HEAD COACH MIKE VRABEL

Postgame Press Conference
Sunday, September 7, 2025

Q: You spoke to us about winning the second half, and that didn't quite happen.

MV: No, it sure didn't. Again, it's frustrating. We have to understand how sometimes these games are going to go. We just didn't do enough in the second half. Give them credit. We certainly didn't do enough. We had too many missed opportunities, too many penalties, the turnover, and things that just -- didn't take advantage of bad football and then were able to have bad football ourselves. We're never going to accept winning. We have to embrace moving on, and we have to do that quickly and get these things fixed and go on the road and a division opponent.

Q: How surprised were you by that second half, and what do you learn from it that you can take into next week?

MV: I'm not surprised. I'm not surprised by anything. I'm surprised that — now we'll see where we're at. We'll see what kind of football team we have, what kind of leaders we have, to be able to come back in here and get to work. I think that'll be the true test. We always talk about culture and everything else. We'll see where we're at as a culture and as a team and if we have guys that want to work and stick together. It'll be a big challenge to do that.

Q: How would you assess Will Campbell's performance in his NFL debut?

MV: I think that's tough right now. I've got to apologize, I've got to look at the tape. Again, I'm sure there's going to be some good plays, some plays we'd like to have back, that he would like to have back. I think that would go for pretty much everybody. I think there was some good football, just certainly not consistent enough in all three phases. That's kind of what it looked like for me, and I'll try to give you a little better answer after looking at the tape.

Q: I know it's hard to match with them given [Ashton] Jeanty and [Brock] Bowers, but they seemed to be running pretty well when you guys went three-corner and then obviously throw on you a little bit late when you went base. Can you just talk about the thought process…?

MV: Well, just trying to make something — we didn't think that the run game had hurt us, and they picked us a couple times, and they hit a couple long ones, and they hit some X plays, which we talked about that being a key. We'll get back together. I thought we settled down really well defensively. I thought the first drive was not our best, and then I thought we settled down. I thought they played well, and I thought they played hard. We just weren't able to make enough there in the end. Again, I made a decision on 4th-and-10 with close to five minutes to punt and would like a better punt, and we had them stopped, and that was the plan, and that didn't work. Then they hit one, and we just didn't have enough time there at the end to do anything. That was the decision that I thought was best for us at the time, and that didn't work out. But situationally we'll have to continue to improve. We moved the ball. We made the kick. We tried the onside. You just can't get down two scores late in the game.

Q: After Andy [Borregales]'s kick in the first half, the team went nearly two quarters without getting on the scoreboard again. Did the Raiders do anything different on defense? What did you see?

MV: They mixed in some pressure and a little bit of mixed coverage. But again, give them credit. We'll have to come back and we'll have to be better and more balanced and be able to run the football without making it 1st and 20. We overcame some of those, but it was just too difficult. Again, it's a start. Not the one that we wanted. We've got a long way to go, and we're going to be resolved to get it fixed, and the people that are here are going to be committed to getting it fixed together.

Q: You mentioned the X plays by the Raiders offense. I was wondering what from your perspective led to some of those things and some things you can improve moving forward?

MV: Well, just understanding the coverage, understanding eyes, and I think it all goes into sometimes the call. They had a good call for what we had on, or a guy made a play. When you look at X plays in general, offensively you scheme them up about 35 percent of the time, and about 65 percent of the time somebody makes a play. So, I would say that the same would go defensively. Sometimes we're not in the best call and they scheme us up, and then other times somebody makes a play, and just like we were able to get our hand on a football, they go 13 personnel, and we were pretty adamant that they were going to throw, and they tried to hit 89 (Brock Bowers), we tipped it and we made a play. But we just have to have more of those, and we have to create some more turnovers.

Q: How would you assess Drake [Maye]'s performance? Looked like there were some struggles under pressure in this game.MV: Again, without looking at the tape, I thought there were some good positive plays and really good command of what we were doing, and then there were times where maybe we or he missed somebody, and we'll have to see. It's a challenge playing quarterback in this league. We've got to help him out. We have to be more balanced. We have to use our run actions and be able to run the football. It's hard to turn it into a drop-back passing game in this league. That's just the facts. When they're up two scores and they're in their 3rd down package, we just don't want to ever live in that world. We all can be better, whether that's me, the coaching staff, Drake, Will [Campbell] and everybody that you asked about, that's the attitude that we're going to take. That's the belief that we're going to take. We're disappointed, but we can't sit there and hold on to it too long. We've got to go on the road and we've got to play a division opponent, and we've got to embrace moving on. I think that's what we're going to try to do.

QUARTERBACK DRAKE MAYE

Postgame Press Conference
Sunday, September 7, 2025

Q: Drake, obviously you won the first half; Mike [Vrabel] has been preaching to win the second half. What happened from your perspective where you weren't able to generate points with the offense, especially in the second half?

DM: Yeah, I think we've just got to be better. I think my decision on the first drive coming out was the one that killed the drive, and then from there, kind of from then on just got to get the first first down. I think once we get the first down, we moved the ball well and got in a rhythm, and I think it's an adjustment from halftime. I think I've got to do a better job of getting the guys and making throws. I thought the guys up front battled hard. I think they blocked pretty well up front, I thought, and like I said, just get the first first down, and from there just make some better throws, be more accurate, and I think getting points out of that first drive would have been huge.

Q: Could you take us through the play that led to the interception?

DM: Yeah. I think I thought I had [Stefon] Diggs. We were on the right, and got to kind of look back on it on film. You don't have a great look at it. I think I missed it high. I think I've got to step into it more. I think I may have got hit up front. But that's just part of playing quarterback in this league. You've got to step into the throw and take hits and be accurate. Yeah, there's plays throughout the game I wish I had back, and I can think of three or four for me that can help dictate the game. It's a bummer thinking back and looking back at those.

Q: Drake, can you tell me what happened in the first half on the delay of game? It was third-and-12 at the Vegas 17. You guys broke the huddle with about 14 seconds. What happened there? It looked like maybe you were trying to change the play.

DM: Yeah, just trying to get into a good play. I think just got to be better with bringing the back back in the backfield, timing it up with the play clock. I saw it at the end, and I think I surprised Garrett [Bradbury] trying to get the ball. I think that's what happened. Just got to be more efficient getting out of the huddle. I've got to preach to those guys and give us more time to operate. I think that starts with me and getting those guys in the huddle, getting them out of the huddle, kind of being efficient, and just going from there.

Q: How would you characterize your overall comfort level in Josh [McDnaiels]'s offense in a real game for the first time?

DM: Yeah, I felt pretty good out there. I felt like I was seeing it well. Got to make some better throws, but the first time kind of adjusted from halftime, and coming in from there, yeah, just got to be better on my part. I think down in the red zone and little things with details, and seven versus three is huge in this league, and just make every possession count. I know there's times that we have looks that we like, and I can think of letting a couple rip that I should have right now. Just taking advantage of every possession and just trying to build those guys, and like I say, get the first first down.

Q: Drake, Mike in his opening remarks talked about kind of a sense of urgency in finding out who the team was this upcoming week and facing some adversity and how committed you guys were going to be to getting better. How would you describe this moment where it's only one game, but does it feel like there's an urgency to get better quickly?

DM: Yeah, no doubt. I think there's an urgency to -- don't let this game kind of bleed into the next. I think we've got a chance with a division opponent. We're going down there, and anytime you're playing a division opponent, it matters. It means something. Bounce back and realize -- at the same time learn from it. Learn from it as much as we can, but at the same time, it's one game, and we've got to get back. It's a long season, to get back at it and do what I need to do to play better on my end and help guys around me play better, and then from there just lean into each other. I think that's the big thing around here. We spend so much time together. Lean into each other and fix what we need to fix and learn from it. The goal is not to have it show up again.

Q: Mike Vrabel mentioned in the second half that the Raiders were switching up coverages and pressures. What did you see in the first half and what were some ways they adjusted in the second that you may have noticed?

DM: Yeah, I think any NFL team they're going to try to adjust at halftime and just try to mix up looks. They're going to bring some all-out pressure in the second half, so just having answers and just being quicker. I think just being quicker and making more throws. I think it was maybe the second drive out where they messed up the kickoff and we had the ball on the 40, and I missed high over the middle on the first down, and then on the second down I had a chance. Just plays like that you don't realize that those plays are going to be the ones you look back on and feel like, man, if we hit those, it's a different ballgame. It's a bummer looking back at that now, but I think just adjusting to what they do, that's part of the chess match of playing in the National Football League.

Q: Drake, what did you see in the screen game, and how can you guys get more out of that going forward?

DM: Yeah, I think those guys, that's something you work on. I think it's something that can be effective and impactful, and I think it's great to -- it's great when you've got to establish the run and then make them panic drop, and I think everything will flow off of establishing the run. I think they did a good job of stopping the run, and from there I think just time it up and kind of longer you get into drives, sometimes screens work better and knowing when the pass rush is coming. Just finding times when to call them and just trusting Coach on when he's calling them and just try to execute.

Q: I'm curious, it seemed like you were hitting multiple receivers today. It wasn't just one guy you were going to for the most part. How important is it to have numerous guys you can do to at any time, and what did you feel you got out of that receiver room today?

DM: Yeah, I thought they brought it. I thought they were bringing energy on the sideline. I thought they were being physical, getting open. I could have gave them some more chances to make plays. You saw a lot of different guys make catches, and I think they're taking the challenge head on to be a great room and blocking the run game, and there's things they can clean up and things that we can clean up together. I'm looking forward to seeing what that room can do. Yeah, just having everybody in the game plan and keeping everybody honest not to just roll coverage over one guy or double team one guy. You've got to have answers and have guys that make plays, and those guys, I thought they did that today.

Q: Drake, obviously 10 points isn't enough in this league, but can you talk about – it didn't seem there were a lot of – I don't know if there were opportunities or attempts to make that explosive play, long play, very few. I know Kayshon [Boutte] said something about them playing deep safeties; there just really wasn't an attempt to look long.

DM: Yeah. I think that's something that Coach [Pete] Carroll and [Patrick] Graham have done in their career is kind of have eyes on the quarterback and not let you hit the big play. I think there was chances -- tonight I thought we had 20 plus plays -- that's not a huge play. I think that just kind of let the game flow. I think tried to get the ball out quick, they had a good edge rusher up front and they changed, and in the second half they played a lot of two high zone looks, and it's tough to throw the big plays against that.

I can think back one or two times where I know I would have had a big play.

Q: You've talked about being a little bit too amped up at the beginning of games, maybe having some jitters. I think you missed DeMario [Douglas] on the first drive. Was that what was going on on that play or was it something else?

DM: No, I think just adjusting to the weather out there. I think the first drive, you've got teammates around you and you're coming out there pregame and throwing and feeling good. I don't think that was the case. I felt good out there today. I felt like I had a good rhythm, got in a good rhythm that second drive. From there, just it was a boundary throw to Pop [Douglas], and just missed him a little high. But from there, I thought I was seeing it well, and I don't think that was really the -- I felt pretty good out there on the first drive.

ADDITIONAL PATRIOTS PLAYERS

Jaylinn Hawkins, S

(On what he can take from this game to move onto next week…)

"I would say for one, it wasn't good enough. We've got to focus on the details, the little things that got us beat. No matter what call, no matter what we're in, we've got to find a way, and that means honing in on the details, playing team defense, not chasing things and coming out for that second half, carrying that momentum and finishing the second half. That's just the biggest thing is sticking together through that, as a team and as a unit."

(On the plan against Brock Bowers…)

"We had a couple doubles on him. We had some plans where we were leaning him and stuff like that. He did his thing. He had a good game. He's a good player. He did his thing."

(On his interception…)

"I was just back there in the post, reading the quarterback. I kind of saw his back foot triggered. I went and trusted myself, and the ball fell in my hands. Rush and coverage married up together. We had a good rush; the boys up front were doing their thing. Then we had good coverage from the corners and nickel."

(On the defense settling down after the first drive and what he feels like fell off toward the end…)

"We just started to play our ball. We started to figure it out. Coming into the first game and playing against teams with new coaches, new coordinators, you don't really have too much of an idea of what they're doing. You kind of do; you have the basic gist of things, but you don't have as many tendencies. So, you've kind of got to go out there, the first 15's the script, see what they're doing, then you're like, 'Okay, we've got to settle down, play our ball.' The juices are flowing, home opener, everybody's turnt, and we settled down and played our ball. Going into the second half, we gave up too many explosives. That was the biggest thing, eliminating the X plays. I tip my hat off to those boys, they did their thing, and we've just got to eliminate those X plays."

(On if the X plays were the Raiders' scheming up of the defense or more of a miscommunication…)

"I would say just us and the details. At the end of the day, no matter what call, no matter what we're in, that's on us. That's on us; that's on us. I take full blame, my dawgs take full blame, that's on us. So, we'll be better. We'll come back to work tomorrow, watch the tape, flush it and then move forward."

(On the communication in the secondary…)

"The communication was good. I feel like everybody was aligned and knew what they were doing. It's just the biggest thing is like I said, honing in on the details and execution, and executing. Executing, that's just the biggest thing."

(On what he felt like the Raiders' game plan was and how he feels like it evolved in the second half…)

"With them, they have tendencies of plays repeating and stuff like that. Then we got in a couple different calls, they schemed some things up, they had a couple good plays planned, and they executed. We just didn't do what we were supposed to do, so that's that."

Harold Landry III, LB

(On the game today)

"I feel like we came out with good energy, I felt like we settled down after that first drive. I felt like you could see the glimpse of dominance that our defense has. I think [Mike] Vrabel has been talking about it for several weeks now, about how this Week One's going to come down to the second half. We've been emphasizing that a lot and for whatever reason, we have to look at the film, but we just didn't come out in the second half ready to take over the game, win the game in the second half like how we've been practicing. It's Week One, nobody in this league is going undefeated. We just got to come in ready to work tomorrow, learn from the corrections, move forward, and improve."

(On what they can build off of from this game)

"We all know on the defensive side of the ball; the sky's the limit for us. I think for us it's just that consistency snapping in and snapping out and not having any lapses. You can easily tell that we have so much potential on that side of the ball. We just have to come to work, leaders have to lead, and we just have to come to work tomorrow ready to improve, hungry to improve. You can see it, this is an exciting defense, I'm excited to be a part of it. Like I said, we just have to be more consistent, snap in, snap out, have no lapses."

(On what he saw from the Raiders offensive line)

"We knew that this game could be a game that we could dominate up front. I thought T [Terrell Williams] had said it best when he had talked to us before the game, how all week, we're talking about who they have, but they need to be worried about who we have. That really hit me, but we were prepared for this game, felt like we had a great game plan. I felt like for the most part we went out there and executed, we just had too many lapses with X plays and not really making them earn it. I felt like you can definitely see how dominate we can be up front, and we just have to come in here ready to work tomorrow. It's the NFL, it's onto the next week after you watch the film."

(On Vrabel's corrections and messages in the upcoming week)

"It's going to be to come in, be ready to work, make the corrections. You have to be hungry to improve, it's Week One. Nobody's going to be talking about this week in a couple weeks, you got to be ready to make the corrections, be critical of yourself, and find ways to improve. Find a way to be more consistent, Vrabes isn't going to change, he knows what it takes to win in this league, and he knows that the guys just got to come in here ready to work."

Kayshon Boutte, WR

(On seeming to struggle more in the second half and what the difference was)

"I think we all have to be on the same track more. I don't know if we felt settled in at halftime because we were up, or the weather wasn't how we wanted, it was rainy. I feel like we could have had more energy going into the second half."

(On if the weather affected their play after preparing on a nice day)

"We expected rain. I think everybody controlled their part of the game. As receivers in the rain to focus more on the slippery balls."

(On if he and Drake Maye displayed a continuation of the chemistry they built in training camp)

"Yes. We have been working together since OTAs. Travelling from OTAs to training camp and keep putting in the work every day, day in and day out."

(On if the energy in the second half was surprising to him after Mike Vrabel talked about winning the second half during the week)

"As we all know, we obviously didn't win the second half. We have to look back at the film tomorrow and see where we could have been better and figure it all out."

(On what the good production from players despite not taking many long shots downfield says about the development of the offense, team and himself)

"They are more of a zone team so they are taking away our deep balls and playing everything underneath. That was pretty much their scheme going into this week. They switched it up on us a little bit. It was great for us to see. We've got to be able to adjust to it next time.

(On how disappointing the loss was for him and what they can take with them to prepare for Miami)

"I don't want to say it was disappointing. I just look at it like we can be better. Maybe we go back and watch film tomorrow. There are a couple plays we left out on the field that can be better. Then we go to Tuesday, put this game behind us and focus on next week."

Robert Spillane, LB

(On what he saw from the second half that he feels hurt the team)

"No doubt. We are going to have to look at the film to get the exact details on how we can clean up, learn from this, and move on."

(On the message in the locker room after a loss like this with a long road ahead of them)

"We do have a long road ahead of us. It is a brand new team, brand new year. This is one game. We have a big week ahead of us to bounce back from for Miami."

(On what they have learned that they can take into the next week)

"I am really proud of how our guys fought. We need to clean up the details. We need to get tighter coverage, get home better on the rush, stop the run, and do all those things. This is a continual process and we will get in tomorrow and work on everything."

(On what the team can build off of that they were able to do in the late first quarter into second quarter)

"Yes, we just need to stay with it. Like Coach [Mike] Vrabel preaches, that second half is where games are won and lost. We just didn't play well enough in the second half to get the job done."

(What was it about Geno Smith today that made him so difficult to stop?)

"Yeah, I think he did a great job with the RPO, getting linebackers sucked up, myself included. He found the soft spot in the zones behind. We've got to get in the lab and focus on it. Other teams are going to try to attack us in the exact same way. They are watching the same film we are watching. I know Coach Vrabel and Coach T [Terrell Williams] are going to have a great plan for us next week. We are going to go forward with that."