Patriots Players Postgame Transcripts 9/21
Robert Spillane, LB
(On Mike Vrabel’s message to team after going down early in the game)
“Our identity is our identity and we just need to keep continuing to play to our identity. [We need to] make the plays when they matter most and we just fell a little bit short here today.”
(On the how the team fights inconsistency)
“Continuing to believe in each other, trust the guys around you and get better at practice every day. It starts tomorrow morning. We’ll be in here at 9 a.m. getting back to work.
(On his preparation personally leading up to this game)
“It was a week of focus for me. It was a chance to bounce back and be a better teammate. That’s the only thing that matters to me, how can I be the best teammate? Again fell short today. We’re going to continue to believe in each other, get back to work here on Monday, and continue to get 1% better every day. I know it sounds cliché and I know it’s not what you want to hear, but this is a long season and continual improvement is the only thing that’s going to get us to where we want to be.”
(On going down early and getting back into the game)
“We need to figure out what’s going on with that, how we can emulate that middle part of the game and how we’ve done so well in the second quarter. We just need to figure out how can we start the game that fast and get off the field early, and get the ball back to our offense. That will be what we focus on tomorrow. How can we start these games fast? How can we go three-and-out, get off the field and get the ball right back to our offense? That’s our goal, no matter where we’re put on the field to play defense, our job is to get the ball back for the offense.”
Marcus Jones, CB
(On what happened after going down early)
“The main thing that [Mike Vrabel] was talking to us about, was to just settle down. We had some unforced errors that we didn’t need to have in the first half. He was just like, play our style of football, so we eventually settled in and everything. We can’t have slow starts like that in the National Football League because it’s hard to come back from situations like that.”
(On what the team did well and how disappointing it was to not be able to stop Aaron Rodgers on the last play)
“The main thing that we did was just play our style, make sure we had the right technique and things of that nature. Just trusting each other on the defensive end. On the last play, that’s just me. Bad technique, things like that end up happening, especially at [defensive back]. That was just me, wrong technique and stuff like that. That’s how you can you lose this game.”
(On the team’s offensive turnovers today)
“I’m not upset at all. When it comes down to turnovers, we’re trying to get the ball back to the offense. I’m not mad about the turnovers and everything, we’re just trying to get the ball back to the offense. We support them no matter if it’s 10 turnovers in one game and everything like that, we got their back.
Milton Williams, DT
(On executing the game plan and keeping Aaron Rodgers contained)
“We were okay on defense. They did not really get too much going, then we let up a play at the end. Like I said, it was not good enough. We have to go back, watch the tape, correct your mistakes, and you’re ready for next week.”
(On the importance of Robert Spillane to the defense)
“Being a player we know he can be. Coming out, setting a tone for us, making the calls, make sure everybody was lined up right, and make plays when they come to him.”
(On dealing with five turnovers in the game)
“Like Coach Vrabel just said, it is not one side of the ball, this and that, it is everybody. It just was not enough. We did not execute enough, and we did not do enough to win the game. Give the Pittsburgh Steelers credit, they came in here and beat us in our home, and that is what it is.”
Morgan Moses, T
(On what the team has to do to turn the tide at home)
“I think number one is just looking yourself in the mirror, evaluating the tape yourself and seeing where you can be a little bit better at. And that’s everybody. That’s me, whether you’re a first-year (player), second year, third year, it doesn’t matter. You’ve got to figure out how I can be better at the point of attack and just for the team.”
(On what the balance between urgency and patience is regarding turnovers)
“At the end of the day, you never want to turn the ball over, but like I said, things happen, and it’s for us to get back and figure out how we can be better. It’s all 11. How can we finish blocks better so guys won’t jump on the pile and get that extra hit in? How can we be better at the point of attack? And things like that. And so, we all just have to look ourselves in the mirror and correct those things, and then we’ll be all right. It’s early in the season.”
K’Lavon Chaisson, LB
(On how he can step up as a leader and help get things back on track )
“There are always things that I can do to improve. If I have any chance I can help the team and give nuggets to the defense, special teams or offense, I am willing to do so. Thankfully it is early in the season. I do think we need to capitalize on home games and win in front of our home crowd. We have another opportunity next week to play in front of our home crowd, so we have got to take advantage of it.”
(On the message as the team was walking off the field)
“We just have to clean up some work. We are not far off. Just a few things we have to clean up, like I said earlier. Some self-inflicted wounds that we have got to take care of. Obviously as a defense, we have got to go find a way to get the ball more and more. Find a way to defend every blade of grass no matter where we start at. Keep that same aggressive mindset no matter what happens.”
Rhamondre Stevenson, RB
(On his approach technically and mentally regarding fumbles)
“I got to do everything I need to do to hold the ball. So I’ll be taking every approach that is needed.”
(On what he can do moving forward)
“The same thing, just attack practice like I do each and every day. Just have ball security at the top of my mind right now.”
DeMario Douglas, WR
(On losing after dominating the majority of the last three quarters)
“It hurts, you know. Nobody likes losing, especially the way we lost.”
(On the play call on the fourth-and-2 from the Patriots on 15-yard line)
“It was a play. It wasn’t designed for anything, it was just a play.”
(On if he knew he was close to the first down marker)
“Yeah, I knew I was somewhere by it because we only had two yards.”
TreVeyon Henderson, RB
(On the team bond)
“The biggest thing with times like this, is that it’s easy to stick together when times are good, but when times are bad, that’s when you learn about how tight the connections that we’re making are. I think they’re really strong. (inaudible) Coach Vrabel has done a great job of just bringing us together, so we’re staying strong through all of this.”
(On Coach Vrabel’s message to the team after the game)
“The biggest thing is we got to embrace this. Things aren’t always going to go our way, but we got to learn from this and learn from our mistakes but also move forward.”
Antonio Gibson, RB
(On if the Steelers were forcing fumbles and going for the ball)
“Oh, for sure. They were punching at the ball from the first play. Like I said, you can’t get relaxed right there, even when you’re trying to break a tackle or lower your shoulder. That’s what happened. In football, that’s a tough one to hold on to. It’s my fault, so I’ve just got to do better right there for sure.”
(On what the running backs will do moving forward with ball security)
“Try to shake that off. We know what’s going on. Coach [Mike Vrabel] preached that to us; we knew it before he even preached it to us. You’ve got to hold onto the football. So, we’ve just got to go to work tomorrow or whenever we’re back – Wednesday, probably – and just practice. Regardless of bounce read, trying to make a play, you’ve got to hold on. You’ve got to keep it tight, and that’s just that.”
(On what the running backs will do as a unit to move forward)
“Pick each other up. It’s tough. I’m pretty sure we’re going to get criticized, but it comes with the game. That’s the job we play. We’ve been in it for a while, and we just keep pushing. We know what we are all capable of. All our running backs are capable. Shout out to Tre (TreVeyon Henderson) for finishing the game like he did. It takes a group. We just all have to do our part, and once we all do our part, I feel like that’ll pick things up and we’ll make up for what we did.”
Jaylinn Hawkins, S
(On how frustrating it is when plays get negated by mistakes)
“We know what we should have done. I know everybody’s got a nasty taste in their mouth, and we’ll go out there on Monday and just handle business. Like I said, move on from it.”
(On if it’s a matter of holding your teammates accountable, as some people on the outside look to the coaching staff)
“No, that’s everybody. That’s our one-11. Everybody is going to watch our film and be held accountable. We’re not pointing fingers. We’re not doing any separation. This is not the time. We’re not doing that. We’re not built like that. We didn’t work this hard just to be like that. That’s not what we’re built off of. So, like I said, accountability is everything. We’re just going to own up to it like men and move forward.”
(On Robert Spillane’s performance)
“He balled. He provided leadership. When people were not as vocal, he was vocal. He stepped up. He showed up and he showed out. That’s what it’s about. He knows how to play team defense, and he’s a great captain. He brings his hard hat every day, he brings his energy every day, and it shows. So, I’m not really surprised by what he did. He does it in practice, so when things like that happen, we’ve got to build off that. We’ve got to feed off that. He makes a play, then that makes somebody else want to make a play, I want to make a play, whoever. We’re a unit. I’m happy about what he did, but obviously, the team outcome, I wish we could’ve come up with a dub.”