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New England Patriots Postgame Quotes 12/18

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, quarterback Mac Jones and select players comment on their game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Dec 18, 2022 at 07:35 PM

New England Patriots

HEAD COACH BILL BELICHICK

Postgame Press Conference
Sunday, December 18, 2022

Opening Statement: "Unfortunately here today we collectively made too many mistakes and gave up some big plays that were obviously the difference in the game. So, we just can't do that in this league, and it cost us. We will work to eliminate those and continue to play the good football that we play, but we just had too many mistakes and too many bad plays to win. So, that was obvious."

Q: On that final play, was it instinctive on Rhamondre Stevenson to pitch it, or did he have the green light to lateral?

Coach Belichick: "I would say we made a mistake on that play. The play didn't work. We made a mistake on the play."

Q: On the block punt, how did the ball get snapped? What did you see on that play?

Coach Belichick: "It's another mistake on the play."

Q: Jakobi Meyers took some accountability for that mistake, saying he knows better than throwing the football back across the field. Was there any coaching point after you called the draw, to say the play is over, just go down or go out of bounds?

Coach Belichick: "Obviously, that would have been better than that result."

Q: Was that said to Jakobi Meyers?

Coach Belichick: "Yes, look, we've talked about situational football. We talk about it every week. Obviously, we got to do a better job playing situational football and not making critical mistakes in the game."

Q: On the Raiders WR Keelan Cole touchdown, what did the refs tell you? And did you agree with the decision?

Coach Belichick: "Was there a pool report? There you go."

Q: 14 games into the season and you are still having delay of game penalties. It seems like guys are having trouble getting plays in. How disappointing is it this late in the season, you are still having operational issues with the offense?

Coach Belichick: "We need to try to eliminate all the mistakes we made. All of us."

Q: On the red zone play, where you ran down the sideline to call a timeout. What did you see that you didn't like that lead you to call the timeout?

Coach Belichick: "Yeah, we really didn't have the play right."

Q: Is that a situation where the result didn't match necessarily the play?

Coach Belichick: "No. The whistle blew before the play was run. We didn't have the play right, so I took a timeout so that we did it right."

Q: On the QB sneak soon after that, there's a false start. Is Mac Jones supposed to wait for everybody to get to the line? Was Jonnu Smith a little bit late? How did that happen?

Coach Belichick: "It was obviously a mistake on that play too."

Q: On the final play, how do you weigh what was called as opposed to taking a shot at the endzone?

Coach Belichick: "Taking a shot at the endzone? We couldn't throw it that far."

Q: What's the message to the team after a loss like this? And that was a challenge for you and keep things moving with three games left?

Coach Belichick: "We have to eliminate those mistakes and we just gave up some big critical plays. We need to eliminate those and keep making the good ones and stop making the critical bad ones."

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QUARTERBACK MAC JONES

Postgame Press Conference
Sunday, December 18, 2022

Q: Can you take us through the last play, how stunning was it? What were you guys thinking on that play when you came out of the huddle?

Jones: "I think we just got to finish better and, obviously, it's a tough situation. It falls on all of us and we just got to do better. So, it is what it is – tough way to go out, but we got to just watch the tape and get better."

Q: Rhamondre Stevenson said he was told to pitch the ball if possible, if it was something he saw?

Jones: "I think you just have to ask Coach Belichick. Obviously, we have a plan for the end of the game, and just didn't do a good enough job there. So, I have to watch the tape, and get better, and do all the things so we don't even have to be in that situation."

Q: You were in the position as Chandler Jones caught the ball, can you take us into that moment and the possibility of wrapping him up. Was there a chance to do that or is that a sort of shocking situation to find yourself in?

Jones: "I got to tackle the guy. It's on me, and it's my fault. Because if we tackle him – or I tackle him – then we play for overtime. It's all on me. Got to make that, not good enough by me. It is what it is, just got to tackle him and play for overtime. So, it's on me."

Q: Jakobi Meyers said just a few minutes ago to reporters in the locker room that he was 'trying to be a hero, trying to do too much.' How much do you feel for him on that play?

Jones: "I think Jakobi is one of the best teammates I've ever had. I mean, he's a fighter, and he does everything he can to try and help the team. Obviously, you'd have to ask Coach [Belichick] about it and see what our plan was. At the end of the day, the guy's out there fighting and trying to compete to win the game, and there's a lot of things I could have done better in the game – like I said earlier – so we were not even in that situation. When I don't play very well, we're in that situation, and it's terrible. It's tough, but I love Jakobi, and I love all the guys on our team. It's not to Jakobi's fault. I think we just got to watch it and see what we can do better."

Q: Situationally, with what you practiced at that point on the field, was a Hail Mary completely out of the discussion? Or was that in your mind going into that play?

Jones: "I think Coach Belichick makes the coaching decisions there, so we put a lot of emphasis on it and work really hard at it, but just got to do better with execution as players."

Q: In the first half when you guys were unable to punch the ball over the goal line, what can you pinpoint for what went wrong in that situation?

Jones: "I think we just got to score more points early. A play is a play, and I didn't execute enough good plays today. If you don't do that, then you're not going to score. Just a tough situation that definitely falls on me – I got to be better. I'm going to watch the tape, and do what I always do, and just try and get better. Tough deal, but just got to keep working."

Q: Knowing the stakes of this game and your playoff chances and how you seemed to have this game at the end. Is this the most painful loss you've had?

Jones: "I think we want to win every game that we play in. And as a competitor, and as a team full of competitors, we want to have a better result. It stings, and it's going to sting, but we've got more games to play, and we got to turn the page, and keep fighting; don't quit. That's the one thing we can't do is quit. Just attack each day, and come together as a team, and do everything we can to become a better team."

Q: What was the message from Coach Belichick in the locker room after the game?

Jones: "I think that's personal to us and our team. Obviously, we're all disappointed. Players, coaches, myself, everybody. Just a tough deal, and we put a lot into it, and love all these guys on this team. We've got more games to be played, like I said. And we got to watch the film, learn, and get better. It's tough to say that right after the game, but it's really all you can do. Disappointed and want to do better."

Q: You were very complimentary of Jakobi Meyers as a teammate. What can you share was your message trying to console him after the game? And how do you hope you respond now with what's at stake for the final three games?

Jones: "Like I said, Jakobi's one of my closest buddies, he's a great dude, and he's a competitor. He's going to keep working, and it doesn't fall on him. It falls on all of us, falls on me. We're all in this together, and we love each other. It's what it comes down to – coming together, and building, and just trying to do the best we can. We just got to watch it, and get back to work here, and just keep working."