HEAD COACH MIKE VRABEL

Postgame Press Conference
Sunday, October 12, 2025

(On what impressed him with Drake Maye's performance)

"He kept battling. Not all of it was perfect today, but I give them a lot of credit. They competed and they answered. We extended plays and made huge plays down the field and had some glimpses of good football. We'll have to clean up a lot of things, but it's great to go on the road and get a win."

(On his understanding of the offensive pass interference call)

"I don't really have much explanation. They see something, and we'll continue to play aggressive. We'll have to clean some of the penalties up, those live ball fouls that we talked about. In that situation, we want to be really aggressive and we're taking a shot, long yardage. And, we had a great punt from Bryce (Baringer) after that. So, we'll remain aggressive, and our players will be competitive. That was what they felt like they saw."

(On his thoughts on how Kayshon Boutte played)

"I think he factored and certainly came up huge in the end. I think he's gotten better, and I like his demeanor as well. Never too up, and never too down. Sometimes the ball finds him, and he makes plays, and when it doesn't, he understands that it just wasn't his snap. To be there at the end, take a good hit, and score? He came up with a huge play there and went in there and won the game for us on a third down. You see the confidence that Drake (Maye) has with him, his play strength, and his ability to go frame the football in a big situation. I hope he can enjoy this for a few minutes with his family, and anybody else that came out here. That was a big play for him."

(On the call challenges and replay reviews)

"I don't think you ever really know nowadays. John Streicher does a fantastic job trying to figure out how they're going to see it. Sometimes they see it the way that we do, and sometimes they don't. We just try to be as smart as we possibly can, and we felt like those were plays that could help us."

(On why the running game didn't pick up momentum)

"Probably one guy away, like always. But we had some positive runs, and we'll keep practicing it and working on it."

(On his confidence in Drake Maye when the game was on the line)

"You know, being in protection and operation, and him knowing where he wants to go with it, and that timing and putting it in a spot where KB (Kayshon Boutte) could make a play."

(On this being a teachable win for his young team)

"Better than an old team getting out of here with a loss I would say. We will never not enjoy and embrace winning in this league. But I do think that the guys are very aware of the fact that it can be better, and that it will have to be better the more that we go along here and play. I think that is a good sign that they know there are some plays that we left out, and that we could have played better. To do that on the road, and to be able to end it with the ball offensively and in victory formation is fun."

(On the mindset that the ball will find his offensive players)

"We've talked about it; some days it's well this guy only played this or he didn't have any snaps. There's a lot of things that go into offense that a lot of us don't see or aren't going to show up, like some of the dirty work, the clear out routes, or guys finishing third level to help guys gain some extra yards. I think it's just a testament to these guys that understand that they have an opportunity and are going to make the most of it. We need as many of those guys as we can possibly get, in all three phases."

(On the importance of Marcus Jones on defense)

"He's one of our captains, and he's a team leader. I'm very comfortable with him back there. He's challenged, given that most of the time those matchups are a bigger player. Him being able to go up there, contest the catches, and get some PBUs. Also being able to hammer a ball out, whether that was Christian (Gonzalez) or (Charles) Woods there at the end. That was another one that was probably close to being challenged. Looking at that where the distance we were going to gain getting the ball back, they did us a favor there with that punt. That was probably another close one. Disappointed in getting three points on the goal line. Those are the types of things that will have to improve. We'll have to make sure that we are not beating ourselves down there, and that we score when we do that and get the ball on the one-yard line."

(On potentially missing a named game captain)

"Yeah, he didn't go out. Khyiris Tonga was nervous to go out there maybe, I'm not sure. You can only take six out there, and I'm not sure. I don't know how many guys are going to go, I usually just talk to Hunter (Henry) and one or two guys that I know are going to go out there. But yeah, it was Khyiris. He does a lot of the dirty work for us on defense, and I really enjoy being around him since the time we signed him."

QUARTERBACK DRAKE MAYE

Postgame Press Conference
Sunday, October 12, 2025

(On how good was it to leave with a win)

"Anytime coach has said 'You guys celebrate winning this league' no matter how it is or how much we could have played better and how much we left out on the plate. The Saints are a good team and have some good players, and they played hard. It was tough here playing at their place , so I'm just proud of the guys for leaving here with a win."

(On what does it mean for the team to trust you)

"I think it's trying to prove over and over again that you'll be consistent, and doing that you'll know to be smart with the football. The biggest thing in that situation is to try to get first down, safely throw into the sideline; what a play by (Kayshon) Boutte! It felt right being back home for him."

(On what does it feel like to be leading)

"We have more work to do, I think that's the big thing. It feels good getting a win consistently; three in a row and we have to keep going. It feels good to win again and to win on the road, it's always nice to win on the road. I'm just trying to step up leadership wise. The defense played and covered us in the second half. "

(On the drive that had an OPI penalty but that ended with a touchdown)

"It was huge and it was a really late call, we were almost on the sideline and I was about to sit down. I think just coming back, battling and picking up a couple consistent drives in the first half and then Boutte with a great play in the back of the end zone. I was trying to give him a chance one-on-one. One-on-one opens this league and you get to know that. It left some out there coming out of the half, in the second half first drive and that was a bummer but we have to keep going."

(On the opinion on the team's early progress compared to last year)

"Go to get win number five is my only thought. Last year is in the past and we are trying to keep building from that and hopefully keep showing up every week and be a tough team to play on the road. Winning at home is what we're trying to build, so I think we're on the way to that. It was a great team win with all the guys brought in."

ADDITIONAL PATRIOTS PLAYERS

WR DeMARIO DOUGLAS

(On his reaction to today's game)

"It's a blessing. I know this team when we play for 60 minutes, and I got nothing but faith with this team. This is how close we are, I feel like we play on the field for each other. It's not a selfish anything, we are on the field playing for each other."

(On offense spreading the wealth and not getting the ball every game)

"I think it's been good for me, just for, I say (in) chapel and things like that. God's been speaking to me, and I feel like that's what been helping me, go in and keeping my injury right. Last couple chapels have been like stay patient and like the mountain, to get to the top of the mountain you need to go through obstacles. It's definitely different for me, not getting as much play time or stuff like that. But man, I felt like this is what I needed. It helps me play for the team, it takes all that selfish stuff out, it's not me, it's not a me game. It feels good, it feels good to win and play for the team.

(On what he saw for his first touchdown)

"I didn't not see that ball over there, I was excited man. Coach told me, 'I'm going to call it', I'm going to call it early. In practice it was hitting, and then you know my boy School (Brenden Schooler) told me, 'I am not going to lie that play is going to work', and I got in the end zone, bless it."

(On Drake Maye's play right now)

"I don't even think, it's not a surprise man. I know what he can do, he's been balling and doing his thing. And that confidence is growing, confidence growing and I'm proud of him."

(On having a QB that can make plays that aren't drawn up that way)

"The highest that confidence can go, that's where my confidence is at. The team is behind him, and you can see it, how we play for him, get open for him, and make life easier for him."

(On reaction to the pass interference call on Stefon Diggs that nullified a touchdown reception of his)

"Yeah, I did not even know at first, I went to the sideline. And they were like there is a flag and I was like man. But it's like that next play mentality, we got to go get another touchdown then, Kayshon [Boutte] went to score. It stayed in our room, so I'm happy about that."

T WILL CAMPBELL

(On returning to New Orleans)

"It was pretty special, I grew up coming to games here, I played my first college game ever here, so to play here is pretty cool."

(On amount of family at the game)

"People that are somewhat close to me, I probably had about, 60, and then the rest of the town where I grew up, had a bunch so I had a lot of support, a lot of New England fans."

(On how the line's protection was today)

"I think we did fine, you know there is a lot to clean up. One didn't go how we wanted it to, in the second half but we were still able to get the win so that's what matters. Kind of just like Coach (Vrabel) says it's a good feeling when you feel like you can correct a lot, you still get a win. Because you know that means we're not scratching the surface yet. So we just got to go in, make the corrections, get better, fix what we did wrong."

(On Kayshon Boutte's performance)

"I'm super happy for him. Being able, my first game ever in college, like I said, I was out there with him. And he is the same now, so just being able to watch him grow, and live and make explosive plays, like I know he can, and (that) has been his life since high school. It is really cool, and I am super happy for him."

(On the winning pattern of the team the past few games)

"We just do a good job of finding ways to win. We got to work for each other, offense and defense. So, we got a lot to correct, we just got back to work and get ready for Tennessee."

(On not having a letdown from a win)

"You know it doesn't really matter who we play, you have to have the 24-hour rule. Celebrate the win, can't take wins for granted in the league. But at the same time its only Week Six, we got a lot more season left to go. So, we can't rest on our rule about that game."

WR KAYSHON BOUTTE

(On how much trust Drake Maye has in him)

"We work on it every day at practice, before practice and after practice. As long as we're trusting each other, anything is possible."

(On the fourth quarter game-sealing play on third-and-11)

"Press coverage; had an out route averted to a fade. It was a big play in a big moment."

(On how he stays engaged and doesn't get frustrated when not getting the ball regularly)

"I think you can only control what you can control. I think if you whine too much about not getting opportunities, sometimes when the ball comes your way you're not going to make the play. I think it's really about being dialed in throughout the whole game because at any given moment the ball is yours."

(On making contested catches)

"I think I'm good at contested catches honestly. It's something I've been doing since college at LSU and it just transferred over to the NFL."

(On playing with Will Campbell)

"It means a lot, we played together when I was there (Louisiana State University), so we already have that bond and chemistry. Even throughout last year he was texting me, telling them to please draft me here, so he wanted to be here. So now that he's here its great; great guy great energy i love it."

(On how it feels to be about to prove you're a developing NFL player)

"I would say three-four years ago I wasn't in the best position, a lot of off the field stuff. I look at myself like I have been through a lot, and I feel like I am finally getting back together and everything is becoming good. I feel like it's good to beat the adversity and just keep working."

(On Drake Maye's improvement)

"I think Drake trusts all of us. I think that's the biggest thing and efficient offense with the quarterback trusting his receivers to make plays. Sometimes we're not open, and when coverage is clouded, he plays himself. We trust that he can run with the ball and get the first, and he did get a couple firsts in critical situations. Trusting each other go a long way."

(On how the two of them built trust over the past two years)

"It started offseason and then it went on to training camp, and then the season. Just making plays when the ball came, and then we work on it every day."