- 1 year ago
Mike Vrabel joins live! Patriots Monday
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00Mike Vrabel, good morning.
00:02Hey, buddy, good morning.
00:03That sounded like you just read the Yellow Pages.
00:06Well, I'm telling you, the sponsors are coming out of the woodwork because of you.
00:10They can't wait to be, they want to be involved with you in this radio show.
00:13It's unbelievable.
00:15I doubt that, but that was, that's good.
00:17How's everybody doing this morning?
00:18We're doing great.
00:20Primetime game, you called it a hostile environment.
00:24Nice win last night.
00:27We're happy for the players and we got to pick up the pieces and keep moving.
00:34Would it be crazy to say that Steph Diggs may now be a 7 out of 10 on the comfort level?
00:40Well, somebody said that as I was leaving.
00:43I think somebody, maybe a local reporter, I didn't recognize him.
00:48Stacy was back there grumbling last question and I walked off and I heard 5 out of 10 and I laughed.
00:53I thought Courtney and I said, maybe 8 out of 10 now, so we'll see.
00:59I think he said 6 actually after the game last night.
01:02He did say 6, good.
01:05Hopefully by Thanksgiving we can be up to 8 or 9.
01:09Mike, you look at that and we talked about hostile environment, division opponent on the road.
01:15How do you use this to show to your team that if you can play like this week in and week out, that you can play with anybody and be one of the best teams in the National Football League?
01:28Well, we just keep, you know, stay consistent and I think that, you know, I probably lose sight of some of that sometimes with especially some of our younger players.
01:41And, you know, my dad, who I think always has good perspective, was able to be at the game last night and, you know,
01:47he just kind of rattled off all the young players that are out there making contributions and, you know, said, man, it was, I've been there a bunch and it was loud.
01:58And it was something that you have to remind these guys that they can do it and that they can do it, you know, pretty much anywhere.
02:05Mike, Ramondre Stevenson, two touchdowns for him and it's a result of you continuing to have confidence in him even after that fumble to start the game.
02:16He talked after about how the confidence that you continue to show in him means so much to him.
02:21I've been told all morning by Wiggy and others that that's coach speak when you talk about how great he is.
02:27I believe that he's a great player. That was my lead this morning.
02:30What is it that you see in Ramondre that despite the fumbles, you want to keep going with him?
02:35Well, we go with all of them and we'll, we'll use all of them.
02:40And so one is, is valuable in protection.
02:45And when, when teams start blitzing and heating us up, you know,
02:49it's critical that somebody protects the quarterback and they can go short yardage instances and around the goal line.
02:56And, you know, we mix carries up and so everybody's going to have a role and we'll have to continue to take care of the ball.
03:02And so you have to make those decisions.
03:05Uh, and I think Ramondre understands how critical the ball is and, you know,
03:12but we, we've got to start putting that fire out and, and making sure that, uh, you know,
03:17until we're back in the huddle that, that, that ball remains in our possession, you know,
03:21whether that we're going down and we're close to the ground and, but, uh,
03:26then we're going to need them all.
03:26We're, we're, we're going to need everybody.
03:28And we're going to need, especially all the backs in that room to, uh, to help us.
03:32I know you got back late and just getting going this morning, but any update on Gibson for us?
03:37Uh, nothing new to add, nothing new to add.
03:40He'll go through some tests, uh, today and this morning.
03:43And, and, uh, yeah, we'll have to try to see what, what comes of those.
03:47Mike, the, the defensive game plan against Josh Allen looked excellent.
03:52I mean, he's had a lot of success against the Patriots in recent years.
03:54He's had success against everybody as the reigning MVP.
03:57Uh, who was, who do you credit the most for that?
04:00And what did you see out of your defense last night?
04:03Well, the one, the credit goes to the players to be able to execute it.
04:08Uh, and again, we've, we've tried to stay as collaborative as possible defensively.
04:13Uh, Zach has done a great job, uh, leading those guys and, and organizing things.
04:19And, but we've always tried to stay as collaborative as possible and work through ideas and, you know,
04:25try to put the players in the best position.
04:27But, you know, as far as the execution, that, that always is going to follow the players.
04:31And it wasn't, wasn't perfect.
04:33And I think it can still be a lot better.
04:37Um, and so we'll continue to show them those.
04:40But, um, you know, I thought, you know, it was good in the run and, you know, quarterback
04:45had a few, uh, play extensions that, um, that probably ended up hurting us.
04:51And then some communication things and execution down in the red zone, um, made it a lot closer
04:57than what it should have been.
04:59Uh, Mike, you seem bothered by that, uh, illegal formation call, uh, Hunter Henry.
05:05I think it was, uh, he, he seemed like he was looking at the rest.
05:09I just have a, I just have a real problem with the way that they want to try to over-officiate
05:14the line of scrimmage.
05:15And if our guys are going to look over and they're, I got, you know, I mean, I get that
05:20we have to be legal.
05:21Um, but for as long as I can remember in this league, the refs are going to try to officiate
05:29proactively and, and work with the players.
05:31And if it's a hold, call a hold.
05:33And if it's a defensive pass interference call, call defensive pass interference.
05:37But at the line of scrimmage, if players are going to try to get the formation correct,
05:42you know, last year it was, well, these guys are off sides.
05:45Like when, when, when, when do we start calling that?
05:49So when an effort to not be off sides, you know, these guys try to scoot back a little
05:54bit and then they check and we're not going to tell them that they're either on the line
05:58of scrimmage or they got them off.
06:00Like they're just going to sit there and tap their knee.
06:03I don't know what that is.
06:04And so that's, that's frustrating that we, we, we are that literal, uh, as an officiating
06:11department, if that's what they indeed are telling them.
06:14I, I, if they see it as DPI, the guy made a good call.
06:18If, you know, Gibbons pushes the guy thinking that the quarterback's out of the pocket, but
06:23the ball's in the air, that's a good call.
06:25That, that is a good call.
06:26And, but, but some of these other ones, I'm just like, I just didn't know when we were
06:31going to start officiating, um, the, the line of scrimmage and not communicate with our players
06:36because in the end, the relationship that the players have with the officials, I think
06:42can be really positive and they can explain the mechanics that they're looking for.
06:47And if a DB is not playing the ball, they can communicate and say, Hey, you got to play
06:51the ball, uh, or, or that could be defensive pass interference, or if he breaks the framework
06:56of your body and there's restriction, that's going to be a hold.
06:59And so to not communicate something at the line of scrimmage, when a player is looking
07:03over an official, uh, to try to get it right.
07:06Um, I don't understand that.
07:09Mike, is that something that's new that they're emphasizing within like, apparently just like
07:14every other year or week, it's just, you know, a reaction to, you know, the last year and
07:21well, we're going to change.
07:22And, you know, there's, I just, it's, um, I don't, I don't, I don't want that again,
07:29not that my opinion is going to matter, but I don't think we should officiate that way.
07:33I think that there should be a open line of communication with the players, uh, certainly
07:38pre-snap in an effort to try to get, uh, it right.
07:41And if, if we move and we fall start or we jump off sides or whatever it is, well, then
07:46we're at fault.
07:47But if we're trying to, um, make sure that things are correct before the snap, I would
07:53like or hope that there could be some feedback, uh, from the official.
07:57I just love that we get a new Hocule to watch and talk all night long instead of watching
08:02a football game.
08:03I just, I'm glad that the family tradition has lived on.
08:06I, um, I, I, that's probably the first time I'm going to agree with you since I've been
08:11here.
08:12And I, and I would definitely say that, uh, that was impressive.
08:18Uh, also, uh, end of his career, Wiggy had an issue, uh, lining up and just his stomach
08:24was, uh, over the line.
08:26They always gave me the thumbs up or they told me to scoot up a little bit back in the day
08:32when I played, but I guess now they don't tell you anything.
08:34I guess they say, or they say suck it in.
08:37Yeah, that's it.
08:38Mike, it seems like you do such a great job, not getting too high or too low.
08:42Uh, and it seems like it's trickling down to the team.
08:45How important is it for you going into practice this week that guys aren't riding the hide
08:49from a big win like that going into a week against the saints?
08:54I'll see what I can do.
08:55I'm sure we'll be okay with that.
08:56You talked about, uh, Friday, I think it was Friday about the accountability that Rodney
09:05Harrison held you and your teammates to, uh, who's, who's that guy or, or those guys on
09:12this team?
09:14Well, I think our leadership group is starting to do that and understand that.
09:18And I think that, I just think that where we are become, that's changed.
09:29I think that those people are few and far between and I have to try to, that's part of what I
09:34have to try to teach and that's, that's okay.
09:36And allow them to have those conversations and disagreements or, uh, minor conflict, uh,
09:46with our football team as it relates to protecting our identity.
09:50And so we'll continue to identify them and we'll continue to, to allow for those opportunities.
09:57Um, but that was something that certainly, uh, was, was critical for all of us, um, when
10:04we, when we played here.
10:05Well, we, Wiggy and Ty talk about that a lot about guys who would police the locker room.
10:10Like Willie Mack was one of those guys.
10:12You're saying that it's, you're saying it's harder now to find that that situation or those
10:18guys.
10:18I just, I don't see it as much and I'm trying to encourage it.
10:23And again, that wasn't, that's not just isolated to here and that's not, I've, I've been in
10:29other buildings and I would say that that's, it's just something that you're,
10:35you're always looking to create.
10:38Mike, the performance last night, Drake made his first fourth quarter game winning drive.
10:42What did you see from Drake last night and, uh, how impressive was that conclusion of
10:47the game for you?
10:50Well, I mean, I think that again, just his, his toughness and his ability to, you know,
10:57extend plays, keep his eyes down the field.
11:02Um, the, the play strength, I think we wanted was a, you know, pretty much a horse collar
11:07and he's pulling out of it or trying to still throw the football, but still put the football
11:13in good places, safe places, right out in front of receivers and not behind guys.
11:17And so that'll continue to be something that we'll have to use to our advantage and he'll
11:24have to continue to, to do.
11:26And then when the pocket is clean, to stay in there and let it progress and, you know,
11:31throw the ball down the field.
11:32So, you know, I felt like that was a good drive.
11:35I would have liked to have gotten it a little closer.
11:37Um, but under those circumstances and the way that we were trying to manage the clock,
11:44knowing who's on the other side, um, you know, I thought that that was really good for our
11:50football team to have that, um, have that situation come up and be able to execute it
11:56and be able to, uh, complete it with the, with obviously Andy and the field goal team making
12:02a huge kick.
12:03Mike, you know, there's been a lot of talk.
12:06Rodney talked about it yesterday, the culture of just being different.
12:10You know, we've talked about it with Ramondre and how, you know, you kind of give this guy
12:15an opportunity even afterwards, you know, when you come from a place of, you know, when
12:21we played, it was like, you were banished to the gulag for making a mistake.
12:24Like, where does that come from, from you as a coach when it's still like understanding
12:31guys have to be accountable, but still giving them the opportunity, even when they messed
12:36up, mess up.
12:37Is that because it's kind of part of your former player?
12:40Where does that come from?
12:43Uh, they're just trying to get it right.
12:45Just trying to have a balance.
12:47And, you know, to me, if, you know, got, you know, we try to treat them the same way
12:52they treat the team and that's, um, that's an easy reminder for me to, to look and see
12:58how guys treat the team, how hard they play, how hard they study, how much it means to them,
13:02the way they practice, the kind of teammate they are, what they're willing to do to help
13:07the team.
13:08Uh, and then in turn, obviously we try to treat them the same way.
13:11So again, I have to make a decision, um, for what's best with a team.
13:18I mean, there's a lot of other instances with this as it relates to then just a guy, you
13:25know, fumbling.
13:26We've had other people fumble or other people put the ball in jeopardy.
13:30Uh, we've had people miss tackles and we, we have to understand that those are, those
13:36are mistakes and that we can correct them and then make sure that, um, you know, we're
13:42still doing things that are helpful to the team and are important to the team.
13:46So, you know, we just have to try to find a balance there.
13:51You know, again, if we, if we said everybody that made a mistake, uh, the head coach would
13:56be the first one sitting down cause I make more mistakes than anybody.
14:00Mike, some guys were talking about how they got inspiration from a pregame speech by Tony
14:06Dungy.
14:06What went into that and what was said really?
14:09Well, Tony's obviously a Hall of Fame coach, a Hall of Fame person, uh, father, husband,
14:19just his character, you know, um, and for him to be, you know, he's, you know, we have
14:25some connections here with coaches on our team and, uh, he was going to be a part of our
14:31chapel, uh, on Monday.
14:33And so I decided and asked him to, uh, to talk to the team just about, you know, his
14:40experiences in this league and with new teams, whether that be in Tampa or Indy and, you
14:46know, the things that he always thought were important.
14:48And, um, you know, I really appreciate that.
14:51I really appreciate them, um, being around our team.
14:55I thought our players appreciated that, uh, ask this one carefully, uh, what, where is
15:01the organization when it comes to, uh, improving the football team?
15:06If there are disgruntled or players that appear disgruntled in other organizations, uh, seeking,
15:15seeking to improve the football team?
15:18Well, I'm going to rephrase that.
15:20I think that the organization will always be in favor of trying to improve the football
15:27team and its roster and the people that, that play for us.
15:31So whether, uh, they're on another team, whether they're not on another team, whether they're
15:38on our team, you know, we're always going to try to find ways to improve, uh, the roster
15:45and the people that are here.
15:47So that'll go for, for anybody, you know, that we could potentially add to our football
15:54team.
15:55And that, that's about all I can say, or that'll be the stance there for forever.
16:02Mike, uh, signature win is being thrown around for Drake, May, and yourself.
16:07First two game win streak in three years, which is hard to believe given the success you had
16:12as a player here.
16:13What did last night mean to you personally?
16:15I'm just happy for the players, happy, happy that they could, uh, to recognize they could
16:22prepare and they, they could go out there on a big stage.
16:26And, you know, we've talked about taking the next step and that was the message last week.
16:31And I felt like they, they took that to heart and they did that.
16:36And, uh, about all the other stuff, I don't, I don't really know.
16:39I always like to think that there's things that are interesting and that there's things
16:43that are important and a two game win streak is not very uncommon.
16:51And so somebody, uh, just recently said to me, man, that was unbelievable.
16:55I said, no, it wasn't.
16:56It was very believable.
16:57And I don't want any of us in this organization to ever think that something is unbelievable.
17:04We're going to, we're going to prepare and we're going to play to our style and we're
17:10going to make adjustments and we're going to compete.
17:14And, uh, but it's very believable.
17:16And so we'll have to do it again here as soon as I hang up this phone call and, uh, that'll,
17:21that'll be what we do.
17:23Well, we'll let you get to it.
17:25Um, and I, I know you love seeing us first thing, um, Monday morning, bright and early.
17:30So sorry about that, but we'll be, we'll be back.
17:32I was walking back in the hallway and, and Stacy hands me the phone.
17:37I'm like, what is this?
17:39And he's like, it's a phone interview.
17:40And I said, well, I don't want to do a phone interview.
17:43I had, I had our, I had our ginger and cayenne pepper shots in my hand.
17:49And now I have, now I have five of them sitting here that I have to do with stretch and Stacy
17:53and then, you know, pass them out to whoever else walks around.
17:56Save them for next week.
17:58Put them in a fridge, please.
18:00Put them cold.
18:03I want mine chilled.
18:04I mean, on these, uh, after these late games, we could do the show in the seaport if you
18:09want, or somewhere, somewhere in the city.
18:10So you don't have to drive all the way out there.
18:14Uh, we hadn't left here since, uh, whatever Saturday.
18:20So it's good.
18:22It's good.
18:22It's good to be back.
18:23All right.
18:24Um, uh, coach, we will talk to you again next week.
18:27Okay, guys.
18:27Have a great day.
18:28Have a great week.