We have a great defense, we have great DBs, great D-line, great linebackers. We’re all a team. This is a team game. When we play as a team, it’s hard to beat. It feels like we need to keep doing what we have to do, focus on Denver and we’re all going to play as a team.”
Milton Williams, DT
(On if the talk about Houston’s defense fuels them)
“Definitely, it definitely fueled the whole defense. Nobody has been talking about our defense all year. We’ll see what they say today. Every week, we’re trying to come out and dominate knowing that they do have a great defense, but in our minds, it was our defense versus their defense. See who could make more plays, create more turnovers, stop the run and get the ball back to our offense.”
(On playing in the AFC Championship)
“It’s big. I just told them, ‘Don’t make it bigger than it is, we’re just playing football. Go out there and do what we’ve been doing, do your job, and stay consistent. The rest will handle itself.’”
(On how the defense got to C.J. Stroud)
“Just being where we’re supposed to be, executing at a high level. We have a bunch of dogs that are hungry, and we went out there and showed it today.”
(On what makes this defense championship level)
“Every level, we’ve got dogs on every level of our team. Everybody is doing their job at a high level. The communication, everything is just working together. The coaches put us in position to make plays, and we just execute at a high level. That’s all we need.”
Robert Spillane, LB
(On how it feels to make the AFC Championship Game)
“Yeah, I am so proud of the guys, continuing to work each and every day, show up here with the great energy and attitude. And then to go out there and perform, we knew it was going to be a 60-minute battle. We knew they were not going to lay down for a second, so I am just so proud of the resilience and comeback attitude of this team, and now we just keep fighting.”
(On what he saw earlier in the year)
“I saw a group of hungry guys that were willing to do whatever it takes to get the wins required to be meaningful in this league. It is never easy to win games, but I saw the group of guys that we had in that locker room. The heart of the guys that we have now, we were going to fight each and every play, each and every game. To be here is special.”
(On his pass break up on the last defensive play of the game)
“Yeah I am running down the middle of the field and the receiver’s eyes just got big. Looking up at the ball, you sense it is covered, your sense to come. I am like, just do not follow him, make a play on the ball. Do not turn around, let him catch it first, and do not let him come to the ground with the ball. And I was able to get it out and help make a play for the team.”
(On how he would describe this season)
“A work in progress, we are not finished. We are just going to continue to put our heads down, bring the energy required each and every day, to this game planning of the week, and pour our hearts into it like we all have. Every man in this locker room, every coach, just pour our hearts into this season and we are going to continue to do that and let the chips fall where they do.”
Christian Gonzalez, CB
(On the defensive performance)
“We had a plan. We executed, went out there and we were able to do what we do. Of course, we like us as a defense, and we’ll go up against anybody. It was good to get out there and show what we can do.”
(On the consistency of this team)
“[Mike] Vrabel came in from the first meeting and told us about our identity. You see the identity that’s up there. Everybody bought in. It’s kind of a big thing that no one believed in us, nobody counted on us, or counted on us in being in any of these games. To us, we just come into work every day. Everybody, it is such a grateful group. Everybody is always smiling around here. Everybody is always laughing and having a good time. When you’re able to do that and lock in when you need to in meetings and things like that, you build that brotherhood, and we’ve built that. It translates in so many ways.”
(On trusting the process from the beginning of the season)
“It can be tough when you get a new coach, but everybody bought in. There was no halfway and everybody bought in. We bought in from OTAs, and we’ve been able to build this and continue to keep going.”
(On the performance of Carlton Davis III and Marcus Jones today)
“It was awesome to see [Carlton Davis III] get two picks. That’s four picks in two years for him against the Texans. It was awesome to see that. He’s one of the hardest workers. We come in every day, and we spend a lot of time in the film room together, watching, breaking down receivers and offenses. Then you know, once Marcus touches the ball, he can score from anywhere. I was trying to get him down to let me get a block for him, but he was able to get in, so that was good. I’m happy for him and happy for this team. We’ll enjoy it tonight, move on and be ready for Denver.”
Marcus Jones, CB
(On the Patriots’ defensive performance and Jones’ interception returned for a touchdown)
“Yeah, I would say we put in a lot of work on the defensive side, offensive side and special teams. We know what we invested in, and when it came down to all the preparation and stuff like that. So, we definitely have a situational confidence when it comes down to it. And man, just try to be in the right place, right time. I cannot say – without [K’Lavon Chaisson] on that play, he was right there, and those guys always making it harder for the situation of the quarterbacks. And it was just right place, right time.”
(On getting pressure on C.J. Stroud)
“Yeah, we knew that [C.J. Stroud], at the end of the day, when it comes down to having only a four-man rush or three-man rush, he can dice defenses up. So, our main thing was to have pressure. When it comes down to it, I am glad that we caused what we caused today.”
(On the Patriots’ defensive progression as a unit, getting pressure and taking advantage on the back end)
“Yeah, I feel as though, when it comes down to pressures, like you said, it is all 11 working. The guys getting in the right place, right time, causing havoc on the quarterback, but then also the guys on the back end being in the right spots. Usually, whenever you have pressure, quarterbacks want to have a quick game. So, being able to be in the right place at the right time is very effective and very good to have. We have progressed when it came down to that. So, communication is a big thing because it’s not only us being in the right place at the right time, but we always have the crowd being loud – which we wanted to do – but we had to find out ways to communicate and use hand signals. Making sure to talk before the play happens is very important.
(On how it feels to be in the AFC Championship Game)
“Yeah, man, it is great to be in the position that we are. We are one of those teams that will flip the page. We are going to be excited to spend time with our fans, and every day, spend time with each other. But when we come back later in the week, we will definitely dive into Denver because they are a great team.”
(On the Patriots’ consistency as a team)
“Yeah, I would say the identity. A lot of people will have the same common goal when it comes down to that at the end of the day. Whatever helps us win, we are down for it. So, offense is going to have good times, and they are going to have bad times. Defense is going to have the same thing, and special teams. So, making sure that we stay day in, day out, and have the right goal is the main thing.”
Jaylinn Hawkins, S
(On how it feels to be in the AFC Championship)
“All special, of course, this is what we do it for. With that being said, obviously, we get back in here tomorrow, get back to regiment, get back to the corrections, and move forward. But it’s a special, special thing.”
(On the media’s comments during the week)
“I mean, that’s just what it is, no one likes us but us, and we kind of just, that’s the mindset. Everybody on the outside is so up and down, like one week they like something… and that’s on them. As long as we like us in here, that’s all that matters. Everybody else can say what they want to say. As long as this group in here, in this locker room, is close, we’re good.”
(On C.J. Stroud’s performance)
“C.J. [Stroud] is a good quarterback man. First and foremost, I want to shout out the Texans, because they came out here and played their tails off. They did their thing. C.J. is a good quarterback, and the defense did their thing as well. But we had a pretty good plan for them. We discussed the things we had to do. We executed and it showed, and that allowed us to create turnovers.”
(On his first impressions of the Bronco’s offense)
“Good offense in the air and their running game is good too. They create explosive plays, they have a good tight end group, good receiver, a couple receivers, as well. But yeah, good team.”
Craig Woodson, S
(On talk about the Texans’ defense)
“We heard a lot of talk about the Texans’ defense, but at the end of the day, we worry about us. We worry about this defense, we worry about getting stops, worry about going out there and dominating. That’s what we did, but we’re proud of everybody on this defense.”
(On when it hit him that they’d be playing in the AFC Championship)
“I don’t think it’s hit me yet, but I’m blessed, that’s all I can say. Blessed for my first year to be going to the AFC Championship, and we just want to keep this thing going. Take one day at a time and when it’s time to play, it’s go time.”
(On how he has gotten comfortable in the defense)
“I think I got comfortable with the guys around me. Everybody cheering me on, giving me support, allowing me to know that they’ve got my back. I think that’s made things easier for me, and I’m blessed to have the teammates I have.”