Q: Did you feel more like yourself last week as you were playing?
RG: Of course - yeah, for sure. I felt like myself last week, just getting into the groove now. Every single week, week in and week out now, just got to stay in a routine, stay in a groove.
Q: How much of having Martellus Bennett and yourself out there together makes it hard for teams to double cover now?
RG: It's great working with him. It's great going out there with him. In every way possible, you just always try to create a mismatch and whoever it is, if it's a receiver, if it's a running back going out there flexing; if it's Martellus [Bennett] going out there, if it's myself going out there with Martellus, whatever it is, you're always just trying to find mismatches, so it's great going out there with him. I feel like going out there, working all week, we can try and present mismatches so we can make some plays when we get out there on Sunday.
Q: How much of your performance last week was you being healthy again and how much of it was you being able to play with a quarterback you're used to?
RG: I would say it's a little bit of both. I mean, first off, first myself, always got to get healthy. When I'm healthy I can go out there and do what I've got to do blocking, running-wise, catching-wise, running full speed at all times, going full speed every single time I'm out there. It was great to get Tom [Brady] back and everything, but I feel like just my game, I feel like I can go out there and just do what I've got to do. What I try to do, whoever the quarterback is, I'm just trying to do what's best for the team and doing my job to the best of my ability to help out the team.
Q: Tom Brady said he remembers how much focus the team had going into the Cincinnati game in 2014 - what do you remember from that game?
RG: We've just got to focus, which is true. They're a great defense, a very, very solid team. They've been together for a while now, those players. They're big, they thump hard, they come hard, they play hard. You've got to be focused to play them. You've got to be ready mentally and you've got to be ready physically going against this defense. They're big, fast, they're solid and they don't back down. So definitely have to be ready, focus all week, and go out there and be ready to play from play one.
Q: What do you remember about preparing for the Cincinnati game in 2014 in terms of your mindset?
RG: I mean, it was a couple years ago so I couldn't really tell you the details, but just like any other week I would say we prepared to the max, prepared to the full, and we've got a solid team here so we've got to be ready, got to be focused and ready to roll just like any other week. There are a lot of ups and downs every week and every week is emotional, so this is another big game this week.
Q: Has Martellus Bennett offered to share any of the stats or glory after scoring three touchdowns last week while you were getting double teamed in the end zone?
RG: We're a team and all the players here, that's what's so great about working with all the guys here, we're not really worried about that. Martellus [Bennett] has three touchdowns, it can go any other way any other game. The only thing we're all worried about as a team is getting that 'W.' It's great looking at that all, but in the end, if we get that 'W,' that's all that matters.
Q: Wouldn't it be nice to get singled up in coverage sometimes?
RG: It's always nice to be. If I was singled every single play, that would be super nice.
Q: Would you say you're closer to 100 percent after playing in that game or is there still more recovering to do with your hamstring?
RG: I would say this, that if you're playing in the NFL, you're never 100 percent. I mean, any player I would say, speaking for the whole NFL. Playing this game, you're going out every Sunday and banging each other, hitting each other hard. I would say it's rare that someone's going to come out and say that they're 100 percent for every game. I would say just going out there and being fully prepared to the max that I could be physically every single week and being ready to roll. I'm out there now, I'm rolling now, so there's no excuses.
Q: Does this Bengals team look like the team you guys saw two years ago?
RG: They've got a lot, a lot of players that are the same still at defense. Their offense changed a little bit, but their defense, a majority of the players are still there. They still play hard, play tough and they're all physical. They've been together for a while, so I'd say we definitely will get some of the same amount of looks that we got a few years ago from them.
Q: How has it been in meeting rooms with Martellus Bennett as you both have big personalities?
RG: It's great. The meeting rooms are always fun when you get a guy with some personality, too, the whole group as a whole. I feel like Coach [Brian] Daboll does a great job with us. He's an unbelievable coach, he knows his football in and out. We get in, we get our work done and then obviously, you know, every once in a while you've got to keep the room lively. You've got to crack a couple jokes once in a while, talk about - not football the whole time, maybe five minutes of something here and there. We always have a lot of fun but obviously making sure we get our work done, too.
Q: Was yesterday a difficult day with your brother being cut from the practice squad, how are you doing?
RG: I'm doing good. He's a good player and he played - I was super impressed with him how he played. But it's the nature of the business. I don't make any of the personnel decisions here. Hopefully we see him back.
Q: How much did you enjoy the time you had with him here?
RG: Oh yeah, it was great having my brother here. Going home, he was living with me and stuff, too, so it was always great being able to hang out, talk to him at night, crack jokes, get along with each other. But it's the nature of the business, and like I said, hopefully we'll get him back. I believe that when I saw him, he did a great job when he was here.
Q: Is that time you had with your brother Glenn similar to the time you had as teammates with your other brother, Dan when he spent time with the Patriots?
RG: Yes, definitely. Any time, to even make it to this level, the NFL, you see players come in and out nonstop, and to even make it to this level is an honor. It was very cool to be with him for whatever, a couple days, but hopefully things work out in the future.
Q: Chris Harris of the Denver Broncos said you were the toughest cover in football - what do you think of hearing comments like that from other players?
RG: What I think is I just have to keep going out week in and week out, doing what I've got to do to be the best football player I can be on Sundays mentally and physically. I've got to take care of my body every single week so that when Sundays come I can be the best player I can be and hopefully I can stay up to those standards, I guess.
Q: There must be a pretty good feeling to come from other players, aside from your teammates, having such respect for your game.
RG: I mean, we just don't really try to let it get to our head at all. I feel like guys around here definitely, we put that hard work mentality first. Don't let yourself get in front of the team, I feel like. Whenever you get high praise like that, which is very respectful for a player of that caliber to say that, is great, but also at the same time, you can't let that get to your head. You've just got to keep going, going out every single day at practice to work hard and to be the best player you can be. If you don't work hard, you can slip fast.
Q: What were your first impressions of Martellus Bennett when you guys worked out together this summer and did you think you guys would be a good combination on the field?
RG: Yeah, when I first saw him actually, I saw some big dude working out. I didn't even know it was him. I knew who Martellus [Bennett] was and everything, but I just didn't recognize him at the slight moment. I was like, 'Man, that dude is huge.' I was like, 'Who is that?' and they were like, 'That's Martellus Bennett,' and I was like - I looked at him again and I was like, 'Damn, that dude is huge.' So I went up to him and talked to him and then, boom. The next few days, he was on our team. I was like, 'dang.' We were just talking about how cool it would be and everything and it would be great to work with him and everything. I know he's been in the league longer than myself. We were just BS-ing around about how we could help each other out, how cool it would be to feed off each other and all, and it happened. So it was very neat.
Q: Have you ever seen Martellus Bennett play basketball?
RG: We shot around one time, and you can definitely see that he's got some hoop skills. I mean, it was nothing serious, it was just a game of PIG and stuff, but you can definitely tell he's got those basketball skills for sure.
Q: Did you know he declared for the NBA Draft coming out of high school?
RG: Yes. He tells us all the time. He would have been the number one pick.
Q: Do you have any tips for Martellus Bennett after seeing his botched spike on Sunday?
RG: I saw it. It happens. It was pretty funny that it slipped like that, but I've got to give him credit for the wind up. Did you see the wind up he had? A+ there.
Q: Was it a little easier going to the grocery store this week?
RG: I didn't go this week. I'll see you soon though.
