HEAD COACH BILL BELICHICK
Postgame Press Conference
Monday, October 29, 2018
A: First of all, big congratulations to Dave, Tony, Alex, and the Red Sox for a great season and a championship and just a fabulous year. They set the bar on top and it was a good weekend for Boston. Today was the usual, a tough battle in Buffalo as always. They've been ... Coach McDermott's got a very good fundamental team and they just made us grind it out, grind out every yard, to make it to the end zone. They play aggressively and they play hard. Fortunately we were able to make a couple of plays in the second half and had a little bit of a cushion there. It was good to not turn the ball over, that was really good. Buffalo's one of the best turnover teams in the league. They do a great job when they get the ball out so I'm really glad for us that we were able to take care of it as well as we did. That'll serve us well down the road if we do that. It's good to get a division win on the road, now it's time to start getting ready for a quick turnaround here with Green Bay.
Q: Cordarrelle Patterson started at running back today, what did you see from him in that position?
A: Well, CP is a great athlete and he does a great job with the ball in his hands so we were able to get it to him a few times. He's done a great job in the return game and on some other plays that he had the chance to run the play. So it looked like he had a couple of solid runs out there. We're a little light at the running back position, so we needed him to step up and he did. A lot of guys stepped up for us today.
Q: Are you proud of the offense for that? It seems like every week - last week Sony [Michel] went down early and Rob [Gronkowski] was out. This week no Sony. It seems like you find different guys now each week offensively.
A: It's what a team does. A team responds. We're light at linebacker, we're light at running back. The guys that played stayed out there and played hard and they were good at those positions. We definitely needed that. We're fortunate to get them.
Q: Is [Kyle] Van Noy turning into one of those guys, or has he been one of those guys who's been around a big play or play happening...
A: Kyle's a real instinctive player and we play him in a lot of different spots. He takes on a great amount of responsibility, plays on the line, plays off the line, plays o-line responsibilities, defensive end, and so he's a pretty versatile player. Very smart. Works hard. He's done a great job for us. Had a couple of big plays today.
Q: Bill, there's a report before the game that Josh Gordon had some targeting issues and that you were going to sit him for a few series or something. Obviously he played the whole game, is there anything?
A: You'd have to talk to whoever wrote that. I have no idea.
Q: Is there a message behind your tie today?
A: No (laughs). Red, white, and blue - it's kind of patriotic.
Q: Last week you wore kind of a ... tie
A: Yeah that was a ....
Q: Do you like this one better?
A: I like anything that gets put around my neck.
Q: How pleased are you to see special teams scoring last week, defense scoring this week, and their contributions ....
A: Absolutely. Those are really bonus points and you can't count on. You always hope you get those kinds of turnovers and production - it's hard to count on those. You lucky if you get a couple here and we got three the last two weeks. But Devin [McCourty] made a great play, Patrick [Chung] too on the interception where [Charles] Clay kind of got inside of Pat and Pat kind of pushed him over. But Devin did a nice job of hiding it and really ran fast down the sideline. Good run. Good interception return. Reminded me of the kickoff return he had against the Jets a few years ago - was it his rookie year. But yeah, it was a big play for us. They're driving in the red area and we turned it around.
Q: The wind on the field seemed to be swirling in all types of directions. You got 12 points out of [Stephen] Gostkowski. It's those guys that they always rely on ...
A: Yeah the wind was tough tonight. It was tough in the kicking game it was tough on the passing game. The first ball Tom [Brady] threw to Gronk down the sideline overstepped by like 10 yards and that never happens with Tom and it [the wind] just kind of took it. So the thing right from that point, which was the first series, we kind of knew from warm ups but certainly the kicking game was challenging for the punters and the kickers. So it was an element that we've certainly dealt with and we've practiced on a lot of windy days out there in Foxboro so we've been there before but still it was challenging. I thought both kickers, [Stephen] Hauschka did a great job too, he had two long field goals. So those guys are definitely good kickers and they did a good job in the conditions.
Q: Devon [McCourty] was clocked at 22 MPH during his interception return for a touchdown, is he as fast as he's ever been?
A: Faster than me. Devon can run, we know that.
Q: They through a lot of things at you early on, what did that force you to do in terms of adjustments?
A: Well you know [LeSean] McCoy is a great back, great player, so it's no surprise that he was featured on some things, which helps with a player with his skill. The wildcat is a little bit of a different look. They had a good plan on the first play. We did a better job once it shifted into the second half. I thought that the flee flicker, or double pass, was a big play. Had that gone differently than they would have scored early in the game, so that's a big play. They're aggressive, they have big play abilities with [Kelvin] Benjamin and McCoy, and certainly [Charles] Clay. They're experienced in that category and we were a little concerned with their big play ability.
QUARTERBACK TOM BRADY
Postgame Press Conference
Monday, October 29, 2018
Q: I saw you out there on the sideline leading the charge to congratulate Devin [McCourty] on his pick-six. What was the emotions to see the defense make that play and sort of carry you guys?
A: It was a great play. We needed it. They made it tough on us. That was a huge play in the game. So we'll take the win however we can get it and try to learn from it and move onto next week.
Q: Tom, can you talk about two plays on the game-winning touchdown drive? First, the 3 rd - and-7 play where you hit James White on a check-down to get nine yards, and then the back shoulder throw to [Chris] Hogan? Two huge plays in the game.
A: Yeah, it was a great play by James. We had something behind it and they kind of got a little depth, so I had some space to him. But he's such a great space player. When he gets the ball in his hands to make a linebacker miss and get the yards was a huge play. And then Hogs had a one-on-one chance and I tried to put a little back shoulder on him, and he made a great play. Got us to the one-and-a-half yard line and "Sweet Feet" kind of nailed it in.
Q: Tom, without Sony [Michel] today, it seemed like you guys were looking for ways to generate the running game with Cordarelle [Patterson] in the backfield. Were you looking for different ways to, again, kind of produce a running game?
A: Yeah, and I think he's good at it. He broke off a long run there, he had some other opportunities. I'm sure if he had been playing there longer, he'd have seen some of the other ones. But, you know, he's just doing a great job for us. Any role that he's in to help us win, he's fulfilling, and we're grinding through it like everyone else.
Q: Tom, did the wind effect throws early in the game? Was it challenging out there?
A: It was pretty windy. It was weird. You know, had some really… the ball was moving weird, almost like a knuckleball to receivers. So when the ball's up in the air, there's a couple of them that the ball was moving a little bit. But it wasn't terrible, wasn't terrible. I've played in worse.
Q: Tom, what was it about the Bills defense that made it so hard to put the ball in the end zone?
A: You know, they don't give up any big plays. So we were just moving it down the field and we got into the red area and we just couldn't get the ball in the end zone. Just not enough positive plays down there. We had a couple opportunities that we just didn't take advantage of. I think if we score those touchdowns, we feel a lot better. But they've been playing good all year, and they haven't given up many yards. But we hung in there, we grinded it out. Like I said, some tough conditions, but found a way to win.
Q: You guys have a quick turn with this being Monday Night game. To just get to next week, with Aaron Rodgers coming to town, you guys haven't faced each other that much. What are your thoughts on being in sort of the game against the Packers and Rodgers on the quick turn?
A: It's a big game for us. We started 1-2, we're 6-2. To get to 7-2 would be huge, and it's a great football team. I mean, they're in it every year. You know, Aaron's one of the best to ever play. So it'll be exciting and we're going to have to play really well. It's a quick turnaround, like you said… lot of studying, get your body right over the next 36 hours, and be ready to go Wednesday. Try to refill the tank, try to bring a lot of energy and emotion and go win at home.
Q: Tom, can you just talk about the game that Julian Edelman had? I think he finished with nine catches for 104 yards. Seemed like you hit him a lot on those 10-15 yard crossers.
A: He played good. He's got such great awareness and instincts in the middle part of the field, and he made some other plays tonight for us. Blocks a lot, does a lot of the dirty work, and it's just great having him out there.
Q: The block that [Edelman] got on the jet sweep…
A: Yeah, that he got? Oh, from me? Oh, I was like a speed bump. I wouldn't say that was necessarily a block. I was just trying to get in Lorenzo Alexander's way. He's a big, strong guy, I'll tell you that.
Q: How about the eight yard run that you had that will inch you closer to 1,000 [career rushing yards]?
A: Yeah, it was a good run. I think it was like eight yards on 3 rd and 7. We ended up getting a field goal out of the drive. It's a hard thing for me to do. Just instinctually I just don't make that fast decision to go. But when I do,
Q: Do you feel [the 1,000 career rushing yards] coming?
A: It's close, it's close. So we'll see.
Q: Tom, was that block one of those things that you go to the sideline and you're told, 'Hey, nice block, but don't ever do that again?'
A: It's my assignment, actually. It's just good to get Julian [Edelman] around. I think that was a 3 rd down play, too. Anything I've got to do to gain yards, get third down conversions, and win the game, that's what's most important.
TIGHT END ROB GRONKOWSKI
Postgame Press Conference
Monday, October 29, 2018
Q: How was the back out there?
A: It was good, a challenge out there, good.
Q: When you missed last week, came obviously as a homecoming for you, were you determined to play for your hometown fans today?
A: I mean I wasn't. It was definitely more motivation to come home I mean, Monday night football and everything, but I mean I just did everything I had to do, just prepare myself and do all the rehab, all that little stuff going on. I got myself ready for the game and it was good to go out and contribute, help the team win. It was grind our thing, no problems, it was a win. On the road, it's always tough.
Q: What did they do defensively that made it tough? It seemed like sometimes they double teamed you. You had the great catch today, but what did they do defensively that seemed like they focused on you?
A: They played hard and they came hard. Covered hard, they brought game, they weren't backing down at all. When you've got players on the other side of the ball coming hard in the NFL, it's always going to be a tuff challenge, no matter what.
Q: Was there any doubt in your mind that you had both feet on the ground on that catch?
A: I mean I definitely felt like it. I knew if I was out, it was going to be like a half a centimeter. I said that in the huddle. If I'm out, it was literally by the littlest bit in like ever so. I felt confident though and it turned out well.
Q: Rob what did it feel like to see through Thurman Thomas moments and former Buffalo Bills and hall of famers?
A: I mean that's great and everything, but we got a huge game going on. Like we're not out there, "oh what is Thurman Thomas doing?" but no, he's a great player, great dude, had a lot of respect for his game, but we were focused on the game the whole time.
Q: You said road wins are always good and definitely you have convincing wins against the Bears and the Bills tonight. It's been a like you said a grind for the offense, so do you guys feel like you still have a lot to work on, on the offense or are you just glad you came away with this road win?
A: The road wins are huge, definitely a tough job grinding out tonight. That's what we had to do, just keep grinding out and pounding, eventually we broke through, but they are tough. We've always have room to improve no matter what, with every game.
Q: Tom [Brady] said that early on the wind does some tricky things at some times, the throws might be difficult for the receivers. In additions to how far the goals were played, how challenging was it to gage some of those throws?
A: I mean, it's definitely more of a challenge when there's wind to get the ball up in the air, it going to move a little bit, but it's on both sides of the ball, both teams have to deal with it. That's what part of playing football is, dealing with the weather so whatever it is, it is, just got to deal with it.
Q: Rob is there anything Tom [Brady] mentioned about doing a better job when you get down in the red area, lot of field goals tonight?
A: Yeah, I mean we've got to put some touchdowns up. Can't just come away with field goals all day and it just comes down to execution. Getting more open and giving Tom more room to throw the ball, just got to execute down there better for sure.
WIDE RECEIVER JOSH GORDON
Postgame Press Conference
Monday, October 29, 2018
Q: Before the game there was a question about whether you would play in the first quarter because of tardiness, is tardiness something to be worried about with you?
A: That's going to be a question that you ask coach about.
Q: What about the Bills defense made it difficult for you guys tonight?
A: Probably the fact that we play them twice a year. You get a shot to see them on film and what they do. We have to make some adjustments to the second half offensively we just stick to the game plan, and take what we can, and it's just one of those games where you have to learn from it.
Q: What did you think of Julian Edelman's performance tonight?
A: Julian's done a great job. Really having fun, grinding every day. Our guys come to work every day extremely hard and I'm glad that everything came together for him in this game.
Q: Is there anything that you want to say to kind of clear your name?
A: I got to check on everything. I'm not too sure about what's out there myself so I can't give you a complete answer.
