Here’s what New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel had to say during his press conference with the media on Monday:
On if after eight weeks in, if anything about the team has exceeded his expectations:
“I don’t think that that’s fair to necessarily say exceeded any expectations. I try not to… I don’t have expectations. We just have things that we want to try to focus on and improve on. I think that they believe in themselves and that they believe that they’re going to make some plays and that they’re not really panicking, and signs of complementary football and signs of preparation, and then some things that we have to continue to correct. I think that that’s really good when you can find ways to win and end the game with the football in your hand and kneeling on it. Those are things that I think good teams find a way to do. We just have to play a little better and keep improving through this stretch here in the middle of the season, where guys are banged up and there’s …weeks kind of start to, the days, they kind of really just start to be similar, and I like the consistency of it. I just don’t want guys to get flat or ….some of these veteran guys, we got to be conscious of getting their bodies back in this time of year.”
On the fact it looked like they were able to get TreVeyon Henderson going a little bit on Sunday, and on this misdrection pitch plays, what is it that makes those hard to defend? And does it put doubt in the minds of defensive players if they’re able to hit on one of those early in the game?
“Well, a lot of that is predicated on the defense that they’re playing and sometimes zone or corners that may roll up or pressure to a certain side or whatever it may be. So felt like that was something that we could do this week, and it was good to hit a couple of those. Guys did a nice job of getting out in front of them, and we were able to hit some explosive gains that way. So it’ll be all separate each and every week based on what we need or what we feel like we can do.”
On what he thinks TreVeyon did well yesterday?
“I thought he ran well out in space. I thought he made a good cut on one of those perimeter plays and continued to work and got a couple of returns, and I felt like we could be better there. But being able to have his speed on the edge, and again, we’re going to try to use all the skilled players that we have, just like yesterday, Mack’s the leading receiver by the numbers. Each week, I think everybody’s ready to go and tries to take advantage of their opportunity, and no different than the running backs.”
On how he felt Will Campbell played yesterday:
“I think that, again, it’s always a challenge when you play Myles Garrett, and it’s hard to recreate that speed and that type of, ‘What are we going to do on the show team? Who do we have?’ If we did, they wouldn’t be on the show team. There were some good plays, good blocks, patience, closing a space, and did a good job in the run game. Then some plays that, again, he would like to have back. I think that’s what happens. But I think Will is going to keep practicing and improving and continuing to help us.”
On some of the chips they attempted and if there was too much of a runway for [Garrett]
“Yeah. We just need to close the space a little bit. Close the space and know that, ‘hey, everybody else is on their own.’ We have to commit to players to Myles as opposed to maybe hanging there a little bit. So I think we’ll all learn from that and be able to improve and understand. He’s seen those all the time. So he knows when he’s coming off that chip, that we have to probably close the distance and know that he’s ready to make another move or another couple of moves.”
On what are some things that set Josh McDaniels apart as a play designer and a play coller because it seemed like Drake had some really wide open targets at times, and obviously, Trevian getting going outside:
“Well, I think as a play designer, I’m excited where everybody is offensively and being able to collaborate and come together, provide ideas, allow Josh to kind of figure out what he wants to do each and every week, whether that’s the run game or play pass, movement series, screens, drop-back passes. So I like where that’s at. And then I think as far as the play calling, that’s just a feel. That’s an understanding of what we need, where they’re at, what they’re trying to do, trying to marry some concepts together with some of their run actions. And I think he’s done a great job, not only this year, but being able to see what he’s done in the past. That’s always just a feel of, ‘We showed this, let’s come back, and let’s try to show him the same presentation, but run a different play.’ Then some of the guys free, I think just… I don’t know if that’s the case. I mean, Pop was free because the quarterback extended, and they didn’t cover him. We need to continue to do that and find ways to get the ball out on time, but then also allow the quarterback to extend.”
“To answer your question, I like where we are offensively, the collaboration, the communication, the efficiency to put the game plan together, and then Josh’s ability to marry off different concepts that we have.”
On the on-side kick, how much of that is just tip your cap to them for good execution versus something his guys could have done:
“We can do something better. We got to block them on the hopper. We got to let the ball recovery guy go get the ball, and we got to block. And then the spinner is a different one where we want to get on it. So good thing that we can learn from that and we can practice that and not have that be the difference in the ball game.”
On with the trade deadline a week from tomorrow, if there is a certain point this week where those conversations ramp up, or is it just an ongoing process?
“I probably would assume that those are ongoing conversations that personnel people have, and they’re gauging the market around the league.”
On the fact culture building has been such a big talking point surrounding this team, and up to this point, what has it been like for him cultivating that and seeing how his players have responded:
“I enjoy it. I enjoy putting the right staff together and trying to encourage the people in the building, try to help them do their job better. I hope they enjoy coming to work here. Then, as far as the players, it’s just trying to get the right people in the building that are willing to make connections with each other, to be accountable, to do what they’re supposed to do, to practice, and then ultimately win. That’s why we’re here. I think I don’t want… I want them to enjoy coming to work. I want them to enjoy being on this football team and being a part of this team.”
On the fact he mentioned putting the right staff together, and that there’s been a lot on Zak [Kuhr]’s plate in the last month or so and how is he handling all of that:
“Really well. Everybody over there, and Zak’s leading that charge. They do a good job of communicating, and they’re trying to help each other. I feel like their communication during the game and what we’re able to get done, and talking about making adjustments or fixing mistakes quickly, and talking about, ‘Hey, this bunch, and this is what they did,’ or, ‘Hey, we got to be alert and make sure we’re on top of that.’ I feel like there’s really good communication, and they’ve done a good job.”
On him talking about dirty runs, and how would he define a dirty run and what are the examples of that:
“Yes, I think there were. Those ones where they got the box, everybody’s down in there, and we have to… There’s usually contact within the first couple of yards of the line of scrimmage. You got to break a tackle or push a pile. I think one of our better runs yesterday was contact at one or two yards, and then he comes out of it and runs for nine yards. Unfortunately, we didn’t gain anything on second of one and jumped offsides on third and one, but that doesn’t negate the fact that that was still a good run. It’s the ones where, again, it’s not a clean look and you’re not sprinting into the second level untouched. Some of those happen, and hopefully we get a lot of those. But the other ones where you just got to make your own hole as a running back.”
On what makes Robert Spillane a good run defender:
“Well, I think he’s got good instincts. I think that he stays square on contact. I think he plays with his hands, doesn’t get tied up on too many blocks, and can see things and fit things, whether that’s a gap scheme, outside zone, or inside zone, all the different run schemes. I think he sees them well.”
On how he anticipates things unfolding with Terrell Jennings now that he’s out of elevations and if he feels he’ll come up to the 53, or if that’s a ‘wait-and-see’?
“No. I would imagine that Terrell is going to… I think we all want Terrell here. However we have to handle that, the only other option is to bring him up. So he’s been a good addition. He’s been prepared for his opportunities, helped on special teams. He had a tackle yesterday and a kickoff. Those are all really good things. I think he’s a good teammate. I think that that’s only probably procedural at the end of the week.”
(EDITOR’S NOTE: This transcript was done based on the available footage and is subject to typographical errors. If you spot anything, please let me know in the comments below.)
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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.
