Much of the postgame discussion following the Patriots’ 24-20 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars centered on Pats receiver Danny Amendola. And rightfully so: he had perhaps his most clutch postseason performance yet in a Patriots career that was already filled with them.
Check out the best postgame quotes from Patriots players and coaches about Amendola, Tom Brady’s latest playoff comeback, their trip to the Super Bowl, and much more from the AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro.
Tom Brady on Amendola’s second touchdown in the fourth quarter:
“Yeah, it was great. He’s made so many big catches, and I saw he got the one foot in and I just saw it up on the big screen one time. He’s got great hands and just a great sense about where he’s at on the field. So, I mean, he’s made so many big plays for us, and this was huge, and without that, we don’t win. It was an incredible play.”
Bill Belichick on Amendola’s performance:
“Danny’s a tremendous competitor, made some big plays for us. I thought, as usual, he handled the punts great and he had the last punt return that really set us up for the final touchdown. Danny’s such a good football player. When you look up ‘good football player’ in the dictionary his picture is right there beside it. It doesn’t matter what it is. Fielding punts, third down, big play, red area, onside kick recovery – whatever we need him to do. He’s just a tremendous player, very instinctive, tough, great concentration. He had some big plays for us today.”
Amendola on his 3rd-and-18 catch and two touchdowns:
“The third-and-18 play, basically I think I had a little bit of an option route in the middle of the field and I saw that there was room. I had pointed out the line [to gain] before the play snap so I knew where to get to and Tom [Brady] had a laser and it was perfect. The two touchdowns: the first one, the go-ahead touchdown. It’ s a play we’ve worked on—I scored on it a couple of times this year, I think, actually. I have a crosser in the back of the end zone and Tom reads the first whip route on the left to ‘Cookie’ [Brandon Cooks] and then if he doesn’t have it then his eyes come to me in the back. We had it and it was a zone coverage. I obviously didn’t see what happened to Cookie on the first read and then Tommy had a great ball. I knew it was coming right by that ‘backer or safety in the back. It was a great throw.”
Danny Amendola catches a touchdown pass as he is defended by Tashaun Gipson #39 of the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fourth quarter during the AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium on January 21, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)
Dion Lewis on the offense’s ability to rally without Rob Gronkowski:
“It was great, everybody believes in everyone. This is a family. We work extremely hard together. The blood, sweat and tears you put together, since July. Actually before that, since April. So, just to come together as a team. Gronk is a big part of our team, a big part of our offense, everybody knows that. Other guys stepped up, [Danny] Amendola is a [expletive] animal. A [expletive] animal, I am cussing, I don’t care. He’s a beast. To see how he played, everyone played so hard. I am just happy to be a part of it.”
Nate Solder on Danny Amendola’s repeated clutch playoff performances:
“You just wait for it. Come the end the season he’s going to make some unbelievable catch on a third-down conversion. It’s going to be a touchdown, it’s going to be something big and there he was. I was not surprised and the guys that know him weren’t surprised. That’s just the way that he is.”
Rex Burkhead on the fourth-quarter comeback:
“We started getting momentum and really got some drives going. I think after that we kept it going and started getting it in the end zone. We didn’t really have that happening in the first half. Once we started scoring it was a relief.”
Malcolm Butler on the Patriots’ defensive stops in the fourth:
“It’s a team game, and Steph [Gilmore] made a great play. Everyone out there is giving their all, so [we’re] just blessed to have the win, man. It’s great to have the win. It’s not done until the last one, so we’re going to celebrate this one, but we’re going to get back to work.”
Stephon Gilmore on what it means to him to play in a Super Bowl:
“To come from where I came from last year, and be a part of a great team with great players and great coaches is amazing. I love it and that’s why I decided to come here.”
FOXBOROUGH, MA – JANUARY 21: Stephon Gilmore #24 of the New England Patriots deflects a pass intended for Dede Westbrook #12 of the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fouorth quarter during the AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium on January 21, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
Brandin Cooks on his mindset concerning Tom Brady’s injury:
“For me I just had positive thoughts. I didn’t go to the most negative thing. I just had positive thoughts thinking he would be alright and that’s what happened.”
Trey Flowers on how the Patriots were able to rally in the fourth quarter:
“We just knew that we had to keep fighting – one play at a time. We didn’t worry about what happened [the play] before. We didn’t worry about the score. We just continued to fight and gave our offense the ball and they did the rest.”
Phillip Dorsett on his big flea-flicker catch and whether it was in the playbook and practiced for a long time:
“I mean, we have plays that we run when it’s a good look, and it felt like that was a good look. We were in tempo, and we just threw it out there. You’ve just got to be on your toes, because anything can come out of this offense. So, we just threw it out there and we were trying to spark something.”
Phillip Dorsett of the New England Patriots makes a catch over Myles Jack of the Jacksonville Jaguars during the AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium on January 21, 2018 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
Duron Harmon on the look in Tom Brady’s eyes late in the game:
“The look, man. He got that GOAT look, man. I’m trying to tell you. He just lets us know. If we get the stop, he’s going to do what he needs to do on offense to make sure we’re in good shape and that’s what he did. He kept telling us, ‘Let’s get stops. Get us the ball back. We’re going to be able to move this ball,’ and that’s what they were able to do.”
Kyle Van Noy on what the Patriots figured out to play better in the second half:
“To be more humble.”
