**HEAD COACH DOUG MARRONE
**
Q: Well you got, obviously you got what you came for because all week you said it was a meaningful game for you. Just talk about finishing the way you finished.
DM: All the credit goes to the players. You know, obviously there's, you know, a lot to brush off, obviously a disappointing loss. Come back up here and prepare ourselves to play. I thought the first half we went out there and played well in all three phases… You know, second half, we could have done some better things offensively, play well there, and defensively, you know, that… be consistent. And we gave up six points, one off a turnover, one off a special teams play, you know, that got them to nine. So, we were playing to win the games, so I'm happy for the players. You know, it's disappointing, but in the same sense to win in the last game, you know, it gets a little bit of that bad taste out of your mouth, and that's what I said during the week. It's a difficult place to play, like I said, aren't a lot of teams that won here, I think 35 straight during the regular season, so it's tough.
Q: Is there significance to, also, that I guess, in that vein, to be 9-7 and say we were winners this year which is something this franchise isn't used to?
DM: I think it's important for some people there. You know, I think that there was a lot of lessons that we'll reflect on in the process of off, you know, in the offseason. Like I said, if you don't learn from them and how hard it is to win each week and how you got to be ready to play each week, the amount of work and prep you need to do, you know… coaches, players, everybody involved. If we don't understand that after this season, then all will be lost. But I think if you do understand it, you know, and you learn from it, it's part of the pains. You hate it, you don't want to have to go through it, but sometimes you do, you know, and hopefully some of those guys, you know, Kyle Williams said it after the game – tomorrow when he walks into the building and leaves, it will be the first time he left with a winning record. So I'm sure it's important for those guys.
Q: Even though you didn't get their best shot today but just winning in this place, and I know momentum can't carry to the next year, that's just silly, but you know to at least get that monkey off your back, is that any kind of consolation?
DM: I don't… I mean, I don't, I don't know. I think of it a lot of different ways. I know that you got to be… you know, Tom Brady is very difficult to beat so, you know, however you want to look at it, whether we played well enough in the first half. I mean, we had guys out, our two corners were out and Marcell [Dareus] was out, and that's just part of football. But, we just played to win the game. I can only speak for our team.
Q: Doug, what's next for you tomorrow as you shift into the next phase?
DM: We got a lot of meetings, guys have, season ending stuff where are they going to be, exit interviews, 360s we do with the players to get a feel. Tomorrow will be a busy day from the standpoint of what we…what my responsibilities with the team.
QUARTERBACK KYLE ORTON
**
Q: I know you haven't been with the Bills for the whole history here, but it's the team's first time winning at Gillette. I don't know what kind of impact it has on you, but could you tell that it meant something to some of the guys in the locker room?**
KO: Well, I think any time you step on the field is important. You know, every team is different and this group, we played for each other all year. And played hard for each other and its great whenever you get a winning season and win the last game against your rival, you know. It was a good accomplishment for us today.
Q: It looked like there were some opportunities early in this game for you guys to get chunk plays, offensively, and you did. What were you seeing out there that maybe allowed for those opportunities to come to fruition?
KO: Yeah, they were playing man-to-man coverage, like we thought they would. Offensively [the] line did a good job early in the game protecting, allowing the wide receivers to get down the field and work on their routes. And the guys did a good job of getting open.
Q: Jumping out to a lead like that, 14-3, can you just maybe comment on how much easier a win comes when you are ahead on the scoreboard early and you can call whatever you want? Just the freedom you have when you are ahead on the scoreboard.
KO: No doubt, it is great playing with the lead and I think all year for us was just the plays where we had 11 guys doing their job. We moved the ball up and down the field and you know, in this league if you don't have that consistency, it's hard to be a good offense. So, I'm glad we ended up playing well and getting the win.
Q: Can you comment on the significance of the winning record knowing the playoffs were off the table? Is that the next best thing you could hope for?
KO: Yeah, I guess. You know, obviously we didn't accomplish everything that we wanted to do. But like I said, we played hard all year, played for each other, and came up a little short.
Q: Can you talk about your season and how satisfying it was. I know you guys didn't make the playoffs, but personally.
KO: To be honest with you, I really didn't go into it with a ton of personal goals. I think the later in your career you get, most of your goals are just team goals and fighting for that chance to get in the playoffs and have fun. So, you know, I'm obviously disappointed.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT THE BILLS BEATING THE PATRIOTS
HEAD COACH DOUG MARRONE
Q: Well you got, obviously you got what you came for because all week you said it was a meaningful game for you. Just talk about finishing the way you finished.
DM: All the credit goes to the players. You know, obviously there's, you know, a lot to brush off, obviously a disappointing loss. Come back up here and prepare ourselves to play. I thought the first half we went out there and played well in all three phases… You know, second half, we could have done some better things offensively, play well there, and defensively, you know, that… be consistent. And we gave up six points, one off a turnover, one off a special teams play, you know, that got them to nine. So, we were playing to win the games, so I'm happy for the players. You know, it's disappointing, but in the same sense to win in the last game, you know, it gets a little bit of that bad taste out of your mouth, and that's what I said during the week. It's a difficult place to play, like I said, aren't a lot of teams that won here, I think 35 straight during the regular season, so it's tough.
Q: Is there significance to, also, that I guess, in that vein, to be 9-7 and say we were winners this year which is something this franchise isn't used to?
DM: I think it's important for some people there. You know, I think that there was a lot of lessons that we'll reflect on in the process of off, you know, in the offseason. Like I said, if you don't learn from them and how hard it is to win each week and how you got to be ready to play each week, the amount of work and prep you need to do, you know… coaches, players, everybody involved. If we don't understand that after this season, then all will be lost. But I think if you do understand it, you know, and you learn from it, it's part of the pains. You hate it, you don't want to have to go through it, but sometimes you do, you know, and hopefully some of those guys, you know, Kyle Williams said it after the game – tomorrow when he walks into the building and leaves, it will be the first time he left with a winning record. So I'm sure it's important for those guys.
Q: Even though you didn't get their best shot today but just winning in this place, and I know momentum can't carry to the next year, that's just silly, but you know to at least get that monkey off your back, is that any kind of consolation?
DM: I don't… I mean, I don't, I don't know. I think of it a lot of different ways. I know that you got to be… you know, Tom Brady is very difficult to beat so, you know, however you want to look at it, whether we played well enough in the first half. I mean, we had guys out, our two corners were out and Marcell [Dareus] was out, and that's just part of football. But, we just played to win the game. I can only speak for our team.
Q: Doug, what's next for you tomorrow as you shift into the next phase?
DM: We got a lot of meetings, guys have, season ending stuff where are they going to be, exit interviews, 360s we do with the players to get a feel. Tomorrow will be a busy day from the standpoint of what we…what my responsibilities with the team.
QUARTERBACK KYLE ORTON
Q: I know you haven't been with the Bills for the whole history here, but it's the team's first time winning at Gillette. I don't know what kind of impact it has on you, but could you tell that it meant something to some of the guys in the locker room?
KO: Well, I think any time you step on the field is important. You know, every team is different and this group, we played for each other all year. And played hard for each other and its great whenever you get a winning season and win the last game against your rival, you know. It was a good accomplishment for us today.
Q: It looked like there were some opportunities early in this game for you guys to get chunk plays, offensively, and you did. What were you seeing out there that maybe allowed for those opportunities to come to fruition?
KO: Yeah, they were playing man-to-man coverage, like we thought they would. Offensively [the] line did a good job early in the game protecting, allowing the wide receivers to get down the field and work on their routes. And the guys did a good job of getting open.
Q: Jumping out to a lead like that, 14-3, can you just maybe comment on how much easier a win comes when you are ahead on the scoreboard early and you can call whatever you want? Just the freedom you have when you are ahead on the scoreboard.
KO: No doubt, it is great playing with the lead and I think all year for us was just the plays where we had 11 guys doing their job. We moved the ball up and down the field and you know, in this league if you don't have that consistency, it's hard to be a good offense. So, I'm glad we ended up playing well and getting the win.
Q: Can you comment on the significance of the winning record knowing the playoffs were off the table? Is that the next best thing you could hope for?
KO: Yeah, I guess. You know, obviously we didn't accomplish everything that we wanted to do. But like I said, we played hard all year, played for each other, and came up a little short.
Q: Can you talk about your season and how satisfying it was. I know you guys didn't make the playoffs, but personally.
KO: To be honest with you, I really didn't go into it with a ton of personal goals. I think the later in your career you get, most of your goals are just team goals and fighting for that chance to get in the playoffs and have fun. So, you know, I'm obviously disappointed.
