Q: What is the biggest thing you need to get out of this bye week?
MC: As a team we need to go out there and work on the things that we struggled with in the first three weeks and build on the things we did well.
Q: What is your assessment of how the first three weeks of the regular season have gone?
MC: We are 2-1 and we would love to be 3-0 but we are not. There are a lot of teams out there that wish they were 2-1 right now. We have some things to improve on and we will. There are a lot of positives going on and we will continue to build on those.
Q: Last week didn't go as you would have liked but how important is it to get more reps as the season progresses?
MC: Every rep I can get is valuable. With every look I can get and every defense I play against I get more experience. We will just keep learning from each and every situation that comes up and try to get better.
Q: You have been around Troy Brown for a few years. What are your thoughts on him retiring today?
MC: Troy [Brown] is a phenomenal guy. I was blessed enough to play three years with him. He had such a presence in the locker room and was a great leader. A lot of these Super Bowl banners that are hanging up around the stadium have a lot to do with Troy Brown. I couldn't be happier for him on this day. He has had such a successful career with 15 years in the NFL. All the good fortune that comes his way he deserves it.
Q: Some other strong AFC teams are struggling right now. Can you talk about how you start the season isn't as important as how you finish?
MC: You would like to go through the season and be consistent throughout. For us, speaking personally, we have a lot of things that we need to work on and we will continue to work on those. With this bye week we will be working on a lot of different things. Hopefully when we get to San Francisco we will be ready and prepared.
Q: How important is the bye week for you in terms of getting more experience and being more comfortable in the offense?
MC: Any time you get a bye week you embrace it as a player. We had a long training camp and the first few weeks went by pretty quickly. The bye week is also a time for you to evaluate your team and where you are and really find out what we need to work on, what our strengths are and try to build on all those things.
Q: What will you personally work on during this bye week?
MC: There are a number of different things I will work on, whether it is mechanics, film study or how defenses are approaching us as an offense. I will try to hone all those skills and continue to work on those.
Q: It seems like you have experienced some highs and lows in your first few weeks as the starting quarterback…
MC: So far, anytime you win in the NFL it is a highlight. Unfortunately, we experienced one of the lows the other day. You never want to lose but it happens in the NFL. There are a lot of good teams out there. From one week to the next things can go your way or the other way. We would always like to stay on the winning side but it happens at times. Right now we will regroup and try to put out a better performance next time.
Q: Did you have a chance to talk to quarterback Tom Brady after the loss to the Miami Dolphins?
MC: We have had conversations since last week. A lot of them just came down to 'look it happens and there are going to be times when you lose. You just have to stay positive and know that you are going to come out and continue to work hard and get better.'
