TRANSCRIPT: Mike Vrabel Post Game Press Conference 10/19

Here’s what Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel had to say after the team’s win over the Titans on Sunday:

On the fact it’s been three-straight road wins, four straight overall, and how does it feel that his team was able to pull that off, especially coming here to finish up:

“Yeah, I think an emotional game, emotional stretch for us. Something that this team, and organization, hasn’t done, and it’s done a lot. And again, that doesn’t do anything. But again, the grind of coming back and getting prepared and staying in the game. We’ve played really well in the second half. That’s what I’m really proud of. Sometimes you don’t always know how these games are going to go. We certainly have to start faster, but really proud of the way that we played, giving up three points in the last two halves of football. Offensively, really, if we don’t beat ourselves, it’s been a good product and was that same way today. I love the fact that we’re finishing with the football special teams, unfortunately, with a penalty, but we had some good kick coverage, some inconsistent kick coverage. So again, there were some good ones and there’s some bad ones, and that’s kind of where it’s been. But in the end, I felt like we did enough. So excited for these guys.”

On what it means to him to come back. Not just himself, but the whole emotion of the day:

“Well, first of all, congratulations, man, 25 years (speaking to Dan Roche). We appreciate what you’ve done. I went back and I looked at it. You had a highlight video, and I was in it, and I looked a lot younger, and I didn’t have sleeves. Probably I should have had some sleeves on back then, but congratulations and thanks for covering us in this town for as long as you have.”

“You know, I’ve just … we’ve just moved on. Again, there’s a lot of guys over there and a lot of people on that support staff that helped us do some decent things, but you kind of move on. This is a whole different challenge, and I’m excited of where I’m at. I appreciate the support of our fans to come down here and be excited and be into the football game. We got to continue to give them things to cheer about and to travel and to come back and play really well at home. That’s what I’m proud of them. I’m happy for these players. To have a little bit of momentum and to continue to build it throughout the week.”

On what it was like hearing the chant of his name, and if that was his people or the people there (joking):

“I didn’t get that many tickets. I don’t know, but that’s neither here nor there. I’m happy for our players. I think these guys, they’re figuring out how to win, they’re figuring out how to practice. I guess … it’s humbling to have these people, whoever that is, cheer for us, whether that’s the Patriots or Drake Maye or me or anybody else.”

On his thoughts on the work of Rhamondre Stevenson:

“Well, again, it’s not just the running back. And again, we say the running back doesn’t do a good job and we got to run it better, but we got to block better. I felt like there were some running lanes, and when there weren’t, we were able to stick it downhill and be able to push some piles. We had some double-digit runs. We had some dirty runs. It was great to see us finish there at the end. I think it’s always a combination. We took care of the football, and that’s really the formula. And they made a mistake there that we were able to capitalize on.”

On the fact he mentioned the turnovers again this week and what’s been working so well with ball security:

“Practice, awareness, just everybody else helping. But it’s getting good to see us doing the technique and the details that are important for those types of things. We’re not putting the ball in harm’s way. Guys going and making plays and the quarterback throws it in tight windows.”

On what stands out about Drake’s game most for him:

“I think there’s an athleticism to him that’s really, really cool. I think he’s really accurate from all different spots, whether it’s in the pocket, off platform. He’s really done a nice job so far in spreading the football around. But there’s an accuracy to him that’s been really good for us.”

On how he would describe his growth, from his perspective, and what he would say about the way he’s growing:

“There’s a lot of demand there from Josh and myself, and I think he’s responded to that as far as the leadership that he’s had to show this offense. He kept talking about he wants to earn it. I’ve told him that he’s earned it. I think he doesn’t like something in practice, then he gets it fixed. If he wants a better Friday practice, then he talks about it before we go out there on Friday. I think those guys respond to him and the things that he says and the way that he operates.”

On when he left the field, if he talked to him about sliding more:

“No. I just wait for the doctor to tell me how he’s doing, get the next guy in there, which is Dobsey [Josh Dobbs], and get a play in there. Then when the trainers tell me that he’s okay, then we put him back in there, and we’ll talk to him about protecting himself and being smart. But I think he’s trying to do that for the most part.”

On the fact this is the second week in a row where they got that double score around half time and how critical that was:

“Very. We just … ending with the football in our hands. Defensively, it was good that we didn’t give up anything cheap there with 45 seconds. Great job of taking a shot and having it be there, and Drake putting a great ball, and Kayshon making a hell of a catch there to secure it, and getting both feet in. So anytime you can do that and double them up, a lot of positives involved. So hopefully that continues to be a trend.”

On having the seven and a half minute drive and then K’Lavon Chaisson comes up with that basically strip sack, and how pleasing that was:

“Well, and then again, whether that’s the way that we covered the kickoff, [Christian] Ellis going down there and covering it at the 20. A lot of momentum there. Guys running off the field or onto the field, excited. Leads to a play. I thought a really cool play was the second down. [Robert] Spillane makes a tackle, forces it to third and one. Zak [Kuhr] dialed up a great call. [Kyle] Dugger covers the guy to the flat. Craig [Woodson] covers the guy on the hide, and Mill [Milton Williams] gets a sack and forces him to punt. So that’s the idea of some team defense and complementary football.”

On the fac the said he moved on, but his players said it was imprative that he left here with a “W”, and the fact he’s got guys talking about how they have a passion for blocking, that they just love the team camaraderie that he’s built. As a head coach here, when did he know that the guys had bought in, that they were buying what he was selling:

“Probably after the Vegas game and us going on the road to Miami and having a difficult environment to play and the heat and the back and forth. I felt like that told us a lot about who we were. We kind of dipped our toe in the water the first game, and I was really proud of what they did in practice and going down there. I think that really showed them. It’s always been a tough place for us to play. I think that was really important for us, and that created a lot of positive momentum. We didn’t get discouraged when we had a bunch of turnovers, but had a chance against Pittsburgh. Then we played some pretty decent football, and we played good enough to win.”

On the fact he’s seen Cam Ward on tape prior to this, but what were his in-person impressions of him:

“I mean, early on, it was pretty good. I think his decisiveness, accuracy, and they did a nice job early on. Glad our guys settled down.”

About Ian Logue

Ian Logue is a Seacoast native and owner and senior writer for PatsFans.com, an independent media site covering the New England Patriots and has been running this site in one form or another since 1997.

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