New England Patriots React To Win Over Buffalo Bills

Sep 20, 2015; Orchard Park, NY, USA; New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) celebrates a touchdown during the first half against the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Patriots beat the Bills 40-32. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

Rob Gronkowski

Q: What stood out for you with what they do defensively?

A: They got a very good defense. They go out there, play hard…they were switching it up; zone, man, and we were just executing on offense. We got to go out there and make plays no matter what is out there and we just got to worry about ourselves on offense so…

Q: Were you surprised the game was so close with 1:30 left…

A: It’s the NFL; anything can happen with any game. There’s players on each side of the ball that are really good so you just got to play all 60 minutes, that’s what playing the whole game’s for.

Q: Your quarterback threw for 466 passing yards. We’ve seen that many times, but just again what can you say about how he continues to just go in, and deliver the business and handle everything?

A: That’s what’s so great about playing with him. He did an unbelievable job out there today, especially with that noise. It’s hard to have the offense all on the same page. I mean, you got to give it to Buffalo’s fans, it was super loud out there. Just the communication throughout, he was doing a great job and had a great performance.

Q: Rob, there was a lot of talk, I’m sure it got back to you, from your family that this was such a big game by Buffalo’s standards. What was it like to you?

A: It’s great coming back home. It’s great going on the road and having a big atmosphere. Buffalo was 1-0, they were hot at the moment. It was great to come in especially getting them quiet out there, which is always good, which is always what you want to do when you’re on the road but it was an unbelievable game atmosphere and you couldn’t ask for anything else for an NFL game out there.

Q: I’m sure you guys are used to it at this point but you said you made them a little quiet. It’s been very loud this week. I’ve been in the locker room, I’ve heard everything that they’ve said about you guys; from evil empire to everybody wants us to beat them. What did you guys do along the week in coming here when you’re hearing all that?

A: Just do what we always do. Just go out to practice, work hard and just worry about ourselves. Worry about what we got to do, what I got to do, to go out there and perform to do my job to help out the team.

Dion Lewis

Q: Coach Belichick has stuck with you. How important is that that he stuck with you because some other guys, he put on the bench?

A: I’m just playing. The whole team stuck with me. Gronk came and picked me up right after the play. My teammates are great. They supported me. They told me forget about it. They had a lot of confidence me and it meant a lot to me that everybody lifted me up. I just have to be more accountable, more trustworthy because obviously if I keep doing that, I’m not going to be out there so I just have to clean it up and work harder.

Q: Did you think after three quarters that you would need a drive late in the fourth quarter to seal the game?

A: This is a tough team to play against. Tough environment. It’s a 60-minute game. You always have to finish out the game the best way you can. We just have to keep executing a little bit better down the stretch.

Q: What do you remember from your touchdown runs as far as what you saw when you were going through the line?

A: Just reading the block and I saw a little bit of an opening and I knew there was a guy there between the end zone so I just lowered my shoulder a little bit.

Q: Do you think defenders are a little bit surprised at the type of power you have because it seems like after contact, you always manage to fall forward and get yardage after you’re hit for the first time?

A: Yeah, just trying to make plays. Trying to run under my pads. Things like but obviously they probably come with kill shots…I’m a smaller guy but just try to do what I’m capable of doing.

Q: You talk about guys being able to trusting you and everything like that. How’s it feel to be a big part of the offense as their moving down the field and if things go wrong, they’re trusting on you here and there to make plays?

A: Obviously great team sport. I have great teammates, great coaches, everybody believes in one another everybody lifts everybody up even if somebody doesn’t make a play or someone makes a big play, we’re always on their side because we need each other so that was a great display today. We all needed each other and we stuck together so I’m just trying to do what I’m asked to do so my teammates can trust me and my coaches as well.

Q: Did it motivate you at all that Rex Ryan said he didn’t even know your name?

A: No. Winning motivates me. Being there for my teammates and trying to help my team go 2-0. That’s what motivates me.

Q: Dion–in anyway did you surprise yourself in these first two weeks? Near 150 total yards of offense for you. A lot of people never really saw this coming.

A: Just work. If you work hard, anything’s possible. You just have to work hard and trust in yourself and then put in the extra work and then you have to make plays. My teammates trust me. My coaches trust me. We come out here and guys make plays, no one’s surprised because we all work so hard.

Devin McCourty

Q: Obviously not the way you wanted to start and maybe not the way to end it but a win is a win. You guys were able to get a win coming out of here.

A: Yeah, and that’s all that matters. Coming up here: tough environment. We knew they would be ready to go. Obviously, you don’t want to give up points throughout the game but a win is the end goal and that’s what we did.

Q: What did you guys do differently from that first drive towards the end of the first half to slow them down?

A: I think they just came out ready. We always talk about teams coming up with good plays to start and they were able to make some plays but we always talk about, “Don’t get flustered,” or, “Don’t get crazy.” Just settle into the game and keep playing.

Q: How much of a mental toughness did you guys have because it seemed like fights were breaking out or just everybody was just agitated with each other and you have to keep your cool.

A: Yeah, we were ready for that. They have a lot of tough players that are going to play and play right up to the edge and we knew certain things were going to happen, but everyone thought about the team first and that’s what held us out of a lot of penalties.

Q: There was so much smack talk throughout the whole week from them from their coach to their players… “The whole league’s rooting for us to beat them.” You’re smirking and laughing now but you got what you want. What was that like now that the game’s over?

A: For us, it’s nothing new. We feel like every week, I don’t care who we play, I’m probably betting that the whole league’s rooting for them to beat us too so it was nothing new. We knew coming here, it was going to be hostile. This isn’t the first game we came here and it was a crazy environment, fans going crazy so we knew what to expect and I thought the older guys and the leaders prepared everyone else to come in here and get a win.

Q: How difficult was it get into a flow with all of the penalties?

A: As long as it’s not on us, it’s all good.

Q: There were a lot on you guys too…

A: Yeah, but you just keep playing. You guys see us in training camp, we’re doing things that are not the easy ways to do some things and I think when you go through all of that, penalties happen and obviously you don’t want it to happen and I’m sure that Bill (Belichick) will let us know how he feels about it tomorrow as long, but you have to keep playing throughout the game.