Kansas City Chiefs 27, New England Patriots 17
Q. ...focused as you've ever been this week, take us through this week.
PM: Yeah, no. I think I'm always this focused when I'm playing against Coach Belichick because I know how many different games he's going to put out there and how great of a coach he is. Um, obviously trying to focus on the details as much as possible and you want to get as many tails as you can, but an important game we needed to win so I was glad with how the guys responded and we were able to find a way to win against a really good team.
Q. What's the importance of this one especially coming off the last couple of weeks?
PM: Yeah, just with Denver being right there behind us and losing two straight games, just finding a way to get that momentum back in our favor and obviously I don't think offensively we ended the way we wanted to, but I thought we did a good job that last time drive of burning some time off the clock so you just learn from the mistakes, keep doing it, keep getting better and try to play our best football going into the playoffs.
Q. Did you feel pressure coming into this game? You talked about the two losses coming in. Do you feel like you thrive better under pressure like this? That you have to win?
PM: I mean there's always pressure, but obviously losing two games you have to play your best football. Losing three straight in this league, I mean, really puts you in a tough spot and I thought the guys did a good job. That's a really good defense. Offensive we scored points early. On defense, shut the door, kind of like they've been doing these last few weeks, but we have to continue to get better and better and we're playing -- the Raiders are playing great football coming up so we have to continue to learn and improve.
Q. When you guys were coming out for warmup was energy from the start. Did you feel that be a problem the last couple of weeks on offense at least? And how do you feel that you guys responded today?
PM: Yeah, we kind of went in waves. I mean, we started off for the middle part of the season we were scoring fast, not scoring the second half. Then we started scoring the second half and we weren't scoring early, so you have to find a way to put games together and when you play a 12:00 game or 1:00 game here, we haven't had a lot of them this season. The last one was Jacksonville and offensively, we didn't start the way we wanted to and so I think that was the message all week. We got to get this thing rolling early. We want to put the pressure on them and not them put the pressure on us, and I thought our guys did a good job of it.
Q. Patrick, when was the last time you were in a three-. Stance?
PM: Uh, (Laughter) maybe the combine 40 and I don't know if -- I haven't been in one in a long time, but that was sweet. We've been working on that play for a while, so I'm glad that it worked. It was a little dicy there for a second, but we got it in the end zone.
Q. How much do you feel like you guys needed a play like that? You guys are known for doing some creative stuff in the red zone.
PM: That play was awesome. I mean, obviously, that's a hard team to score on in the red zone, one of the best. So to have the play like that that we had worked on a long time and it worked, obviously, it was working perfectly for their scheme and we executed at a high level, Coach Reid believed we could make it work and I will take that I was the one that said Joe should snap it because I was like that will mess them up if Joe and Creed switched spots. They kind of pushed the D-line a little over thinking Creed was the center. I didn't make the play up, but I did that part. (Laughter)
Q. How would you describe the rhythm of this team, especially with your rapport with the receivers?
PM: Yeah, we've had great spots and we've had spots where we've struggled. It's just something we continue to work on. I thought for the most part we did a great job. They made plays happen today. Obviously you know they're going to focus on Travis a lot, and they did, and so for other guys to make plays happen, a lot of good DBs, I was proud of that.
I mean, we just got to continue to make it a full game. I think that's the biggest thing is we started and I thought we did good in the second half starting the game and then we kind of had some miscues here and there at the end, and that includes myself, so just try to continue to have a full game of excellent football is something that we'll continue to strive for.
MODERATOR: Couple more, guys.
Q. Patrick, the trick play that Dave mentioned, is there another play that really stands out to you just about, especially from these first few drives?
PM: Um, from the first few I think that third down and long where Rashee settled in that zone, I think that was a big play and a big situation right at midfield. We were able to get points on that drive but I think just guys just continue to play hard. Justin Watson with the big catch down the sideline and then jump ball Clyde, man, just giving him the chance and go make a play and him going and catching the touch down.
MODERATOR: Last two.
Q. I'm thinking about Willie Gay's interception, but can you speak generally about how well the defense has played while you guys are still trying to get things going on offense?
PM: Yeah, they've played great. I think the biggest thing is you see how they can make adjustments in-game. They adjust to what the defense is doing -- I mean the offense is doing, and think do a good job of stopping that. That takes a special group of guys. I mean, to have a game plan and when the game plan is working they dominate and when the game plan is a little off or they come out with a little different stuff, they are able to change the game plan right there and Spags does a great job of that, gets the information to those guys and they go out there and do a great job at getting those stops. That's special, man. I've said it a couple times, I wouldn't want to play our defense. They're able to change and be great at a lot of different things.
MODERATOR: Last two, [Indiscernible] and Adam.
Q. Patrick, with jump ball Clyde, I wonder if you could speak to his day today, but also how maybe it reflects the attitude he has all the time as Andy calls him the energy giver.
PM: Yeah, that running back room is special. I mean, all those guys. Even the guys that are bouncing back and forth from the practice squad and back to active. They all believe in each other and they want each other to succeed and that's special. It really is. Everybody wants to play. Everybody wants to go out there and make stuff half and obviously Pacheco's had a great year, so we've been letting him work and get those carries, but Clyde's been ready the whole time and when he's got his opportunities, he's made stuff happen, so sometimes outside the building you get a bad rap, but we know the work he puts in every single day and whenever Pacheco had to take some time off, Clyde stepped right in and went out there and made plays happen.
Q. He's making his own narrative, he's not taking what other people assign to him. Is that sort of what you mean by that?
PM: I mean -- I'm not joking. He's one of the best dudes I think I've ever met. Just the attitude that he comes into the building with. I mean, he's always got a smile on his face, he's always making other people smile. I mean, when you put him, Jet and Pacheco together, I mean, that's literally -- my locker you know is right there by the running backs and you never know what you're going to hear and it's the funniest stuff every single time.
MODERATOR: Last one, Adam.
Q. Clyde's been through a lot in the last year or so. I know you just sort of touched on this but from your perspective, how has he handled that? Have you seen him get down or anything like that?
PM: I mean, when you get a lot of people piling on you, you're not having the success you want, you could be down, but like I said, he has a smile on his face, he comes to work every single day and I think that's special about him. That's why we want him to succeed as much as everybody else and himself. It's because he has that workman, that ethic of just coming in and putting whatever he can to help the team and today was a great day for him. Hopefully we get Pop back and we're able to utilize everybody and go out there and be a better team for it.
MODERATOR: All right, thank you.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports