(On Tampa Bay's offense)

"Well, just looking at them on film, they're an explosive offense, they like to get the ball, spread it around, and especially get it downfield with (Joey) Galloway. First and foremost, I think we have to be prepared for their running game. I think it's a team that likes to run the football, they want to run the football, and they want to pound the football. We're going to have our hands full with this team. I think it's going to be important that we try to make them be a one-dimensional team. I think if we can do that, we're going to be fine. I think we need to continue to add onto what we've been doing the last few weeks."

(On the tuck rule game)

"Man, that's a couple Super Bowls ago. At that point, I was like 'Oh my goodness what has happened?' It was in the rulebooks and it was part of the game. You've got to play by the rules."

(On the Patriots being able to maintain their level of success)

"First and foremost, I think we have a combination of a few things working for us. We have a good coaching staff and good players here. We have guys on this football team, I say it all the time, guys on this football teams who are a lot of characters. When ball games get close, we feel like we have the resiliency and we prepare for those situations all the time. We feel like we can come out with a win in those situations. I think you need guys on your team, that when you get in those situations, you can count on those guys. It's a level of accountability. I just feel like that's been a big reason for our success."

(On the advantage of having the Buccaneers play in cold weather)

"Everyone always talks about the weather. I think it's more of a mind thing. When teams come up here, a lot of them don't want to play in the cold, and they're ready to go back to their warm climate. I think it's more of a mind set. I'm from down south. I'm from South Carolina. I've gotten used to it, I just have to deal with it. It's been a big advantage for us up here. Anytime we can get teams up here, to play on our field, in the cold and have them come in and have to adjust to the elements, it can be tough."

(On having Tedy Bruschi back)

"Well, personally, just getting Tedy back was a big boost. He means a lot to the football team. He's an emotional player. He plays with a lot of passion and a lot of energy. And then just what he means to the defense. He makes all the calls, all the checks, with a combination of him and Mike Vrabel. I think there's a lot that goes on behind the scenes that a lot of people don't see, that Tedy brings to the table. Just the leadership level and also his big-play ability out on the football field as well. Anytime you can get a guy like that on your team as a defense, I just think it is, you just look back there and see 54 back there, it just boosts the level of confidence of not only the defense, but the total football team."

(On the Patriots taking a step back because of all the injuries)

"At this point right now, we're just trying to focus on ourselves and understand that we have to get better as a football team. If I'm not mistaken, I don't think they've handed out any trophies as of yet. There's still some football to be played and I think this is the most important time in football, the last couple games and also leading into the playoffs. We still have the opportunity to still go out and obtain our goal. It may not be the route that we wanted to take early on in the season, but there have been some guys that have ventured off track, but we still can get to the same common goal. We still have that in front of us and I think we still control our destiny. It's just a matter of how hard we continue to work and how hard we prepare in order to achieve those things. We've done it time and time again, but it's just a matter of doing it again."

(On the Indianapolis Colts)

"I think what they've done over there, Tony Dungy and that offense and defense, just the way that they've played, I think it's a compliment to all their hard work. It's something in the NFL when you're playing for a part of history. You really don't want to talk about it at that time, but I think it can be something that you can look back upon and say 'I was a part of that team that went undefeated' or whatever the case may be. I'm sure they're probably not looking at it that way, just like when we went on that 21 game winning streak. We just weren't looking at it 'ok we don't want to break this', but it was on the back of our minds, but we still had to go and take care of business week in and week out. I think if you take care of what is in front of you, that day and that game, everything else will take care of itself. What they've done has been remarkable."