New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick addresses the media during his press conference on Friday, October 10, 2008.
BB: We brought in the cold weather. It's been a good week out here. We will try to wrap up today on some situational stuff, which is always important against the Chargers. Then, we will head down there tomorrow. It's been a good week here and I know everyone is anxious for the game. It is a big game Sunday night [against] a real good team. [It's] a good rivalry and a tough, physical team in San Diego. We know we have our work cut out for us.
Q: On the practice field right now, some guys are kicking around a soccer ball. I was curious if you have seen that ball around in the locker room and what your thoughts are on football intersecting with futbol?
BB: Yes, I have seen it around. If I get close enough to it I will put it over the fence.
Q: The players talk about how it helps them footwork wise. Do you buy into that?
BB: Yeah, I wish that was all there was to it. We will let them play around with it a little bit.
Q: Can you talk about all the equipment you brought out here, everything from the tackling dummies to the sound equipment on the field?
BB: Well some of this stuff is San Jose's. But it is a big operation - all the video equipment, all the training equipment, all of the preparation stuff. Our operations people have done a great job and also those [who are] working on the fields here. Just setting up the hotels, the equipment people, the training people and all of that here at San Jose, moving us from Boston to hear and down to San Diego - it is a lot of work, there is no doubt about it. Those guys are doing a great job and have made it really smooth for us. The hotel has been great and San Jose has been great.
Q: Is it hard for you to pass Los Angeles and there be no football?
BB: I remember those days going to the Coliseum with both the Rams and the Raiders. But really that is not on the top of my list. I am just trying to work on San Diego and get our football team ready.
Q: Can you talk about your thoughts on Gary Guyton? He seems to have done a nice job.
BB: He has. Gary has been here everyday. I don't think he has missed anything at all - not a practice, not a snap. He works hard. He is a smart kid and he has some versatility. He keeps getting better every single day on special teams, on defense, in the passing game and in the running game. We give him different assignments and things to do and he handles it well. He's had opportunities to play and he's been pretty productive in the preseason, last week on defense, and in special teams - he made a real good tackle on a kickoff return. He's one of those kids that works hard and keeps on getting better. As long as he does that I am sure his playing time will increase and he will get more opportunities. He continues to take advantage of them.
Q: Gary Guyton is really fast. Is his speed high end for his position?
BB: I would say he has good speed for the position, yes.
Q: Does that make him a good candidate for the sub package that he was apart of last week?
BB: Yes, that is part of it. He is a good tackler and can run well in the open field. He's smart and he understands that it is a different game when you get all those receivers on the field. It is a little different than the conventional first down formations. But he handles all of that well - the adjustments and all of that. He played in a good system at Georgia Tech. He was versatile there. He played inside, outside at times, maybe not as an outside linebacker, but on different defenses situationally he would play out there. He's very instinctive. He really knows where the ball is.
