Pete Kendall
On this being a big game for Ty Law...
I haven't had this conversation with Ty (Law), but me personally, if I had been to four or five Pro-Bowls and then had been a part of winning three Super Bowls; Ty, to me, was one of the corner stones of that team, so it wouldn't surprise me if someone in that situation really felt like, "I get hurt and this is the thanks I get." I think that it was the last year of a real big contract with a number that probably both sides were a little artificial when they signed it. I guess a business decision was made. In general terms, you always want to go back and play well against the team that you left whether it is that you stay in close contact with those guys and you want to have something to hold over their head, or whether it is a little more stifled than that. I just think that anytime you go back and play a former employer, it's a big game.
On playing NE in two of their last five games...
I looked at our schedule like I didn't think anything would be determined until December because we'd have technically three games in Dec., one in January and four of our last five are divisional games and I just thought, in my own opinion, I thought there would be four teams there fighting for two playoff spots and the month of Dec would go a long way in determining which two teams that would be. Although the teams are still kind of bunched rather closely, it's not the records that I thought.
On the AFC East...
I was really convinced that this was the strongest division in football having played in it last year and looking in the off-season, I thought it was really quiet so the four teams, at least the three teams, I know MIA had a coaching turnover, but I saw that as a positive to their organization. Our combined record this year is really surprising, but that's this League. As soon as you think you have something figured out, something else jumps out to make it obvious that you don't.
On last weeks' offensive performance...
We were better offensively last week. There aren't any two ways about that. I'm not going to stand here and say that was the worst we played as an offense; we showed some signs of improvement. We didn't turn the ball over; I think we had five drives that ended with points and a sixth one that is still a bit of a head scratcher that maybe should've ended with points. That's not how we've operated this year and that's a positive thing. Momentum from one week to the next, I don't know. Maybe if you do it a few weeks in a row, you could expect a whole bunch of carry over, but this is a whole different group that we're facing and there are going to give some different challenges from the group that we saw Sunday night and who knows how our group is going to play. Ideally, you'd like to pick up where you left off, but we'll find out Sunday.
On the differences that he's seen in Brooks Bollinger from the BAL game...
Well he was standing a lot more. We were able to keep him up a little bit better; we were able to run the ball a little bit better. The difference from BAL and that game in particular, is that when you compare the two games, Brooks wasn't just asked to manage the game. He took some chances down the field. He threw some really nice passes down the field and whether it was by design or whether it was by the fact that he didn't have much time to go back and set his feet against BAL, it was a night and day difference.
On how much it would mean to get Curtis Martin 1,000 yards rushing...
You'd have to ask Curt. The rushing title was worth luggage. For him to be the only guy to do that, or to have been able to be a part of him being the oldest guy to win a rushing title one year and the next year becomes the first player to rush for 1,000 yards in 11-straight years, would be something that I would look back at with some pride. I think there have been a lot of guys that have played in front of Curtis in NE and here, when he first started this streak and I'm sure they're rooting for him too.
On the difficulties of the rushing game with the problems of the offensive line...
It's certainly been harder this year. Ordinarily, 1,000 yards is not a big deal. It just means that you've been healthy enough to carry the ball. You really only have to average about 65 or 68-yards per game, but given the adversity that we've had to go through and the fact that he's done it 10 times prior, would make this mark special if we could get this for him.
On how bad the team needs a win...
We need a win. This locker room isn't about to implode by any stretch, but a win would certainly be welcome. Our confidence level, it's probably not at an all-time high but I think the guys have taken the right approach in being realistic. We have made some strides however small they may be to the outside. We have a chance to play better if we can stay healthy and keep the same group in there but we also know there are still things that we can get better at and the guys have maintained the focus enough to come to work and do those things.
Jonathan Vilma
On the guys in the locker room staying together through the tough times...
We had that from the get-go. In the beginning of the season, I knew we had tough guys or character guys so that was never an issue. It was just for whatever reason we were not executing or we had a lot of guys injured.
On if they'll give a good fight in NE...
We're not going to just put up a good fight. We're definitely going there to win the game. Putting up a good fight and keeping it close are not our objective; we're out there to win the game. We're not even trying to let them know anything, we're trying to win. We trying to win and run out.
On the offense...
The offensive play has been improving the last couple weeks, aside from the DEN game, but they've been doing a good job and it's just unfortunate that we couldn't pull it off in the end.
On the sacks being down this year...
It's frustrating, but it's a combination of a couple things. It's not the D-line, not anybody in particular, it's a combination of things and we just have to improve on certain issues in certain areas to get everything up.
On teams running more hurting sack totals...
Exactly. With a 14-point lead at the end of the first quarter, they don't need to pass the ball anymore.
*On how disappointing *
It's been disappointing in the fact that the way we're getting beat in the running game has nothing to do with physical; it's a lot of mental. That's probably the most frustrating thing that we're getting beat on mental assignments and the get us for nine or 10 yards. In ATL they got a 65-yarder. Just things like that makes it a little more frustrating.
On how the Jets/Patriots rivalry has been for him...
Not good. We lost both games last year. Everyone gets up for the game, the crowd, both times we played them last year, the crowd was into it. It's a very exciting game; it's too bad that we lost. If we would've won one of those games, it would've made the rivalry a little more intense.
On playing the defending SuperBowl champions...
Not at all, I just want a win.
Brooks Bollinger
On Tom Brady...
He's set the bar pretty high for a sixth-rounder.
On the importance of this game and putting back-to-back performances together...
I don't even think of that as much as winning the game. I know I've said this repeatedly, but I want to win a football game. Last week is over, that's last week. I've played better than I have previously, but I'm not good enough to win. I look at it as there were some positive things in it, but as a whole, I need to play better. Last week is gone and I'm trying to do whatever I can this week to get us in the right column.
On the Patriots being on their toes looking for the bootleg...
Hopefully they are. That will open some lanes for Curtis (Martin); hopefully they have to honor that.
