- 3 months ago
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Patriots continue to start off slow- but again, dominate 2nd half. HC Mike Vrabel joins! #live
Vrabel: "Start a little faster, and finish in the redzone" Who/what were the keys to the Pats' improved run game?
Vrabel: "Start a little faster, and finish in the redzone" Who/what were the keys to the Pats' improved run game?
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00:00Well, listen, you talked a little bit about it post-game,
00:05but again, kind of a slow start.
00:08This team, you seem to be able to count on them,
00:10certainly in the second half, and you dominate,
00:12but I know that's something you probably want to focus on.
00:14Well, we get them to third and long, and then we get picked
00:17and really just not being very aware.
00:21You've got to keep playing, and then they are over-aggressive
00:24and slip the fullback out of there, so it was a good design on their part.
00:27And, you know, we have to, you know, play the complete game,
00:31and we're always going to find things to improve on.
00:34And so, you know, hopefully that we can, you know, start a little faster
00:39and then finish in the red zone.
00:40I think that's really, you know, to be two or six,
00:45that's not going to win a whole lot of games.
00:48We've got to score touchdowns when we get down there.
00:51Mike, one of the things, the areas where you did do well
00:53is you look at your running game against the team
00:56and the Cleveland Browns, I think they're only giving up
00:58about 70-something yards per game.
01:00You guys were able to go out there, rush for $1.70.
01:03This is two weeks in a row where it looks like you're really running the ball good.
01:06What are you seeing from this run game?
01:08Well, I thought we, one, I thought we mixed the scheme up,
01:11I think from some inside runs to some perimeter runs.
01:16And then full disclosure, I think, you know, the quarterback runs help too.
01:20You know, I mean, the quarterback being able to pull the ball down,
01:23get some yards, help us in that regard.
01:27So, you know, I've been through this defensively before where you're like,
01:32okay, the running backs had 50 yards,
01:34and then you give up loose plays to the quarterback for 65 yards of scrambles.
01:38And you're like, well, we didn't really practice any of those defending the run
01:42and fitting it and tackling.
01:43It wasn't like a scheme run.
01:45So, I think just being able to use those numbers and improve on it.
01:51So, where did we have, you know, did we have some guy, everybody blocked,
01:55and did we break some tackles, or did we miss some blocks?
01:59Were we loose on the combos?
02:01You know, all that stuff.
02:02And the numbers are good.
02:03We just have to look at how we're executing.
02:06Where did we maybe miss a cut, or did we not get the force on some of the perimeter plays
02:11or things like that?
02:12And I think we did a good job, and I think there's a lot more there that we can do.
02:18But I did think that we mixed some of the inside runs
02:21and some of the perimeter runs well yesterday.
02:24Speaking of Drake running the football, you were busting his balls a little bit post-game
02:28about sending him to spring training to learn how to slide.
02:31Do you feel like he did better when it came to that yesterday?
02:34I mean, I don't know.
02:36I mean, again, you know, he's dead set on hurtling somebody and scoring from a 60-yard touchdown
02:44run.
02:45So, we'll keep working on it.
02:48I'm going to get a cardboard box like we did at fifth grade back in the St. Michael's
02:53in the Catholic Dyson Baseball League.
02:56We've got a refrigerator box, and we cut it open, and we taught the kids that didn't
03:00know how to slide how to slide.
03:01So, we're going to practice sliding on a cardboard box.
03:04Great coaching back there by Mike Mulligan back in the day.
03:09Well, I mean, that's the key thing, though, is keep protecting him, right?
03:12Sure.
03:13Yeah.
03:13We used the cardboard box for breakdancing back in the day.
03:16I would have loved to see you breakdance.
03:19Got the moves.
03:20They called it, when Wiggy was doing it, they called it breakdancing because he would break
03:23things when he fell on them.
03:25That's pretty good pop lockers.
03:26I bet.
03:29Mike, Miles Garrett had some nice things to say about Will Campbell after the game.
03:33How do you think that he did in this one?
03:35Well, I think that could, you know, I mean, that's a tough test, and that's a tough challenge.
03:39And, you know, I think Will has, you know, high expectations of himself and wants to do
03:46well, and some of these challenges in this league are difficult, and playing Miles Garrett
03:51is one of those.
03:52And, you know, so, again, there was, you know, plays that he'd like to have back and being
03:56able to understand, you know, each and every week that those matchups change and the play
04:02styles change.
04:02So, he'll continue to improve, and he'll continue to work.
04:06And, you know, he's been a consistent, available player for us, and he's helped us win here
04:11in the last couple weeks.
04:13Mike, the teams the last several years appeared to look for a reason to lose, where it feels
04:18like this team is seeking reasons to win.
04:21Have you noted this sort of confidence?
04:23It felt like they may have been more emotionally fragile in recent years.
04:26The team right now, down a touchdown, not playing great early in a game.
04:29At no point did I feel like you guys were going to capitulate.
04:33Have you noticed that in the way that this team reacts to adversity?
04:35Well, first, you're going to have to explain that word to me and Wiggy capitulate.
04:39Yeah, yeah, yeah.
04:40When he says those big words, I just kind of turn it off and put it on you.
04:44But I do.
04:45No, no, no.
04:46I think that that's, you know, that's what you have to have.
04:50You have to have a resolve in this league and in life.
04:53And if you choose this business, you're going to be on a team.
04:56You're going to have some success.
04:58You may not have success.
04:59You get released.
05:00You get traded.
05:01You get cut.
05:02You got to fight to make a roster spot.
05:04You're on a practice squad.
05:06You're trying to fight to get up.
05:08And that has to translate to our teams and the way that we approach this.
05:13And, you know, there's the ups and downs.
05:16And just keep fighting and keep competing and make a play.
05:19And, you know, we've gone back to this in Miami.
05:21We'll just make one play and see what happens after that.
05:24But, yeah, we can't really panic and understand how long these games are.
05:31And the plays that can help define the game aren't going to be in the first or second series.
05:37Nice to get Steph Diggs his touchdown yesterday.
05:40Yeah.
05:40Yeah, that was great.
05:41I mean, he's been – and, again, the guys all joke about it.
05:44And he's, I think, been, you know, wanting that and we want that for him.
05:49But, you know, he's been a really consistent performer for us.
05:54So it's been good to, you know, to be able to finally get him in the end zone.
05:58Mike, there's always reports out there about this and that.
06:01So it's always best to ask you about, you know, maybe trying to bolster –
06:05you talk about a guy like Myles Garrett, but to bolster your side of the defensive line
06:10and maybe some interest in you guys looking at that position, those reports true?
06:16I mean, do you feel like you could add something there?
06:18I think we could try to always look to improve our roster.
06:21So whether that's at every position, we're going to try to look to improve any way we can.
06:29Mike.
06:30Go ahead, Chris.
06:30Mike.
06:32Starting the game without Christian Barmore,
06:34you talked about it a little bit after the game.
06:36It looked like you guys were hugging after the game.
06:38Is it safe to say because people will speculate that whatever happened is in the past
06:42and you guys are moving forward?
06:44Just like everything else that I do, you know, I mean, whether that's in life or whatever,
06:48hey, we've moved on, we've addressed it,
06:51and there's no issues moving forward with me or anybody else.
06:56I think that's just how we have to operate.
06:58And, you know, I'm excited to get going today here with the corrections
07:02and, you know, get these guys moving on to the Falcons.
07:05What about the introductions yesterday?
07:07You talked about it briefly.
07:08Obviously, Wiggy always tells the story of the 0-1 Super Bowl when you guys came out as a team.
07:13What went into that?
07:14And was that something the players were asking for?
07:16I approached it with the leadership guys on Thursday after practice a few weeks ago,
07:24just looking to try to, you know, bring some energy.
07:29You know, we were kind of on the road, and I was just looking ahead and saying,
07:32hey, is this something that we want to try?
07:34They were in favor of it.
07:36And, you know, so we kind of try to figure it out.
07:40We'll have to continue to work on it like everything else we do
07:44and improve it and make it as good of a product as we can
07:50to introduce our players and then get the fans excited about it.
07:54Drake said he was nervous about it because he has no swag.
07:57Would you agree with that?
07:59That he has no swag?
08:01I would say that it's probably swag less at times, but that's why we love him.
08:09I like that he says shoot every time he answers a question.
08:12Shoot.
08:13Mike, yesterday was...
08:14I swear a lot more than he does.
08:17Yesterday was National Tight Ends Day, and you look at Austin Hooper and Hunter Henry
08:21and what they've been...
08:22I thought you were going to talk about me and you for a second.
08:24No, I was, I was.
08:25But, I mean, let's, you know, you guys, they're doing so well.
08:27Let's keep it on them.
08:28They've done a tremendous job all year long, whether it's in the run game, pass game.
08:33What has that meant to you, the football team, offensively,
08:37and just what they bring to the table?
08:39Yeah, I think that they, you know, you don't want to be one-dimensional,
08:43so being able to play with multiple tight ends on the field
08:46and still execute in the passing game and have our run game out of it has been good.
08:52And those guys have worked hard.
08:53They've, you know, some of those are tough matchups there with the tight ends
08:57and the defensive ends in this league, and I think that they've done a good job.
09:02Jack Westover comes in and plays, you know, some in the back, plays a lot of special teams for us, too.
09:07So that's been a good group for us.
09:10It's been a consistent group and, you know, be one that will still continue to try to improve and help.
09:15And, you know, each week they're working on things to try to help us.
09:19There were some pretty loud MVP chants when it came to Drake yesterday here.
09:25He doesn't seem like somebody that you have to, you know, keep down at a certain level,
09:31but is that important going forward?
09:34Well, we've got the midseason awards coming up here.
09:36It's about that time, so they should be throwing all those around here.
09:40We'll be lined up to accept all those that they want to try to give us.
09:45But I think that he's a very, very important part of our success,
09:50and I'm happy that he's having personal success.
09:54He wants to continue to improve, and I think that there's a hunger for that,
10:00and I think he sees how important his not only performance,
10:05but just the way that he operates and functions,
10:07how important that is to the offense and our football team.
10:11As someone who sees him every single day, though,
10:12do you think that the fans, the media is jumping the gun,
10:15or is he as good as we all believe him to be?
10:18Well, I mean, I think we're really happy that he's our quarterback.
10:21Right.
10:23Being able to play with the efficiency,
10:26and I know he had an interception yesterday,
10:28but, you know, playing with the efficiency that he has
10:32and the ability to extend plays,
10:36his accuracy down the field is fun.
10:39You know, I mean, you just don't want to take things for granted,
10:44but it's like, you know, it's going to be the booty,
10:46and it's like he hasn't even left his hand yet,
10:48and everybody's like, touchdown, touchdown.
10:50I was like, hold our horses.
10:52Okay, touchdown.
10:55Mike, sad news over the weekend with the passing of Nick Mangold.
11:00I know Ohio State guys, just what you thought of him as a competitor
11:05and just how that hit you yesterday.
11:06Yeah, I heard that, you know, before the game,
11:09and I knew that, you know, obviously he was, you know,
11:12not doing really well.
11:14And I just remember going back to, you know, Ohio State
11:17when I was playing as a young player in the league,
11:20and Nick was still there with a bunch of those guys
11:22that would go on to play in the NFL
11:23and just, one, how talented he was.
11:27His energy is just his passion around all those guys
11:32and a leader and being a center.
11:34And then just the career that he had, the longevity,
11:37and then playing against them when he was with the Jets.
11:40And so condolences to his family, you know, Ohio natives,
11:45and, you know, hopefully they'll be able to get to a place
11:49where they can celebrate his life after, you know,
11:53after the sadness of this immediate news.
11:56And hopefully they can celebrate his life
11:58and his impact that he made on Ohio State
12:00and that Dayton area and obviously New York.
12:04Mike, you talked about Will Campbell,
12:07and I just, I always love to get kind of inside.
12:09I know you were in Cleveland last year.
12:11What makes Miles Garrett such a difficult player?
12:14I mean, it's probably great that Will Campbell
12:16gets to see him and learn and kind of say,
12:17okay, here's what I need to do
12:19moving forward against everybody.
12:21What makes Miles Garrett so different?
12:25God gave him a little extra.
12:28I mean, he's big, he's fast, he's explosive,
12:31he's athletic, he can go around you.
12:33He threw you a spin, you know,
12:36just as a great skill set.
12:39And then also an understanding, you know,
12:41that he'd be able to bend and dip
12:43and then, you know, taking long strides and planting.
12:47You know, rarely gets knocked off his feet.
12:51But he's, the ability to beat double teams
12:55and to beat these chippers that he sees,
12:57you know, it's impressive.
13:01So, I was saying yesterday, thank God they're not in the division
13:04and we don't have to see him, you know, twice
13:06unless we both make the playoffs.
13:08So, he's a special player.
13:11He's been doing it for a lot of years.
13:13And they don't make too many of them, though.
13:17Mike, after every game, after every win,
13:18you always say, but we're not going to change.
13:20That's been your constant message to the guys.
13:22What do you mean by that?
13:23What is it about this team that you don't want them to change,
13:26whether you guys win or lose?
13:27Well, I mean, the preparation and how we approach things
13:29and how we correct things and, you know, how we work.
13:33You know, we're going to work.
13:35We're going to compete on Thursday.
13:36We're going to go fast in the red zone on Friday.
13:38Okay, we're going to lift.
13:41We're going to weigh in.
13:42We're going to do things the way that we feel like
13:46is important for us to do them
13:47and, you know, not let things slide
13:49because, you know, in this league,
13:51sometimes if you have some success,
13:54you can sometimes take a deep breath and relax.
13:58And, you know, that's usually when you get your ass kicked.
14:01Mike, when you get preparing for the trade deadline
14:04as an organization, how much of a role will you have
14:07been saying, hey, we really need X or Y?
14:09Is this a day-to-day conversation?
14:11Or is it something where you kind of tell the front office guys,
14:14you know, let me know when there's something
14:15to make a decision on?
14:16I would say that Elliot and Ryan and myself and Stretch
14:19have conversations every day regarding the roster.
14:22That's whether that's before the trade deadline,
14:25after the trade deadline, those conversations are ongoing.
14:29Mike, do you find like,
14:31because you brought up the little things, right?
14:33And, you know, sometimes teams tend to look over
14:36the little things or some, you know, coaches maybe say
14:38it could just be about how the locker room looks like.
14:41How important is it that you make sure
14:44you're doing those little things,
14:46the weigh-ins, the lifts?
14:47But also, has it been a little bit of a difficult
14:50kind of change to maybe get players
14:52to buy into some of the little things
14:54that they feel like, oh, why are we doing that?
14:56It doesn't make any sense.
14:58But the bigger picture is more about buying in.
15:01No, I don't think that that's been an issue.
15:03You know, and I don't.
15:04I think that you, we want to be intentional
15:06and I'm okay explaining things.
15:09If guys have questions, why?
15:11I'm okay explaining why
15:13and why the little things matter
15:14because they become big things.
15:16And if you let one thing slide,
15:18it's like your kids.
15:19You tell one kid to be home by midnight
15:21and he's not home at midnight
15:23and you don't do anything.
15:24Well, then the other one thinks,
15:25well, then I can come home whenever I want
15:27and then it leads to something else.
15:29I think being consistent is important
15:32and no, but the buy-in,
15:35I don't think the buy-in's been any issue.
15:39You know, I think that people want structure.
15:41I think people want a sense of unity
15:47and, you know, making sure
15:48that everybody's being held accountable.
15:50And, you know, again,
15:51that hasn't been any sort of issue.
15:53But we have to, you know,
15:55keep doing those things
15:56and the way we prepare,
15:58you know what I mean,
15:58about changing it,
15:59just that we're going to,
16:00how we practice and how we prepare.
16:03Halloween is Friday,
16:04letter grade for Matt Collins' costume yesterday.
16:08You get to see it.
16:08What was it?
16:09It was a bishop.
16:10Like it was a bishop.
16:12From a chest.
16:13From a chest.
16:14That's why he was walking diagonally
16:15because the bishop can only move.
16:17Oh.
16:18I had no idea what it was.
16:20And he was barefoot too.
16:21I was like, what is this?
16:21He's always barefoot.
16:22He's an interesting guy.
16:25Free the feet.
16:25Is that what it is?
16:26Free the feet.
16:27Yeah.
16:28Mac hacks.
16:29I wonder what his wiki feet score is.
16:31Play high.
16:33I'm sure he could do better.
16:34I'm sure he's got better costumes in there.
16:36Is there a party?
16:38Is there a team Halloween party?
16:40Have you been invited, I guess?
16:42There's a kids and family one
16:46Tuesday at four o'clock.
16:47They're for players, kids.
16:49You dressing up?
16:50Uh, yeah.
16:52Okay.
16:53Just got to figure out what we're going to go as.
16:55Yeah.
16:56Figure something out.
16:57Yeah.
16:57But I always like that.
16:58Everybody, you see the kids come through
17:00and they go through the offices
17:01and decorate the offices
17:03and then they go back in the back
17:05and get some pizza and candy.
17:08Candy and jumpies.
17:10And it's a good afternoon.
17:12I feel like if you don't know what to go,
17:14just go as a football player.
17:15I feel like a lot of kids do that.
17:16That's a cop-out.
17:17Yeah.
17:18That's a cop-out.
17:19I'm going to go as an official.
17:20There you go, God.
17:21There you go.
17:22Oh, man.
17:23You got a little heated yesterday
17:25on that hold call.
17:28Did you object to that?
17:31On the hold?
17:32Yeah.
17:34I saw it.
17:35It was the second half.
17:36Yeah, it was the second half.
17:37Probably.
17:38I don't know.
17:39You don't remember it?
17:40You don't remember it?
17:40Oh, yeah.
17:40Carlton Davis.
17:41Yes.
17:42Yeah.
17:42I mean.
17:44Yeah.
17:45That was crazy.
17:46Two-step process.
17:47Yeah, that was crazy.
17:47Two-step process.
17:48That's what it's supposed to be.
17:52See the infraction.
17:53Look back in the pocket.
17:54Make sure the quarterback.
17:55Oh, the ball's actually already been thrown.
18:01How much of the information, like,
18:02do they say, like,
18:03all right, this is what we're looking at.
18:05We're trying to do this.
18:06Like, because I feel like
18:07I'm not in there,
18:08so I don't, like,
18:09know what you guys get every week.
18:10No, there's no conversations about those.
18:12Like, that happened on the other side.
18:13This guy just happens to be sitting here.
18:15There's nothing he can do.
18:16Right.
18:1753 yards wedge.
18:19Somebody to yell at him.
18:20Right.
18:21And then schoolers.
18:23Face mask penalty.
18:24Yeah.
18:26That was weird.
18:28I know he was getting face masked.
18:30No kidding.
18:31Did you get a video on that one?
18:32You want to stretch?
18:33No, video.
18:34It's not.
18:35It's not.
18:357 in the morning.
18:37Do you want to stretch?
18:37I don't think they are.
18:38I mean, in advance.
18:39You know, in advance.
18:41They figured it's a specific video on that one.
18:44Send it coming to you.
18:45No.
18:45How many videos do you want to stretch them?
18:47You guys must send them.
18:48No, we don't send them.
18:49No?
18:49No.
18:49No more?
18:50No.
18:50I mean, they send out the videos.
18:53We watch them, and it's a good communication.
18:55And again, it's, you know,
18:57those fouls are supposed to be looked at
19:00or can be looked at in replay assist.
19:02And the one thing is, is if they call a penalty,
19:05if there's any contact at a face mask,
19:07it stays on the, you know, the foul state.
19:10So it's like, is that really what we want?
19:14If it's not, but listen, we'll just keep playing
19:17and try to play by the rules.
19:19And they have a tough, the officials have a tough job.
19:22It's a fast game, and they do a nice job.
19:25And you're six and two here.
19:26I had a schedule, according to many people.
19:28I had them at 10 wins.
19:28Greg didn't believe in you.
19:30I had nine.
19:30I had nine wins.
19:31I've always believed in them.
19:33Shime had six.
19:34Always believed in them.
19:35Who's that?
19:36Shime.
19:36I produced it.
19:38He's right.
19:40Right now, yeah.
19:41Nailed it.
19:43He also gives Josh McDaniel zero credit
19:45for the development of Rick May.
19:47That's a lie.
19:48I don't say zero.
19:48I just say not as much as other people.
19:50That's all.
19:52I didn't know this guy was allowed to talk.
19:54It's the first time I've heard of him
19:56in out of many weeks.
19:57Some people think he shouldn't be.
19:58He gets into the All-22s.
20:00He watches a lot of films.
20:02He's an All-22 guy.
20:03He's a film guy.
20:04Yeah, he's a film guy.
20:05I think he played high school volleyball.
20:09He's the varsity soccer coach right now.
20:11Oh, yeah, that's right.
20:12How much of what you're saying now
20:14is where you guys are.
20:15Obviously, you're not going to get anything
20:16for winning six games.
20:17But you have half the season ahead of you,
20:19and you are the two seed right now in the AFC.
20:21You have what I believe to be the MVP at quarterback.
20:25You're the coach of the year.
20:26How do you keep a level head
20:28and let them know that every year
20:31you're not going to be able to get here?
20:32You've been relatively healthy.
20:33You get to this point of the year.
20:35What is your messaging, Ben,
20:36and has that shifted at all with the recent success?
20:39No, I don't think it's changed.
20:41I think it's just stayed consistent
20:43that this league, if you sleep on this league,
20:46that you're going to have bad results.
20:50And no matter who you play, what team it is,
20:53there's going to be things that you have to do
20:55each and every week.
20:56And so every week is its own challenge.
21:00We have been relatively healthy, which has been great.
21:04But I think that if, you know, were we not healthy,
21:07I think guys would have been ready to go in there.
21:10I think they prepare as starters each and every week.
21:14You know, we're getting a lot of contributions
21:15from a lot of different people.
21:17And that's the thing that you have to continue to do
21:19is that when you're getting an opportunity
21:22that you take advantage of your opportunity,
21:25continue to practice our identity through meetings
21:29and walk through practice.
21:32But there's a long way to go.
21:34And my job is to make sure that, you know,
21:37we're focused on that each and every week
21:39and not get too far ahead of ourselves.
21:42Coach, thanks for giving us the time.
21:45That is Mike.
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