RAIDERS HEAD COACH DENNIS ALLEN

DA:Alright, tough loss, tough pill to swallow. I thought our guys fought their tails off. We gave ourselves an opportunity to win. I thought we tied the football game or at least got to the next point of being able to tie the football game. [I'm] disappointed about that. You know, still, at the moment of truth there are times when we have to be able to make some plays. We didn't do that enough today and came up on the short end of the stick. I thought it was a better effort by our team. And we will get on a long flight and head to London and get ready for the next one.

Q:Did you think that was a hold on Gabe [Jackson]?

DA:I did not.

Q:Have you guys had a chance to look at that again?

DA:I saw it up on the big screen and my opinion is it was not a hold.

Q:Does this loss kind of sting more than the previous two?

DA:Yeah, because I think we gave ourselves an opportunity to win against a good football team. And I know what the guys put into this. With that type of effort, you put a lot into it, it hurts when we don't come away with it. But that's a type of effort, like I told the guys in there, that's the type of effort we have to have every week. That type of intensity, that type of effort, that type of focus, that type of concentration. We've proven that we can do it, now we've got to be consistent in doing that every week.

Q:So many injuries, especially to linebackers, how do you see how the defense held up?

DA:I thought the defense held up pretty good. You know, we had some injuries and we had some injuries in the game. You know, Rod Streater hurt his foot. But defensively, Tyvon Branch hurt his foot too. You know, that cost us a little bit later in the game, took us out of some things that we wanted to be able to do later in the game. We weren't able to get to those because of the injury situation. So, you know, it is something that we will have to look at as we move forward and see where we are at.

Q:[Jason] Tarver did talk during the week of 'We've got to win some of these matchups one-on-one' and it seems like it up front you affected Tom Brady more than the first two games.

DA:Yeah, I thought we did a nice job of getting some pressure on the quarterback. You know, I thought we won a few one-on-one matchups. You know, obviously, they won their fair share of matchups too. You know, [Shane] Vereen was a tough matchup for us coming out of the backfield and converted some third downs. I thought overall it was a better effort on our part, but still, we've got some work to do.

Q:Why do you think the effort was so much better?

DA:You know, I don't know. I mean, maybe it gets down to guys understanding where we are at, and that we've got to do something to get things turned around. I think it just was a conscious decision. You know, when we walk off the field, we want to look each other in the eye and know we gave it everything we got. And I think our guys can do that today.

Q:You said you guys understand where you are at. Where are you?

DA: We are 0-3.

Q:A couple plays in the passing game between [Derek] Carr and [Denarius] Moore – there was like a third-and-five that he was open, and they couldn't connect. And then in the final one he bats up and goes up. Are those are the moments of truth plays that you are talking about?

DA:Yeah, I mean, we've got to be able to make those plays. And that's the unfortunate thing, is that in this game of football, it comes down to those things. When you get those opportunities, we've got to be able to connect, we got to be able to make those plays. And if we do that, we will have success.

Q:I'm sure you'd like to have that [Rob] Gronkowski touchdown back. But generally in the red zone, your defense held strong, especially in the second half. How key was that to keeping you guys in the game?

DA:Well, it was big. I mean, we talked about, you know, to beat this football team, we were going to have to make them kick field goals when they got in the red zone and that we needed to be able to score touchdowns. You know, and obviously defensively for the most part, we were able to do that and make them kick field goals. Offensively, we struggled to get touchdowns, but that's where this game is, you know, it's a game of inches. You know, if they don't get that touchdown and you make them kick a field goal, you are talking about a different football game. That's the standard that we've got to operate at.

Q:[Stevan] Ridley was able to get going in the first half. It looked like they were starting to get the running game rolling and then the second half, not so much. Was it just guys beating blocks and making plays?

DA:Yeah, I mean, obviously I will look at the tape and see exactly what happened. I know that as the half wore on, I thought they did a good job at pushing the tempo and got us a little bit out of rhythm defensively. Yeah, at the end of the first half, you know, and then we kind of came back and regrouped. Got the three-and-out to start the second half and I thought overall, played pretty well.

Q:How did you think Derek [Carr] played?

DA:I thought Derek was solid. I thought he was solid. I don't think we did anything offensively spectacular, but I thought especially early in the game I thought we were able to control the clock a little bit, were able to move the ball, but again it comes down to some moment of truth plays and being able to keep drives alive and being able to get touchdowns instead of having to settle for field goals when you get down there in scoring territory.

Q:Was this a breakthrough game for Khalil Mack, do you think?

DA:Yeah, I don't know if this was a breakthrough game or not, but I thought, just off the naked eye that he played pretty well.

Q:Do you think that what the team was able to do today was more of an exploring of matchups thing or was it just another step of progress being made?

DA:Well, I think it is more of a step of the progress moving forward. You know, I mean, this is a matchup league and that's what you've got to be able to do and ultimately what it comes down to. What teams do is they try to get the one-on-one match ups that they feel like they got the best opportunity to win and then you've got to go out and win those things. And so, I guess, the best answer to your question is a little bit of both.

Q:Any early word on the injuries to [Tyvon] Branch and [Rod] Streater?

DA:Yeah, it looks like both those guys have a fractured foot.

Q:I know that there are no moral victories here, but do you think your team showed some resilience and maybe took some steps forward execution-wise against a tough team on the road?

DA:I mean, I think we stated that. I mean, we do, I think we took a step forward, but we've still got a ways to go, we've got to continue to go.

Q: There has been some speculation about your job through all of this. Do you feel your players gave you a vote of confidence?

DA:Listen, we went out there to try to win a football game and that's all we can focus and that's all we will focus on.

Q:[Darren] McFadden has come close to breaking big runs, but he hasn't quite gotten that done yet. Is it disappointing to you?

DA:I think the hope is that if we continue to get him [in] those areas where he is close, you know, eventually we will get the big run. There were a couple in there that he had the opportunity, that might have been a big one, but you've got to give them credit. This is a good football team we played and they made some plays.

Q:Were you discussing on the sideline going for one or two, had you scored there?

DA:Yeah, that thought went through my head.

Q:Can you share what you would have done?

DA:Well, it is kind of a moot point now. You know what I mean? So, we would have done what we felt like we had to do to win.

RAIDERS QUARTERBACK DEREK CARR

Q:How do you feel after such a close game?

DC:It's hard. It's really hard because of how we fought as a team. We go all the way down and tie it up – certain things happen – we got another shot at it, so football happens that's for sure. It's just hard because we fought so hard – adversity is not easy. We just keep grinding away and you really, again, you find out what kind of person you are when you go through times like this.

Q:You looked like you were pretty calm in a hostile environment. Do you feel like you got good protection?

DC:Yeah, well I appreciate you saying that. Thank you. This is obviously not an easy place to play especially against however many Super Bowls they've won. They're a great team. They've got a Hall of Fame quarterback; they've got some Hall of Fame players on the defensive side of the ball, so we knew that it was going to be a challenge especially in this environment. But for the most part as they've done all season, I think my O-line did a great job – tight ends and backs included in protection – I think they did a great job. It's hard, again, I can't say without seeing the film what calls we could have done better for myself, but I felt that again, they did a great job. We put ourselves in a position to win in a tough place against a Super Bowl-type team and that's how we view ourselves. Now we've just got to keep going.

Q:The cameras caught you after your last play being emotional and yelling something. Can you tell us what that was about?

DC:It's just the heat of the game. It was just frustration just because we fought so hard. I just felt bad for my team, you know, [I] just felt bad for my team. I can promise you it wasn't profanity or anything like that – I don't remember the last time I said a cuss word so it wasn't that, I can promise you that. It was just frustrating because I wanted to win. I just wanted to come back in that locker room and see the smiles on my teammates' faces and just sit back and enjoy watching that, but now we've got to wait another one to see if we can do that.

Q:Do you think your guy should have caught that ball?

DC:It was hard, again, it was tight coverage and I couldn't see exactly what happened – I think my lineman or someone was in the way, but obviously I'm going to be hard on myself and say I should have made a better throw, because I didn't see it happen. I didn't see the play, so I don't know. All you can do is handle what you can control and maybe there was something that I could have done better to help us win.

Q:Coach Allen had talked about rising up in specific moments and that was one of them I think and the other one was earlier in the extended drive when Denarius Moore was right there and you couldn't connect on that one either. Are those the ones that are just going to eat at you when you go back and watch the film?

DC:Just from an execution standpoint, yes. The third-and-five, I forget where it went, but I'm always going to think I can put the ball in his face, so I'll get better at that sense. Again, I didn't see the last play, but of course it eats at me because we lost and if we won it would still eat at me because I'm just trying to get better. I'm just trying to be a better player so the Raiders can win.

Q:Coach talked about how much better the effort was today. Did you feel that overall? Did you sense a different attitude before this game?

DC:Absolutely. There's no doubt in my mind. With myself included, I learned a lot about myself in the past two games and the way I went into them, and I knew that this was going to be as hostile of an environment as you can go into. So, I took it upon myself as a personal challenge to be more energetic, to be more – not vocal but just energetic – just trying to get the guys ready to go. I definitely felt that from everybody though – I'm just talking for myself because that's all I can speak for – I felt that from everybody though. Everybody was that way and I guarantee we put a scare into them late and that's for sure – no one expected that but we did. That's what we expect out of ourselves and now we've just got to finish it. It doesn't matter if there was a holding call, it doesn't matter what happens, it doesn't matter we lost. We have to go back – go back to work this week in London and fix what we need to fix, but if we come out with that same effort we're going to be a good football team.

Q:When Darren McFadden went into the end zone were you instantly like, 'Oh great, we've got a shot' or did you see the flag?

DC:I didn't see the flag. I saw him crease it, I saw our line block him up and I saw him go in – actually a yard before he went in turned around and jumped up and celebrated. I was excited, we went down on the field and did what we needed to do, so I didn't see the flag thrown. I didn't even necessarily see what happened.

Q:So you didn't look at the Jumbotron and see the replay?

DC:I didn't because in my head, they called it and that's what they're there to do – they're calling penalties. I'm never going to say, right, wrong, indifferent, so in my head I didn't even watch it because we had to run the next play. My mindset was to get everyone back in the huddle. It is what it is.

Q:Would you have run the next play and gone for the win?

DC:I don't know. That's Coach Allen's decision, but I was ready to go.

Miles Burris, Linebacker
(On the defense's play in the red zone and his near interception)
"We fought hard and I am proud of every one of us. It was a heartbreaking way to lose. That is what hurts. I wish I would have gotten it. That's what happens. It is over now. It was a deflection. I still have to watch the film. I am proud of the way we fought. I would ride with these boys any day. I love these teammates and I love this team. We are going to be a good team."

Gabe Jackson, Guard
(On if he was surprised the referees called holding on what would have been a game-tying touchdown)
"I thought it was a clean block, but the call is what it was so I don't have too much to say about that."

(On why he thought the referees threw the flag)
"I don't know. Maybe they saw something from a different angle. It was there call."

(On if he saw the replay on the video board)
"Yes."

(On if he thought the play was a clean block)
"Yes, to me it was."

Darren McFadden, Running Back
(On if he thought they tied the game)
"Definitely thought we scored a touchdown. The referee ruled it a hold, so you know you got to roll with whatever they call."

(On how a close loss on the road stings)
"It stings very bad. Anytime you go out there and get that close you want to capitalize off of it. We just weren't able to capitalize off of it today."

(On if today's game was the best the team has played this season)
"It's some of the better ball we've played, but we know we can get better. We have to go out there and capitalize on our opportunities and can't make as many mistakes."

(On what he saw on the rushing touchdown that was called back for holding)
"When I heard the play call I knew it was a touchdown. I wasn't going to be denied and told myself to get into the end zone, you know, 'whatever it takes.'"

(On if he saw the hold)
"I didn't see the play, but from what everyone is saying it sounds like it wasn't a hold. What they're all saying is it's not a hold."

(On how difficult it is to go from being excited about a touchdown play to learning it was called back)
"It's very difficult. From the moment I turned around and nobody was celebrating with me I knew something wasn't right."

(On if this loss is harder to take compared to the other losses this season)
"Any loss is hard to swallow, but this one right here is very hard to swallow. You go out there and think you've tied the game and it's just hard feeling to swallow."

(On if he thinks the team executed better than in other weeks)
"I feel like we executed a little better, but we still have to capitalize on some things and clean up some things."

(On why the offense wasn't able to find the end zone today)
"It's just one of those things where we could kick field goals, but we knew against this team we needed to score touchdowns and that's something we didn't do."

(On quarterback Derek Carr's performance in a hostile environment)
"He's a young quarterback and he did a great job. I feel like he handled himself very well and kept the team [together] and handled them very well, too."

(On how the team stays positive after falling to 0-3 on the season)
"For us, keep fighting and forget about today and just move on to Miami."

(On if there was one play he thought he had the opportunity to break away from the defense)
"For me, I just say to myself, 'I've got to make those plays.' Getting 10, 15 yards out of them, I've got to turn them into 30, 40, 50-yard plays. That's one of those things I take full responsibility for and I have to go out there and make those plays. I have to do a better job."

Marcel Reece, Fullback
(On the play of Derek Carr)
"He has always looked comfortable to us and he has been improving every week, on and off the field. We need to continue to give him more help and make bigger plays for him. That will make the game easier and slow the game down for him. He is doing a great job for us. This team is full of playmakers and full of dynamic guys and we pride ourselves on trying to be an explosive offense. We want him to have a variety of guys to throw the ball to and he utilizes all of us."

(On his own performance)
"I felt I didn't do enough. I go in saying we have to get a win and for us to get a win I have to make plays. If we do not win I didn't make enough plays. We didn't come out with the win so I didn't make enough plays for us. There are always positives to take out of a game. One thing I tell our guys is don't get to high after a win and don't get to low after a loss."

Carlos Rogers, Cornerback
(On Brady's skills as a blocker)
"I was going to go into him and hit him, but I was thinking he might try to cut [block] me so I got my hands out in front of me and got in on the tackle. He's a quarterback [laughing]. They don't have to block, just give it to the running back and get out of the way. After that he asked me if I was alright because he isn't trying to hurt anybody. I said, 'I'm cool'. I know quarterbacks, they don't want to hit you, they want to get out of the way and protect themselves. I would have been wrong if I went right after him. I thought about it but I realized when he cut back, it was Tom. I don't want to do a quarterback like that. I made sure I stayed off of his block and tried to make the tackle."

(On the defense's red zone play)
"I think we played pretty good. The last two weeks as a team, that wasn't the type of effort we showed. We came in against this team, a playoff team every year, and showed we can play with those guys. As a defense, we line up against their offense and they are going to get some points and they are going to make some plays but we are going to keep three on the board instead of seven on the board then we have a chance to win."

Justin Tuck, Defensive End
(On the tough loss)
"We had a good chance to beat a good team on the road and it didn't happen for us. If we play the type of football we know we can play, we can beat anybody. It was disheartening that we didn't come out of here with the win, but it is something that we can build on. We've got a lot of game left to play, and that is our mindset."

(On this week versus last week)
"I think it was just us playing well. We started fast on defense, and we just got into a rhythm and that was pretty much it. It wasn't like we did anything different other than we played well. I think the biggest thing we did; we came together and said enough talking it's about doing. I think guys took that to heart and came out and played. We tried to have fun today. We haven't been having fun, I noticed that when a bad play happened in the past. It kind of killed moral."

Stefen Wisniewski, Center/Guard
(On the last series of the game)
"I felt like we had it won there, at least tied. It was a tough call; it didn't look like a hold to me. We've got to still win it whether, it's first and 15 or second and 15. It was frustrating too, a tipped ball goes up in the air for grabs and goes right to Vince[Wilfork]. I felt like we played our butts off and right there at the end, it was a frustrating loss. We know we've got a good team here, we're 0-3 but the Patriots are a playoff team and we came in here and fought right with them. We know we can be good we just got to start finishing and stop doubting ourselves."

(On being frustrated)
"This team [Patriots] doesn't lose at home too often. We were excited about that challenge to be honest. It felt like we went toe-to-toe with them the whole game, and we just didn't end up on top."

LaMarr Woodley, Linebacker
(On the team's performance)
"We had a chance. We just need to do a better job of catching opportunities when they are there. I think we did a good job of putting pressure on the quarterback. When we got pressure to him and he threw the ball, we had a few opportunities to make some plays on the ball, we hit the ball and get the ball. We just need to do a better job."

(On the team's progress)
"We took a step forward. Like I said, we had some missed opportunities out there, a few interceptions we could have had. I could have had one that could have been a game changer and potentially put some points on the board. We have to get better and when we have an opportunity to catch the ball we need to catch it."

(On the feeling on the field)
"We are moving in the right direction. I think we went out there and did some great things today. We showed that we can play good against the run and that we can get after the quarterback. Now as a defense we just need to help the offense get some points on the board. It was time to just go out there and play football. We started going out there and having fun and that what it is all about. We had some missed opportunities that we should have had taken advantage of."

Charles Woodson, Safety
(On the game and the team's effort)
"It was a close one. We fought hard and we couldn't come up with the plays that we needed. No doubt about it, it was a much better effort. We still came up short which is disappointing for us because we all fought our hearts out. We just came up a little short. "

(On the defensive play)
"For the most part, we played our fundamentals. I think we got a little pressure when we needed to and I think for the most part we stayed tight on coverage when needed to with all of the different looks. We still came up short and it is disappointing for us."

(On the interception)
"I should have had two. I am disappointed with myself because those are plays I need to make, especially in tight ball games, big ball games. We need to get in the winners' column. I feel like anytime I get my hands on the ball whether it is one hand or two hands I should make the catch and I missed it."