HEAD COACH BILL BELICHICK
Postgame Press Conference
Thursday, August 8, 2019
Opening Statement: "We're under way. First preseason game, played a lot of players, had a lot of situations come up. Had a lot of opportunities to do different things. We'll evaluate all those in film tomorrow. Just try to build on it. I thought our guys played competitively, so it was good. But we have a long way to go. A lot of things we have to do better, but that's this time of year. Just keep working."
On the communication between him and the assistant coaches: "Like I said, we have a lot of work to do - coaching staff, players, just everything. Good to get back into it. Good to get things flowing, but a lot of things came up out there that we need to just handle a little bit better, a little quicker. It's a decent start."
On how the Patriots' offensive line played: "I think we played competitively out there. The Lions had quite a few guys banged up on the defensive line, but we just have to do what we can do. I thought our passing game was pretty efficient - quarterback's sent the ball out on time, receivers made plays and protected fairly well."
On if he considered challenging different pass interference plays in the game:"I mean, it's just – I have to get used to those rules."
On if the extended week on the road helped the team: "We're underway. We started, so we have a long way to go. We have a lot to do and there were some good things and some things we need to improve on and build off. There were some things we could work with. It's part of the process and we were on the road this week and we'll be on the road next week, so maybe that'll help us in the long run. We'll see, but we have a long way to go."
On if it was good to see the offense in a rhythm: "I think it was overall a decent level of execution by everybody. The receivers, the pass protection, the running backs, the blitz pickup, and so forth. Again, it was a controlled type of game, but it is what it was, so we'll build on this and take it next week down to Tennessee."
On the performance of DE Chase Winovich tonight and in training camp: "I mean all of our players are improving. I'll have to watch the film before I make any evaluations."
QUARTERBACK BRIAN HOYER
Postgame Press Conference
Thursday, August 8, 2019
On today's performance:"You know what, everybody did a great job. The line – I didn't get touched all night – so when you're a quarterback and you're not getting touched back there, they allow you to make some good throws. Some guys made some great catches, starting with 'Mo' (WR Maurice Harris), you know that one catch from WR N'Keal (Harry), WR Jakobi (Meyers), there were some big plays. So, when you can get that going, get a little rhythm going, it takes all of us and it was a good night."
On the rookie wide receivers' performances tonight:"It was good to see them in live action. You never know how it's going to transition from practice to a game – and for a lot of these guys it was their first game in the NFL, and they answered the bell. They stepped up and it wasn't too big for them. They're doing a good job. They have to continue to grow and this is just one building block."
On how helpful it is for a quarterback to have WR N'Keal Harry in man coverage on the outside:"He's done a good job, all camp really. It's something where I felt comfortable throwing to him, and he did a great job tonight."
On Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniel's play calling and how he helps the offense spread the ball around:"Yeah, Josh has a great feel for the game. I think that's the one thing I've come to learn the last three years getting to work with Josh. He has a great feel for the game, he knows the plays that us as quarterbacks, we really like. We have a good meeting, we go over and say, 'Hey we like these plays,' and he does a good job of calling those, and we just have to go out and execute them."
On the performance by the defense tonight:"They were impressive. I think, like I said, it's the first game of the preseason, so it's a good building block. We will go back and watch the film, I'm sure there are things that we can definitely improve on, and you just go from there."
QUARTERBACK JARRETT STIDHAM
Postgame Press Conference
Thursday, August 8, 2019
On how it felt today: "I had a great time. This was my first NFL experience getting to play, but it was a lot of fun. I had a lot of fun, a lot of things to improve on. I'm really looking forward to watching the film tomorrow and seeing what I can improve on. Overall, it was a lot of fun playing with these guys. It was a great experience."
On the offensive line play tonight and how much time they gave him to throw: "Yeah, those guys upfront did a great job all night. First, with Brian (Hoyer), and then with me. We sat back there and got to throw. It was a lot of fun. Those guys deserve a ton of credit tonight. Running the football, pass protection they did an extremely good job tonight."
On if he believes he is started to make quicker decisions with the football once training camp started: "Absolutely. I think the more I'm just doing it, the more comfortable I feel, and that sort of thing – and Josh (McDaniels) has been extremely good in the meeting room. He's a great teacher. I'm just trying to take as much in from him and Tom (Brady), and Brian (Hoyer), and Mick (Lombardi) as much as I can and just really trying to improve every single day."
On his development as a pocket-passing quarterback: "It's been great. Again, just trying to continue to get better and continue to learn more about the offense and how we operate. I'm just trying to learn as much from the guys that I'm in the meeting room with, and just trying to grow every day."
WIDE RECEIVER JAKOBI MEYERS
Postgame Press Conference
Thursday, August 8, 2019
On how it felt to score two touchdowns:"It felt great. It felt great to play football, honestly. I'm just trying to embrace it all, slow the game down, and continue to get better every day."
On if he felt like he had something to prove tonight because he went undrafted: "Not really because I don't have time to really think about what I have to prove to people. I don't want to say it doesn't matter, but I have to keep proving to my coaches that I deserve to be here. I'm not on the team yet. I'm trying to make sure I can stay here and continue to be here. That's really who I'm trying to prove a point to, not really to people who didn't give me the call."
On what is allowing him to have success over the offseason and tonight:"The want to and listening, honestly. I want to be great and I want to be in a position where they can depend on me, trust in me on tough downs. At the same time, we have a lot of great players on our team and all I have to do is listen. If I'm doing what they tell them to do, then I'll just stick around."
On if it makes him feel good that his production in practice transferred to the game tonight:"Definitely, because I was getting a lot of texts about 'Oh, I heard you were doing so great in practice?' But it didn't mean anything because we didn't have a game yet. So just the fact that I can go out there and show that I deserve to be here for now. I'm just trying to keep pushing forward."
DEFENSIVE LINEMAN CHASE WINOVICH
Postgame Press Conference
Thursday, August 8, 2019
On the emotions he felt making a play at Ford Field and hearing the crowd cheer for him: "It was cool. But it's like anything – I've talked about this before. I've always felt this way, but it's definitely emphasized here. You saw me make the play, maybe on a couple occasions today, but really, there's so many guys up front: Nick (Thurman), David (Parry), Byron (Cowart), Trent (Harris). Really just all the linebackers making the calls: Terez (Hall), Christian (Sam) – I could go on and on. There are so many intricacies during the game itself, just making adjustments with (Outside Linebackers) Coach (DeMarcus) Covington and coach Cam (Achord, assistant special teams), (Assistant Strength and Conditioning) Coach (Jerod) Mayo – I could name everybody by name. Just everything that goes in there and then it goes back to all the work that we put in, staying extra at times going over stuff and working with Willie McGinest on our technique. It felt good to have it all come together. Hopefully I made my family a little proud today."
On if taking notes on the Lions' offensive line benefited him during the game: "I don't think anyone that puts in work ever regrets working too hard or doing a little extra – I think that's kind of a broad-topic question. I just went out there, kind of had a game plan for how I wanted to attack things. Fortunately, it went my way. Like I said, thanks to my teammates setting everything up."
On what he saw in the offense to record his first sack: "I just felt that I knew he had been spending a lot of time at left tackle during the week. So I figured he'd be a little bit more uncomfortable trying to make that transition in the game. But, I felt like I had a good get-off, had the edge, so I slipped it. I was worried I might've been a little low at first, so I was looking around for the penalty, but it wasn't. I was like, 'OK, alright! We're good!'"
