HEAD COACH BILL BELICHICK
Postgame Press Conference
Monday, October 21, 2019
Opening statement...
It's always good to win a division game on the road. I thought that our guys were ready to go today. We got off to a good start. I thought it was a great opening drive. Seemed like it took up most of the first quarter. Had some turnovers on defense. Good complementary football all the way across the board. Offense, defense, special teams. Lots of guys contributed tonight, which was you need for a good division win on the road. You have to give the players credit. They played hard. They played relentlessly and were able to make some plays early in the game and play pretty solid for 60 minutes. Short week, quick turnaround here. Will have to get going on Cleveland in a hurry, but it's always good to win a division game on the road.
On whether this was as comprehensive of a defensive performance he has ever been a part of…
Well, look, we have a lot of good players and they played well tonight. So, give the players credit for their effort and their playmaking. We'll see what happens next week. We've got a big challenge ahead of us with the Browns, so we'll see what happens. Each week is a challenge in this league. You're only as good as your last game, so we'll have to see what we can do next week.
On how much confidence this game gives them for next week…
It's always good to win. I think we're confident, but we'll have to start all over again. We emptied the tank tonight. We'll have to fill it up for next week and be ready to empty it again next week against Cleveland. That's the way it is every week in this league.
On whether he was happy with the offense's performance given the team's injuries…
Yeah, our players played well. All of them. They played well on offense, defense, special teams. Made some big plays and had a lot of good, solid plays. It takes everybody doing the job. One guy can't move the ball, one guy can't stop the other team. And you have to have all 11 guys working together. We had a lot of that tonight.
On the defense forcing the Jets to go 0-for-5 in the red zone…
I think Duron (Harmon) and Devin (McCourty) and (Terrence) Brooks when he was in there, that those guys do a really good job of disguising the coverages. Jason (McCourty), Jon Jones, Steph (Gilmore), J.C. Jackson, the secondary works very hard at that, at disguising and moving around, being in different spots, doing the same thing from different places and so forth. They take a lot of pride in that. They're very good at it. Depends on the offensive look, they can adapt their disguise to try to fit the look, so they do a real good job at that.
On both sides of the ball starting off quickly…
You always want to play complementary football. When the offense can help the defense and special teams puts their offense in bad field position and we can hold that field position and get the ball back or turn the ball over and set up the offense, I mean that's the complementary football that you'd like for your team to play. We had a lot of examples of that tonight. The players did a good job.
On how pleased he was with the contributions of Ben Watson and Eric Tomlinson…
Yeah, both Eric and Ben did a real good job this week of catching up, not only from an assignment standpoint but getting extra reps on the practice field, and getting timing and so forth, in both the running game and the passing game. I thought they both competed well. It's good to be able to put some bigger people on the field and not being four and three wides on every single play. So we had some productive plays from that. Hopefully, we can build on that and balance off our different personnel groupings a little bit more than we have in the past couple of games…
On what he told the defense on the sideline in the second quarter when the Patriots were up 24-0…
I can't remember. I'm not sure. Probably something about some plays we need to stop. We had a few penalties there one drive, so I'm not sure what it was.
On the heavy set the offense used on the goal line for the last touchdown…
Jets have a very physical front, big front. You know, they're hard to block. They're a hard team to run against so we were trying to put some guys out there that were competitively matched up size wise and see if we
could grind out a couple tough yards. They're a good goal line defense. They're hard to run against. They made a big stop against Dallas. Dallas was in an empty formation trying to throw in a two-point play. You know, that's not really the answer. Sometimes you just have to close it up and pound it in, and that's tough too. So, try to pick out something you think's best. Fortunately, we got some good blocking there and Sony (Michel) was able to squeeze it in, but it was a tough yard.
On how much discussion there was at halftime to finish the game strong…
We talk about playing 60 minutes every week. We try to carry through with that. That's what we prepare for, that's what we train for. I think our team's in good condition. We just try to compete for 60 minutes every week. Hopefully, we can continue to do that. That's what it'll take.
On whether there was any gamesmanship when the Jets declined the two penalties in the fourth quarter when the Patriots were punting…
No, it was just the way the rules are set up. We were able to run quite a bit of time off the clock without really having to do anything. That's probably a loophole that will be closed and probably should be closed but right now it's open.
QUARTERBACK TOM BRADY
Postgame Press Conference
Monday, October 21, 2019
On having a good start to the game…
Yeah, we've had some good starts to the game playing from ahead. It was a good start. It was a good drive. Anytime you can go seven or eight minutes, whatever that was, and put the ball in the end zone on the road, it (gives) you a good feel. It was good to get a win. Three division road games, that's pretty sweet. (We'll) try to have a quick turnaround and get ready for Cleveland.
On it being the longest opening touchdown drive this season…
Good.
On executing that drive…
It was a good balance (with) different kinds of distribution with the ball and so forth. The big guys did a good job up front running it. We had some good passes in there and it was just good execution. Good execution is what you need, especially to sustain long drives. That was a good to start the game.
On if the Patriots defense continues to amaze him…
They're playing great, just playing great football. They're doing a great job. They cover, rush, stop the run, and make critical plays. It's awesome to watch.
On Sam Darnold saying he was seeing ghosts…
I think our offense has plenty to worry about, so I'm not worried about what they think. Our offense has to do a better job, so that's what I'm thinking about.
On Jakobi Meyers…
He's done a great job taking advantage of his opportunity. I'll keep throwing it to him. He does a good job of getting open. I'll just keep trying to go to the open guy.
SAFETY DEVIN MCCOURTY
Postgame Press Conference
Monday, October 21, 2019
On how well the defensive line has played and how aggressive they have played…
It's been all year. We talk about being aggressive, we talk about trying to make our own plays defensively and not just sitting back and waiting. Those guys do a good job of it. I think it's our overall understanding of the defense. At times, it can be a safety, it can be one of the backs or one of the lineman. Understanding that it can keep switching. That makes it tough on teams. We just have to keep doing those things. (We) understand now, seven games in, teams have more film on us. They're going to design things (that are) different. We have to be ready to adjust, we have to be ready to continue to be versatile with our personnel and still try to make plays.
On if they are getting a special feeling about this defense...
No, I think we're getting a feeling of the blueprint of what it takes each week to come out and play well. I've been a part of teams where we play well and then we haven't played well. That's because we haven't followed that blue print. We will get over this one fast because we have a Cleveland team that is coming off a Bye Week that is going to try and come into Foxborough and get a big win on the road. To me, that's what it's about. It's about the blueprint of coming out each week, each day in practice, putting in the work, studying film (and) getting on the same page. We're talking about adjustments right after the coin toss of something that might come in a game. These guys are that locked in. We have to keep doing it because for the rest of the season, we're going to get every offense's best shot. They're going to be ready to go. We're not a surprise anymore, we just have to keep being locked in.
On if the defense gets energized by seeing the other team get frustrated...
I think that helps. For us, it's getting off on third down and turning the football over. That gets us fired up because when you can do that, you're going to frustrate any team. You can go out there and get turnovers, make them go three and out and get off the field. Listen, we've got one of the best offenses in the last 10 years that I've been here. If we can keep getting them on the field (with) four, five (or) six turnovers, that's going to make a difference in a game. I think we feed off of having the opportunity of getting them the ball back and them going to make plays. We make a couple plays on our own and get in control of that game. (If we can) make it one dimensional and make it a passing game, then we can really start doing what we love to do.
RUNNING BACK JAMES WHITE
Postgame Press Conference
Monday, October 21, 2019
Transcript to follow
PLAYERS IN THE LOCKER ROOM
WIDE RECEIVER PHILLIP DORSETT II
On their opening drive…
That was one of the best drives we put together as a whole this season. It was a long one, but we got on the right track. Anytime you get a long drive like that it gives you confidence. We completed a couple of third-down plays that helped a lot.
On the play of their defense...
We play against that defense every day. It's tough. We know they are good. They go out and prove it every Sunday.
On his touchdown reception…
I didn't want to run out of the end zone. I knew I didn't have too much space, so I couldn't just fly by. Tom made a great throw. You can't throw that ball any better than that.
On getting the win…
It's feels good. It's a division rival. We are 7-0, but we got a lot of work to do. It doesn't get any easier, and it starts in practice.
DEFENSIVE BACK JONATHAN JONES
On getting the win…
It feels good. When you get a win like this on the road and dominate, it feels good.
On playing well in all phases of the game...
The offense put points up, special teams gave us field position and the defense got a shutout. That's a formula for winning.
On the play of the defense…
We take pride in our defense. The front stood up and the back end capitalized.
On not getting beat when they blitz…
It's trust. Trusting the front. You can turn on the film and see them dominate play after play and on the back end we get a chance to make plays because of that.
