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**Q: Does it feel like you've played 207 games?**
A: Some days it does, some days it feels like many, many more than that. It's been a long time coming. I'm just really and truly, it will probably mean more to me another day, I'm just glad we won the football game. Like (offensive coordinator) Charlie (Weis) said earlier in the season, the wins are great, but the losses are much, much harder to take in this league. It wears on you, so I'm just glad we won the football game first and foremost. I feel good about it.
Q: It never feels like less than 207 games?
A: When you win it does. When you win you fool yourself, and you say, 'Okay, I'm at the half way point.' After every loss you say, 'Okay, I can't be doing this, this is not fun.' I'm happy we won the football game. I've been here long enough to achieve something like this.
Q: After achieving this milestone, have you given any thought to your future?
A: Yeah, we play on Thursday, Thanksgiving Day in Detroit and that's about it. That's how I've approached it every year and that's how I'm going to continue to think.
Q: Would you like to finish your career in New England?
A: I've never thought anything other than that. Nothing has made me think any other way.
Q: When you think about the year the team went 1-15, does this season compare to that season?
A: I'm sure there are similarities, when you're 1-15, it wasn't like we went out and lost every ball game. When it came time to make plays to win the ball game, we just didn't have the abilities to do it for that reason. Those are one of the parallels to this season, but it's like comparing apples and oranges, different players, different coaches, different era, so everything is different. I really don't try to make those comparisons, but you have guys who ask, I was around there, so they ask, 'Does it feel the same?' 'Was the attitude the same?' There are similarities and there are differences. Bottom line, you work hard and try to win the football game.
Q: You and Drew Bledsoe have had a special relationship over your careers?
A: Yes, without question. When I came into the league, I had the privilege of playing with Steve Grogan. To play the position that I play, the way that I play it, you take your job personally. I do. I take my job it personally. I feel like, for him to do his job, I have to do mine. I watched this kid come in and helped him to do the things that he has done to become the player that he has become and I take solace in it. When I'm at home, and I'm thinking about him, I feel good, I feel good about how his career has gone. I feel like I had a hand in it, I have a great relationship with him.
Q: Drew Bledsoe has always said that you're the man he entrusts his life to. When all is said and done, is that the kind of respect you want to remembered with?
A: Absolutely. I knew this day was coming, and people wanted to talk about it earlier in the week. I didn't want to talk about it. I'm not trying to make anybody's job hard on them, I'm not trying to be an asshole per se, at least not all the time. When in the season, and in a four-game losing streak, like I said in the beginning, it is not about me, it is about the football team and trying to win football games and this week has been good and today has been really special. I've had a lot of guys on this team from Drew (Bledsoe), (Chris) Slade, those guys that I've been with the longest, to (Damien) Woody and Patrick Pass who got his first start today, congratulating me and saying, 'We want to win this game for you. We want this to be a good memory for you.' And it will be and it has been a great day, but it is not about me and it is not for me. The New England Patriots won the game today, which we definitely needed. That monkey was growing exponentially that was on our backs it was just getting bigger and bigger. You can just take it off. We're going to go out and have a couple drinks tonight and instead of crying in your beer, it tastes a little sweeter. We have a short week coming up. We have to go work on Thanksgiving, life in this league is a little easier when you win.
Q: How much longer do you want to play?
A: Like I said, I'm just taking it game by game, and I'm going to see how it happens. It's a question that is out there. And honestly I feel that it will take care of itself. Last year, I didn't feel that way, but this year I do, I feel it will take care of itself.
Q: If you lost today, would you be here right now?
A: Honestly, hell no. I don't want to be here right now. Everywhere I go, Stacey (James) follows me. I go to the bathroom, he's following me. First of all, he has an androgynous name and now he's following me into the bathroom. I felt like I'd come here. I have habits that I've developed over time, and I have. I don't like losing, I never have. It's not about not being a stand-up guy, or not being professional, it's hard. I've been a part of teams that lost a lot of games. I have a hard time running out to the middle of the field shaking hands after you lose, so this is 12 years of being here. So, I'm not going to run out when you win either, because it is hypocritical. You have to be one way the whole time, and that's all I try to be. That's the only way I know how to do it. So, would I be here had we lost? Probably, because the occasion dictates it, but my attitude would be a lot nastier.
Q: What's your attitude about playing on Thanksgiving Day?
A: I'm sure my knees are going to appreciate that one. It should be a privilege in this league. You have your family, you get together and you enjoy NFL football. Those four teams make that sacrifice. For what we do, to be asked to give up that one day every now and then, I look forward to it. I've never done it before.
Q: What kept you motivated to keep going?
A: I thoroughly and truly enjoy what I do. It is not necessarily playing the game, I enjoy winning, I enjoy this feeling. Football has always been there for me. In high school it pretty much kept me out of trouble, it got me into college, and it paid for college, it gave an opportunity to go to school and it became my profession. At some point it stops becoming a job that's when the passion is not as high. That's when you don't enjoy it other than for monetary reasons, and I enjoy it, I'm good at it, there's nothing wrong with enjoying going to work every day. I hate practice, but I've always hated practice. But you can't play without practicing, and the opportunity to go out and perform and win ball games that's what keeps me going.
