BUCCANEERS HEAD COACH BRUCE ARIANS
Postgame Press Conference
Sunday, October 3, 2021
BA: Obviously very, very happy with the win. Thought our guys gutted it out all night, and defensively we got the turnovers we were talking about. Offensively obviously would've liked to see more touchdowns instead of all them field goals, but it was a rough night for our kickers early, but they bounced back and did a heck of a job for
us. Good team win. We had some guys out there for the first time playing a lot of snaps. They did a hell of a job.
Q: Do you have any update on Carlton Davis' quad?
BA. No, it'll be a while looks like.
Q: (Regarding two corners and Richard Sherman playing every snap.)
BA: We talked about it all week. Whether it was Dee [Delaney], Pierre, even Rashard was ready. Then we lost Winfield for the last couple drives. Can't say enough about the secondary stepping up. Pass rush was really good.
Got picked a couple times that weren't called, but other than that it was all right.
Q: You talk about your own red zone. With your defense, settle for field goals late.
BA: Yeah, it was going to be a tough red zone battle. We knew that. I would've liked to see us execute a little bit better. I thought early we should have run the ball a little bit more. When we did we had some success. We got a little greedy trying to go for touchdowns right away.
Q: Can you speak to Fournette's effort overall tonight?
BA: Thought Lenny played his ass off and really solid in the run game and the passing game. Got that matchup we were looking for. People don't realize how fast he is, and that was a great good matchup and good ball.
Q: What did it mean for guys to be able to come out here and get to win for Tom Brady and do it on a historic night?
BA: It wasn't for Tom. It was for us. We ain't losing is two in a row. We knew it's going to be a tough game, but we're back in the victory column. The blessing is it was nice for Tom.
Q: Were you surprised they tried a 56-yard field goal in the rain?
BA: No. I saw him making 60 before the game in that direction, so I was not worried about it.
Q: How do you think Brady played?
BA: Very careful. He wasn't going to make any mistakes that cost us the game. Crunched in crunch time, the two-minute drive before the half, when we had to have field goals, he got us down the field.
Q: There has been some discrepancy on the injury to Gronkowski. Reports of a punctured lung and multiple rib fractures. Are you able to clarify that a little bit?
BA: Once he had the CT scans some things showed up. He did have I think three or four fractures and a pinch in the lung. It wasn't blown up, but we'll see how long it takes.
Q: Is it possible he could be back as soon as the Eagles game?
BA: Could be next week. Who knows?
Q: To see Carlton Davis go down on special teams, are things that tight right now?
BA: It was a punt safe situation. We kept our defense out there looking for the fakes, and just unfortunate for him.
Q: (No microphone.)
BA: Have no idea. No idea.
Q: This big victory is very special for all the team, but for you personally, today is your birthday.
BA: Yeah, that was a hell of a good birthday present. Ball bounced off that upright, thank you Lord.
Q: You said this wasn't for Tom, but... (No microphone.)
BA: I think it's very, very special for him obviously. You know, he kept it inside all week and he's probably letting it out right now. But it was a big week for him but it was a bigger week for the team. I was very, very frustrated with everybody saying this was a quarterback and a coach. This is a team sport. The Bucs won this game. We beat the Patriots. We were losing sight that this is a team game. Everybody wanted to make this all about Brady and Belichick. I don't think Bill played a snap. He had 22 guys out there playing their ass off, and I knew he would. We had 22 guys out there playing their asses off. One of them just happened to be named Brady.
Q: What can you say about the penalties?
BA: Yeah, we talked a lot about it. That was a big, big one to start the second half. Took away a big chunk.
Q: Based on the way you guys finished last season and all the guys coming back on offense, expectations were sky high. Does it feel like the offense is underperforming the last couple weeks?
BA: Not really. We had two really good defenses on the road. I'll take road wins, I don't care how they come. We're not looking for style points. Yeah, we're still up in the 30s, averaging close to 30. That's plenty enough.
Q: (Regarding the weather.)
BA: No. Is it was the way they were playing. We knew we could run it and running was the way we won the game. Just stay patient with it, and we have a tendency to let's go get chunks and I'm the worst one at that. Just stay patient and run the ball.
Q: You got the quarterback on the ground a lot. Looked like a concerted effort tonight.
BA: Great job. I thought Joe [Tyron-Shoyinka] played his tail off. The entire group. Somebody picked for Joe one time. Yeah, we had a good pass rush tonight and got the turnovers we were looking for.
Q: (No microphone.)
BA: He's in the protocol. We don't know.
Q: (No microphone.)
BA: Mac?
Q: Yeah.
BA. Just like I thought he would be, calm and cool. Played his tail off. Yeah, he gave his team a chance to win.
Q: Happy birthday, Coach.
BA: Thank you.
QUARTEBACK TOM BRADY
Postgame Press Conference
Sunday, October 3, 2021
Q: What were your thoughts on the game?
TB: Obviously very tough game. Came down just a couple plays. Glad we were able to win, and sorry to keep you guys waiting. Wasn't anticipating this.
Q: Were you surprised or did you think you would get – you got a few jeers while you were playing, but when you came out for warmups people went nuts.
TB: It was awesome.
Q: People were chanting. Did that surprise you?
TB: I'm not surprised. I tried not to predict what was going to happen and how I would feel. Had a few emotional in the moments this week just thinking about the people that have really meant so much to me in my life and that are a part of this community. Just very grateful for an amazing time here. Like I said, my football journey took me somewhere else, but I'm really enjoying that, and great to get a win. 3-1, I know to make it about the game, but 3-1 against a really good football team tonight is what we wanted to get done.
Q: Can you talk about your interaction with Bill Belichick on the field and in the locker room after the game?
TB: Yeah, I mean, all those are personal. We got a personal relationship, you know, for 20-plus years. He drafted me here. We've had a lot of personal conversations that should remain that way and are very private.
And I would say so much is made of our relationship. You know, as I said earlier this week, from a player's standpoint you just expect the coach to give you everything he's got, and I'm sure as a player that's what he was hoping from me. But nothing is really accurate that I ever see. It's all kind of – definitely doesn't come from my personal feelings or beliefs. I got a lot of respect for him as a coach and obviously a lot of respect for this organization and all the different people here that try to make it successful.
Q: Were you surprised to see him after the game?
TB: No, we just – no, we just said we'll catch up after the game for a little bit.
Q: Going up against some of these guys in practice, is there a different feel when you do it in a game?
TB: I mean, doesn't count in practice, so nothing matters if you get touchdowns or interceptions. It all counts out here. It was a tough, hard-fought game. It was very typical Patriot type weather. Very tough to come into the environment. I thought the fans did a great job. That little – what do they call that horn, that foghorn or whatever? That thing is loud as can be. You don't think about it much when the defense is on the field. I just happened to be on the field when that thing was going off. It's a great home field advantage. The fans were amazing. Just happy for our team personally just for us to get a win in a really tough environment. It's tough to do in the NFL.
Q: When you ran out of the tunnel and you do your 100-yard run that you've done so many times and you ended in the opposite end zone, what was the first thought there?
TB: I couldn't run through the normal tunnel, so, yeah, just happened to be the opposite way tonight. Just a lot of emotions. It was a very emotional week. Again, these guys are like my brothers, you know what I mean?
There are two groups of people, all my Bucs teammates that I love and I'm going to battle with every week, and then there is another group of guys that I see, and those are my friends that I been with for a long time. Matt Slater and Kyle Van Noy and Dont'a Hightower and John and Devin [McCourty] and David Andrews and Hoyer. There is a whole crew. Josh [McDaniels]. These are the people that I've shared my life with. Very grateful for everything they've kind of contributed to my life. Very blessed.
Q: I know you said winning means more to you, but being able to get the NFL passing record, what did that mean?
TB: Yep. I just think it's amazing statistic in that so many people can share in it with me. Quarterback doesn't throw and catch. Quarterback can just throw it. It's yards. Passing yards have to be caught, so I just hope that everybody who caught passes from me over the years just had a little smile on their face tonight knowing they contributed to a very cool record. There are some people that have kind of preceded it by name, Drew Brees who I look up to, hell of a guy. Peyton Manning who is one of my all-time favorites. Brett Favre, Dan Marino.
But obviously my teammates who caught all these passes over the years, mean an awful lot to me.
Q: How did you think the Patriots defended you tonight?
TB: They did a good job. They did a good job. It was a tough game. Hard-fought game. We ran the ball well. Moved it. We just didn't get it in the red zone. Had a few costly drive-killing kind of mistakes that limited us getting – really scoring touchdowns would've been a lot different. But just proud of our team. Tough weather. You know, just very typical day. We had to grind it out.
Q: Is that what you expected from Belichick?
TB: They did a good job. Yeah, they did a good job. They got a good team, good cover players. They got a good rush. Got some good hits on me tonight, so I'll be a little sore tomorrow.
Q: I know you haven't seen much of Mac Jones, what are your impressions?
TB: He did a great job. I think that offense does a great job. Josh really dialed up some good plays, too. They kind of hit everything. I saw them coming in couple reverse passes and throwback. They did a good job.
But in the end it always comes down to a couple plays. Happy we made them. Ryan [Succop] made a huge kick. He made a few big ones last year for us. I know Nick [Folk] got a good hit on that one there at the end. It just was a little bit left.
Q: If there was your last game in Gillette Stadium, how do you put into words what this place meant to you, and is it a little sweeter for you to pull out a win?
TB: It's been a great stadium for me for a long time. I don't know what the future holds. Obviously could be an opportunity to come back here. We'll see. I feel like I'll always be a part of this community. I'll be up here quite a bit when it's all said and done. When I retire I'm sure there will be a lot of time for – you know, I have a lot of friends up here and it's a great place. My kids were born on Beacon Street in the city. It's been an amazing place for me, it still is. I obviously see a lot of familiar friendly faces, and great to see you guys, too.
Q:You talked about preparation and we emotional it was this week. For everything that you expected and then as it turned out tonight, what was the difference in how you had to kind of lock in this week and how it all turned out?
TB: I feel good that we won. I feel good that we won. I think that – again I didn't try to – it was just some emotional moments thinking about coming up here and playing. Again, I know why it's tough to come in here and win a game all these years. This team does a great job. They make you earn it. They're not going to win every game, but it's a tough football environment. The crowd is into it. I'm just really happy we got a win.
Q: Is that the ball from the record?
TB: Yep. That one is for me.
Q: How would you describe your emotions as the game played out? Were you nervous at all? Did you have to play into the game?
TB: Not nervous. Just kind of always kind of how I feel during a game. It was a little bit back and forth. Couldn't really quite get the ball in the end zone, so that was a little bit frustrating. They just do a good job of – I think between trying to understand what they were going to do defensively and then also dealing with the weather. There of some unique challenges tonight. I thought Patriots played a great game.
It's a talented football team. They've got a lot of good players. They hit on a lot of plays tonight. We had a lot of penalties that kind of hurt us, but took care of the ball better and ended up being a good win.
Q: Before the game Robert Kraft said he would love to (regarding retiring and a one-day contract.)
TB: Are you offering me a one-day contract or did he offer me that? He didn't offer me that, so... I still got some time left with the Bucs, and like I said, really enjoying that. We got a lot to accomplish this year. It's a tough challenging year. It's a marathon of a season. It's only four games in. There is a lot football to be played. It feels good to win on the road, so happy we did that. And again, appreciate all you guys. Sorry for keeping you guys late. Telling my friends here. Good luck to you guys, have a great year, and I'll see you down the road.
Leonard Fournette, RB
(On how much it meant to him to play such a meaningful role in such a big game)
"It meant everything. Just knowing what was at risk. Our biggest thing, our biggest goal, you know, Brady told us, 'Don't worry about this Tom Brady, Belichick matchup.' Trying to just get that bad taste out of our mouth. We lost to the Rams, so it was all about us winning at the end of the day."
(On if the weather caused the team to run the ball more)
"It kind of just happened. We didn't expect this rain as much, but we came in, and everyone switched their cleats, their gloves. It's just rain. We knew it was going to be a ground game."
(On Tom Brady's passing record)
"I didn't even know he broke the record. I'm not going to lie. I was just worried about winning the football game. At the end of the day, that's a 1-3 team, but they don't play like a 1-3 team at all. I'm not going to lie to you. Just playing against them, that defense, they're very disciplined. Very disciplined. They did a remarkable job balancing out our offense and keeping us on our toes."
(On drawing a pass interference call)
"Yeah. I told Brady it was going to happen, you know, get a one-on-one matchup on their linebackers. It's going to happen, and Brady said it's going to happen. It's all about watching film, you know, is another thing. Just knowing that you got a big guy on you like that, he can't run with you."
(On how much it meant to him to play such a critical role in the game)
"Like I said, this game is all about confidence. We had a lot of drives where our confidence kind of went down, but it's not being successful on third down. Things like that, but it's also about bouncing back, too. As you can see, the whole team, the defense made some plays. Some stops we needed. Offense, Mike [Evans], AB [Antonio Brown] made catches. Chris [Godwin] made catches to give us that field goal before the half, and I think that's what it's all about as a team. Just coming together and fighting. This is a very difficult game to play. It's not easy to win on Sundays, so I'm just blessed to be in this position, this opportunity to help out the Bucs and my teammates."
Ryan Succop, K
(On the winning field goal)
"It was tough especially going in that direction. We were in the wind and there was a lot of rain. A credit to our guys, the big boys up front for protecting. Carson [Tinker] did a great job snapping, and Bradley [Pinion] did a great job holding, all the credit goes to those guys."
(On conversations with Tom Brady about the weather)
"I didn't speak with him specifically on that, but it's funny because Tom is usually – at home we're always talking about the weather, our lockers are fairly close to each other's. We didn't talk about it this week, but most games we're always talking is it going to rain, is it going to be windy? But we didn't speak about it this week."
(On whether he felt the game was going to come down to a field goal)
"It felt like it, certainly when we got there in the fourth quarter. It seemed like it was going back and forth there. It was kind of a low scoring game, I think the conditions probably dictated it a little bit."
(On empathizing with Nick Folk)
"You know Nick is a great kicker, we've been in the league for a while, and it's so good to see him still playing so well. I told him I was so proud of him after the game. He hit a great ball, it just didn't happen to go in. I know next week he's going to come back. He's going to help them win a lot of games. I have so much respect for Nick, he's a great kicker, a great person. We are always talking, he has four kids and we have three, we have a connection there. Our wife's stay in touch through social media, and kind of encourage one another."
Devin White, LB
(On the defensive gameplan)
"Coach Bowles got back to being really aggressive. When we get aggressive we can do a lot of good things. I am just thankful that we are not playing so much cover-2 and not playing soft. We are getting after the quarterback and stopping them."
(On losing some defensive players to injury)
"We do a good job of scouting and bringing people in and having great people. I just think it's next man up and we have already taken some blows before coming here for the game, and we were able to adjust. The thing that helps people out is that we had somebody out there, that people probably don't know, and when the defensive is attacking and playing good, it makes up for everybody. We are having fun and everybody is playing on the same level. I think it will be fine and the guys will be back. They are in there talking so hopefully they can get some rest and come back."
(On playing with Richard Sherman)
"It's easy for him because he is an 11-year veteran. He is a very intelligent person so that makes football very easy for him. When you have got a guy like Coach Bowles, he's going to break it down and you know he is going to help you out, and then you have us communicating. We were still out there letting him know, 'in this coverage you have this, play this.' You tell him what to do and he will do it, so that's what made it easier. I felt he was getting back into it with no training camp, none of that, and I am proud of him for the game tonight. He had a fumble recovery, and I think he led the team in tackles. I think he came out strong and will continue to get better."
Antonio Brown, WR
(On how he's feeling and the game)
"Thank God, I am feeling a lot better. It was great atmosphere today and a great team win and it came down to the finish. There was a lot of adversity with the weather conditions and some plays we could have done better and some things we could have done better, but as always it is great to digest things after a win."
(On what it meant to be playing alongside Tom Brady for this game)
"This is where it all started for me and Tom. I had the opportunity in 2019 to come here and be a part of the great organization that the Patriots are, and to be able to be in this position two years later and to be here it is definitely God's plan. I was grateful to be out there with Tom and do what we desired to do."
(On if the atmosphere was what he expected)
"Absolutely. We expected rain, great Patriots Nation fans, and we expected a battle to the end."
(On what this game meant to Tom Brady)
"Just imagine being with an organization for 20-plus years, and having so much success and building so many relationships. He started a family and his kids were born here, and had so many different memories and moments. Knowing Tom, he is the ultimate competitor and a true winner and a true leader, and you know he was going to bring the intangibles. We knew what this game would entail for him. As soon as the season started, we knew what this would entail and it is great to come out here with him and get the win tonight."
(On his time with the Patriots)
"It was the best experience of my life being here. Bill Belichick is one of the best coaches, preparing the players, on the field and off the field, discipline, and he walks around these same hallways and walks around the building to go to practice. It was amazing being a player and seeing the preparation, and the details that he goes over to make sure his team is prepared. Being able to talk to him after the game was an honor."
(On winning with Tom Brady)
"I am just extremely grateful to be here today and honored that I have my health and honored to play with a gentlemen such as Tom. It is a great feeling to be a Buccaneer today."
Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, OLB
(On the challenge to put pressure on Mac Jones)
"We knew he wasn't a mobile quarterback. He likes to stay in the pocket with the ball, looking for his second and third options. We knew if we got him off his spot, we'd be fine."
(On getting his first sack)
"I feel it was good timing. It was Sunday Night Football – I grew up watching it all my life, so being able to get that tonight was really special."
(On if the defense felt challenged this week to get sacks)
"Most definitely. I think we've only had about three as a whole defense coming into this week, so that has been a focus point. We have to get him off his spot, got to get him to the ground. I think we had four or five sacks, so it paid off."
(On what went through his mind on the Patriots missed field goal)
"I don't think I was looking. I was just hoping he missed it."
(On what it meant to make sure Tom Brady got to leave Foxborough with a win)
"It was awesome. I wouldn't want to leave here with a loss. A win is a win, you tough it out and this type of win is special. We stand tall as a team and come out with a win, especially on this stage for Tom."
