HEAD COACH JEROD MAYO
Postgame press conference
Sunday, August 25, 2024
Opening Statement:
"Thought the guys came out here and tried to compete. Anytime you have over 150 yards, that's undisciplined football. We just got to do a better job of that. My message to the team was they all count now. Go get your rehab and your preventative care and rest your minds, it's time to go and hopefully we're all on the same page going forward."
On guys playing in this game:
"We just played the guys that we thought needed to have more live action."
On the plan to play QB Jacoby Brissett:
"That was the plan. We were going to play Jacoby a series or two."
On Brissett continuing to play after injuring his shoulder:
"He would've been able to continue."
On Brissett's health status:
"I talked to him. We'll see tomorrow. You always feel a little bit more sore the next day. He said he was good. We'll find out tomorrow."
On the offensive line concerns:
"I think it is a concern. The biggest concern for me is not the X's and O's of what to do, it was the lack of discipline that they showed today. And that's on all of us. That's on me. It starts with me. I got to be more diligent in getting to these guys about pre-snap penalties. And the rest of the coaches have to do the same thing. Players also have to take responsibility for those pre-snap penalties. Look, the referees, they did a good job. They warned us multiple times. We talked. Then we got flagged. Then they kept throwing the flag cause we didn't adjust. One thing I've learned around here, business is being done. And if you see them calling those types of plays, you gotta self-correct and get better. And we didn't do that tonight."
On the lack of progress with offensive line:
"I tell the guys all the time. Every single day, we got to get better. Obviously, we have to gel as a unit. That's one of those units where you got to be close both on the field and off the field to build that trust. And that's a process we're continuing with."
On the starting quarterback decision:
"That's always the goal. We gotta watch the film. We get in at three o'clock in the morning. So, we'll see."
On WR Pop Douglas' snaps:
"Yeah, it was by design. Once again, guys need live action. Same thing with [CB] Marcus Jones. That was the mentality going into the game and I was happy to see them out there.
On Maye starting Week One if Jacoby Brissett is unavailable:
"I would like to say 100 percent. He's our second-best quarterback on the roster right now. So, is that a yes? Next question."
On the offensive line concerns if Drake Maye had to start:
"I'm not concerned. I'm concerned about every position. [Vice President of Player Personnel] Eliot [Wolf], and myself, and the rest of the staff, our job is always to look for better players. We'll be very active on the waiver wire. There'll be some good football players out there on the street. Look, we'll try to get this team better."
On what stood out about Maye's performance tonight:
"He showed great poise. He went out there, his quarterback rating was 100 or something like that. He made plays. He was in control of the offense. He did a good job for us."
On Jacoby Brissett injury update:
"I don't have an update. He'll get an MRI tomorrow."
On seriousness of injury:
"I'm not sure. I'm just not sure."
On the injury impacting the decision to play Maye:
"Look, we always say, the best players are going to play. No matter if it's at quarterback or at offensive line. It doesn't matter."
On illegal formation:
"Yeah, it's very frustrating. And once again it starts with me. I just gotta get on those guys more in practice about some of that stuff. I think the most frustrating part was after you've been told that you have to move up that they continue to line up the same way. I would say some of those calls, I mean I don't know, you look at the pictures and we were definitely."
On warnings that the officials gave the team:
"Well, the point of emphasis is they always give warnings the tackles are too far back and stuff like that. We had the warnings and we didn't take heat. They couldn't flash. They line up off of the guards and I would also say depending on who's out there reffing they all see it a little bit different. Once again, the most frustrating part is this is how they are calling your alignment, let's make those adjustments."
On seeing Drake make adjustments:
"It's been great. Once again, just his overall steadiness and being able to come into work every single day and get better. It's been great to see."
On any issues with Drake's hand:
"I'm not sure."
On how confident he is for Cincinnati:
"We'll be ready to go, we're going to a hostile environment. We have things to work on. We're going to watch this film, we'll grade the film, we'll make roster moves and decisions as we see fit and we're going to try and put the best Patriots team as we can against Cincinnati."
QUARTERBACK DRAKE MAYE
Postgame press conference
Sunday, August 25, 2024
On what it was like taking another step forward tonight:
"Yeah. You know, it felt good being out there. I think the biggest thing is just hurting ourselves offensively. Stalling drives and penalties and I gotta get us out of the huddle faster. Other than that, had a snap on the ground, little things like that. I gotta clean up. But at the same time, it's a great learning experience for us, and get ready for when things are going to start counting."
On a great play to WR K.J Osborn being called back due to a penalty:
"Yeah, I think they went cloud, they kind of had a high-low concept to the left. I tried to work backside and ended up getting outside the pocket. I think it would've been close if I passed the line. It was definitely real close. I am not sure what the team copy looked like, but yeah, [WR] K.J [Osborn] was just making a play, and bummer it got called back. But the same thing, hurting ourselves in a two-man drive. We can't do that."
On the first drive resulting in a touchdown:
"Yeah, I think the guys are just doing their jobs. I think that's the biggest thing, executing. Executing plays we practiced all week. Finding my guys, it is my job to get the ball to them. Backed up and we had a little snap and probably should've caught it. I think we were second-and-18 from there. Just can't shoot ourselves in the foot, you know, little things like that. It's a good football team, you know, we got lucky tonight so we just gotta start better."
On how much different he feels now versus training camp:
"Yeah, I think it was an awesome training camp. Not only to get to see our defense, but mixing in against other defenses and going out there and playing, and feeling like getting hit. I think we are getting there. I think t's been fun out there with some of the rooks. You know, [WR] JP [Ja'Lynn Polk] made some plays tonight, sitting over there in the corner. Just some of the rookies together. Finally [G] Layden [Robinson] was in at right guard. So just kind of mulling and finding our groove. It's been an awesome camp. It's been a lot. It's been tough too. Our rookie seasons have been long. We've been going at it since before the draft. Just looking forward to getting to see what as NFL season is like."
On getting jostled a couple of times coming away from the center:
"I was just trying to secure the snap. I got to get out of there. But I also think the big dude, I think number 91 [DT John Ridgeway III] was the number. He's a good player, so yeah, gotta get out of there faster. And you know [G] Nick [Leverett] is doing a heck of a job fighting in there, so I have to get away from center."
On what the issues were on the fumbled snaps:
"Yeah, I just think when you're practicing pregame and on the side it is a little different than when somebody is up there against you. So we figured something out and I think on the sideline after that first drive, from there on it just felt good."
On the completion to WR Ja'Lynn Polk:
"Yeah, I just had a high low crossing concept. JP [WR Ja'Lynn Polk] did a nice job weaving through traffic and I tried to get him a good ball and catch and run from there. I think he does a nice job mixing up different spots with JP, playing outside and inside. More inside tonight and he does a good job of getting open, so my job is to get him the rock and let him do his thing.
On if he would be ready to play Week 1 if asked:
"Yeah, I think I would feel ready. I think I'm ready for whatever this football team asks of me and ready to get out there and try to help us beat the Bengals Week 1."
On how he thinks he has improved being in command of the huddle:
"Yeah, I think command the huddle is a huge thing for quarterbacks and I'm getting there. Kind of trying to improve every week. I think one thing on the sideline that the offensive line said is I go in there and I speak real fast and I kind of do it here in media too. Just gotta slow down sometimes, just hearing the play and kind of look around and like I said, a little command of the huddle. But other than that, I feel like I have eyes on the play clock well and just kind of hurrying guys up to try to get the play off."
On what he has learned through training camp and the preseason to prepare for his NFL journey:
"Yeah, biggest thing playing I've probably learned is just next play mentality. You know, you take, whether it's a good play, bad play, play you wish you had back, had a few of those tonight, move on to the next play. It's a next play type of league, it's a next week type league in the NFL is what I'm learning. And other than that, just enjoy it. Have fun. It's sad but the reality is, some of these guys, especially the rookies are gonna be gone come next week and just enjoy those days with those guys. You created great memories and enjoy the times out here with the fellas."
On how he has improved with handling pressure:
"Yeah, I think it's huge in this offense, especially when we're not out here in preseason with some vanilla looks, especially pressure wise. I feel like a smart kid that did a lot of protective stuff in college. Remember my center was all on us protection-wise and I thought we did a good job not having free runners back there. But it's a different kind of league here now. They try to scheme me up. So yeah, there's definitely the tools, different tools to protect myself and really protect the offense. Feel like I'm getting there. I've done a few of them in practice, just try to work it through and see different looks each week."
QUARTERBACK JOE MILTON III
Postgame press conference
Sunday, August 25, 2024
On getting ready for the NFL season:
"It was great. It was an opportunity for the young guys and the players who had been here and didn't have an opportunity to come out and show what they have. It was a blessing to have it and I'm looking forward to tomorrow."
What have you learned as you start out this journey:
"Everything takes time and I have to learn to give myself grace. It's just who I am as a person. I'm very hard on myself and have to learn to be more lenient on how I talk to myself."
On how excited you can get:
"I'm very excited, and there is a lot of work to be done, but at the same time, I'm looking forward to fielding my position whatever that opportunity may be and keep competing to do whatever I can."
On if he likes it in New England:
"Oh yeah, I love it here."
On what stands out about your rookie teammates:
"They're hard workers, and they have this swag about them. How they carry themselves day in and day out. And being around those guys from the whole draft process, I got a feel for who they are as a person, and you can tell that the rookie class in general were raised correctly by their parents."
WIDE RECEIVER JA'LYNN POLK
Postgame press conference
Sunday, August 25, 2024
Not transcribed by opposing team.
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN MIKE ONWENU
Postgame press conference
Sunday, August 25, 2024
Not transcribed by opposing team.
LINEBACKER JOE GILES-HARRIS
Postgame press conference
Sunday, August 25, 2024
On this game being the preseason finale:
"It was long. It was a long preseason but it was good. I mean, we got to see a lot of different guys with lots of potential and it's always, every preseason you see what rookie steps up and what newcomer steps up and I think that's always a cool thing to see. We had a lot and I mean it was a fun ride. You only get those couple weeks to play with all 90 guys and then you know in a couple days it's a whole different team. I think for me, I just am happy to be playing. Ending with two losses isn't what we wanted but I'm happy all the guys competed and came to work every day."
On how he feels about his performance:
"I feel good. I love it here. I think we have the best coach in the league. He did it at a high level, he can coach it at a high level and then we got a bunch of guys in our room who are hungry and who are dogs and played a lot of football, so I really leaned on a lot of those guys this year. Between that and Quan and Ja'Whaun [Bentley], Christian, the list goes on. Everybody in the room. It's one of those things where you have to bring your best every day otherwise, you'll be lost very quickly. I felt for me, just keep my head down, work as hard as I possibly can, and you know make the plays that need to be made when they are there."
