Tom Brady's Post Game Press Conference Transcript
Here's what Patriots quarterback Tom Brady had to say following the Patriots overtime loss to the Jets:
On their issues on 3rd down:
"We haven't been good on third down all year and I think obviously that's a big problem. You can't stay on the field and help our defense out. We have to be better in all areas, certainly we have to be better on third down and in the red area. But there's no excuses. We just didn't play well. I've got to do a better job out there, and that's what I need to do."
On if he saw anything different about the way they attacked him in the second half:
"No, I mean they're a good defense. They're a good defense, they put pressure on you in all areas. We didn't do anything offensively to slow them down at all. It started off poorly. We had a great opportunity to take control of the game, we didn't. Fought our way back, had plenty of chances, we just didn't get it done."
On his thoughts on Rob Gronkowski in his first game back:
"I mean he played his butt off. All the guys played hard and there was a lot of effort. We played hard, we played for as long as we could, we just didn't make enough plays. This team, this defense, is a good defense and they're well coached. There's no easy plays out there, you've got to earn them, and we just didn't do enough to earn them today."
On if the frustrating part was the fact they were so close on so many plays:
"Yeah, we're close, and we're close a lot. We've just got to start making them. From all of us, the balls have to be better thrown, everyone has to look at themselves and do a better job because what we're doing right now isn't good enough. You come out of a day like this where we're, you know, one conversion on third down and we have to do a better job all the way around. Everybody on offense has to look at what they need to do better job and certainly make it a point of emphasis. It's got to be a strength for us going forward. It can't be, you know, 1-of-12. We're not going to win many football games being 1-of-12."
On the fact they've struggled in the 3rd quarter this season and what he can point to for that:
"I think it's really poor execution. Like I said, we had a great opportunity to take control of the game and we didn't. We fought hard, we just didn't do what it takes to beat a good defense."
On what happened on the interception:
"Gronk had a crossing route, he flashed open, I threw it, and the guy made a good play and that's a ball I shouldn't throw. You can't do that, throw interceptions for touchdowns. That's one way to get you beat."
On if it's fair to say the guy made a great play:
"He made a good play. I mean he undercuts inside routes and Gronk was running across the field and I'm sure they were coached that way, and he made the play. That's what it takes, takes good plays and he made it. We had some opportunities where we have chances to make plays, and we've got guys that we've got throw it, we've got to catch it, we've got to run with it, and that's what our job on offense is to do and the only way score points is to do it consistently. But we're just not doing it consistently enough to march the ball down the field and put it in the end zone."
On his thoughts on the penalty:
"I don't know. I didn't really see it. I don't know what the call is. I don't even know what they called, I just saw the flags."
On what he feels it says about Chris Jones for sitting there and answering the questions (in the locker room):
"He's playing hard. That whole defense has really rallied. They lost some veteran leadership but they come in here and they fight. They were on the field a lot early on and made some plays there for us, made some plays for the team. All those guys. The young guys who have been in there, Chris, Joe [Vellano], Logan [Ryan] made some plays, Michael Buchanan's making plays, so I think offensively we need to do a better job of helping the defense out. We've got to convert more on third down, we've got to take advantage of the opportunities that we have and we're plenty capable, it's not that we don't do it, we just don't do it on a consistent basis. I mean, it's a team sport, and as a team we're just not there yet. We've got a lot of football to play, hopefully we can correct it."
On the last drive of regulation and if he felt rust had to do with why Gronkowski didn't catch it:
"No, he ran a great route and we gave him an opportunity and he probably makes that 99 out of 100 but it was just one of those days where it didn't happen for us. We still had plenty of other opportunities after that. It really shouldn't have come down to that play if we had been executing better over the course of the day. But they put pressure on you, the coverage is going to be tight, and they're going to be tight throws, we've got to throw, we've got to make the plays when we're there."
On if he saw things open up with Gronkowski out there:
"Oh, of course. I mean, he's one of the best players in the NFL You saw what he does today. It's his first game back, and all of us have to do a better job. No one's obviously doing it perfect out there, there's a lot of room for improvement. We've got to get back to work. We've got a tough division opponent coming in that's playing well and we've got to try to go beat them."
On if he's surprised on the fact they're not executing well:
"You know, we're working hard in practice and we're trying to get the job done. It's just for one reason or another, we're not quite there yet. We're not clicking how we need to on third down, in the red area, and we've been inconsistent certainly in the passing game and we've got to try and figure out how to get better and work hard at it so we can get better."
