Mike Vrabel: "We Have To Execute." — Patriots Press Conference

[0:00] Mike, as you watched the game unfold, what went through your mind in terms of what you were seeing? [0:08] Well, just needed to get some stops early. [0:10] You know what I mean? [0:10] Obviously, take care of the football. [0:13] You know, it wasn't the start. [0:14] And I thought that we made it competitive. [0:17] I thought we did some things early, or excuse me, before halftime that, you know, [0:21] it was a 10-point lead last week. [0:24] And then we just talked about, you know, what's done is done. [0:27] And, you know, trying to be able to come out and get a stop. [0:32] And I thought if we did that, we would be able to get back into the game. [0:36] That didn't happen. [0:38] You know, it's tough when you don't get any turnovers and allow X plays, [0:42] and then you turn it over offensively. [0:44] And Roach in the back. [0:46] Mike, obviously a tough loss all the way around. [0:48] But what did you see from Christian Gonzalez, who obviously struggled today? [0:52] Yeah, I mean, again, when your best players don't play good, you don't have much of a chance in this league. [0:59] So we expect a lot more. [1:01] He expects a lot more. [1:02] Like, we need more from him and everybody else. [1:06] It wasn't just him. [1:07] I mean, again, we've got to, you know, be able to coach and be prepared, and we have to execute. [1:14] So just like it is every single week when we don't win, it's all of us, and it starts with me. [1:22] Mike, how disappointing were the four turnovers, and what were the Packers doing to make life tough on Drake? [1:27] Well, you know, I mean, the turnovers are disappointing because, you know, first of all, that's what they've done all year. [1:34] So that's not a surprise. [1:36] I mean, 17%, 18% of their drives, and in a turnover, we just added to that. [1:42] So, you know, between the pressure and, you know, I think probably a little bit of scheme and a lot of execution on their end. [1:54] I mean, guys made plays. [1:56] I thought, you know, there were some positive plays that we had, and then certainly some ball placements and decisions that, you know, certainly have to be better. [2:05] Hey, Mike, with Ramondre Stevenson, I'm curious, we obviously saw him go out at the end of the game there. [2:14] Was the decision to kind of rule him out immediately due to the score at all, or was there something bigger there? [2:21] I wasn't able to return, so I have to get, I'm not sure the extent of what it is. [2:25] It just came off, so we'll take a look at it, and we'll see. [2:30] I don't want to speculate right now, but, you know. [2:35] Mike, you had stressed during Drake's tough start about decision-making, being decisive with the football, sort of playing free. [2:43] It looked like he had gotten past that sort of period of time in the first three weeks. [2:48] Are you surprised to see him maybe fall back into that a long time? [2:51] I mean, I'm surprised about, you know, just the way that the day went, the way that it started, and then I guess kind of how the third quarter went. [2:58] And I think that would be part of the, you know, whether it's the surprise or just, you know, disappointed. [3:08] And, again, that's, you know, sometimes in this league these things happen, and it's unfortunate, and we certainly didn't, you know, prepare for it. [3:18] You know, I'm sure he'll rebound, and we'll get him ready to go. [3:21] We got a tough challenge looking ahead of us, but certainly can't win playing that way and, you know, turning the ball over and not creating turnovers, you know, defensively, and giving up X plays. [3:33] Hey, Mike, to your right, this is three straight weeks now with a slow start. [3:38] It was 10-0 against Chicago, 13-3 against the Dolphins, and now 17-0 against the Packers. [3:45] How troubled are you by this, and what can be done to fix it, I guess? [3:49] Well, we'll just, you know, we'll have to try to practice and maybe change, you know, there's a lot of things that we'll have to think about and try to do and, you know, focus on how we start practice. [3:59] You know, making sure that we're ready to go. [4:04] It's tough to spot good teams, any sort of lead, and, you know, we've done that. [4:12] So that was something that we talked about going to Miami, and that didn't happen, and that's something that we continue to talk about this week. [4:19] And, you know, we just have to realize that what we're going to get early in the game is we're getting everybody's best, [4:26] and certainly whatever they feel like their scheme plays are are things that they feel like are going to help. [4:32] You know, we just weren't able to get off the field, and then certainly the turnover there early kind of derailed us. [4:42] Mike, off the top of your head, what parts of this game felt like they were reflective of the team you have right now at 5-4, [4:48] and what parts felt like sometimes stuff just happens in a game in the end? [4:53] I mean, I think there's a lot of those situations. [4:56] You know, I mean, again, we lost. [4:57] We got our asses kicked. [4:59] There's no two ways around it. [5:02] That's what happened tonight, and I give them credit and also know that we can play and have to play much better. [5:10] We have to play much more sound and tackle and affect the quarterback and create some turnovers, [5:18] and we have to find ways to be balanced offensively so it's just not, you know, [5:23] you get into a passing game, you get down, and, you know, turn into a drop-back passing game in this league. [5:29] Bad things happen, turnovers, you know, sacks, negative plays. [5:36] You know, I just, there was some good, like in every tape, there's going to be some good stuff in there. [5:41] I know that there is. [5:43] You know, defensively, while we didn't get some turnovers, we got some fourth down stops, [5:48] and, you know, got some short yardage stops and forced a field goal, but, you know, [5:54] it's just the X plays when you know that they lead the league and, you know, X play passes, [6:00] and that's a key, a huge key. [6:03] Yeah. [6:05] That's the difference in the game. [6:07] Mike, looking at this package team coming in, I'm sure you wanted to, they live off of turnovers [6:13] and they live off of big plays in the pass game. [6:16] I'm sure you hit on that. [6:17] How frustrating, as a coach, to see that all evaporate in the first half. [6:21] They just frustrate, you know, I mean, losing is frustrating, so, you know, [6:25] whatever the plan is or the thought, I mean, yeah, certainly those are the keys, [6:29] and, you know, we're in this together. [6:32] You know, we are. [6:33] I'm going to, we're going to get them back, and we're going to get ready to travel [6:38] and figure out who's healthy and put 48 guys out there that care [6:43] and that want to try to exhibit some sort of identity, and we'll see how we respond. [6:51] Mike, during the week, you mentioned you're trying to play aggressive on the snap count, [6:55] but today you got another three pre-snap penalties on the defense. [6:59] What's going to be your approach moving forward? [7:03] I mean, somebody's going to have to play, so, I don't know. [7:08] Back them up a yard off the ball and see if they can get there or not, [7:11] or we can just move when the ball moves. [7:13] We'll figure something out. [7:16] I'm really, I don't have an answer for that right now, other than it's part ridiculous, [7:22] and, you know, we practice it. [7:25] It's not like we don't hard count them or didn't know that the guy was going to raise his head up [7:29] and not snap the ball and whatever their silent count was. [7:34] So, just add to the list of things we'll have to, you know, talk about. [7:40] And, you know, it's got to be hard. [7:41] I want it to be hard. [7:44] So, that's the only way you can do it in this league. [7:46] This league, winning in this league is hard. [7:47] And, you know, preparation is hard. [7:51] And, you know, it's going to have to be difficult here moving forward. [7:57] Just the amount of time that we put in and the emphasis that we have as team and coaches, [8:03] like that's what it's got to be. [8:05] It's got to be tough. [8:07] It can't be easy. [8:12] Mike, you had the challenge flag in your hand on Golden's catch on the sideline. [8:15] Why didn't you challenge that play? [8:19] Because I heard that he was inbounds. [8:21] Was he not in? [8:23] And then, you know, we didn't see a good view, I don't know, within the time that we had. [8:31] But I wanted to and then got a report that he had caught it. [8:36] So, you know, I mean, again, if the one that they kept the catch down there, [8:41] and I knew that the DPI was going to stay, [8:43] but thought it may go back to the six or seven-yard line on the DPI, [8:47] then try to gain a couple yards there to play red zone defense. [8:50] And don't always win the challenges, you know what I mean? [8:56] You've got to think about what somebody in New York is thinking [8:59] or try to be better on a challenge. [9:05] Is that it, guys? [9:06] Thank you, Mike.