LB TEDY BRUSCHI

(On the status of his injury)
"I'm doing okay. I've gotten a lot better and things are looking up for me."

*(on his preparation)
"I have not practiced. I've been doing the rehab with the trainers and getting better and that's one thing I'm encouraged about is I have been getting better. So, I look forward to seeing what I can do again today and tomorrow."

*(on if he expects to play Sunday)
"I want to, I want to. I can't tell you how my injury situation is going to become Sunday, but this is something, that you all know, I'll do everything I possible can to play in this game and it's going to take a lot to hold me out."

*(on if the extra week helped him heal)
"Yeah, it really does because if the game was yesterday or last Sunday, I don't know (if he'd play), I couldn't tell you. Having that extra week, it's really helped me out, probably more than anyone else on the team. It's helped me out a lot."

*(on what would determine if he plays)
"Well if I'm in a situation where if I'm out there and I'll hurt the team, I got to do what's best for the team, and let Ted Johnson go. Ted Johnson's completely capable to do the job if you ask me. But, I'm a tough guy, I'm a tough guy, and I've dealt with a lot of pain before in my past, and this is the biggest game of my career. I've been in two Super Bowls before, but this is the one that is right now, in the current time, that's going to happen here in a few days. So, it's going to be very difficult to hold me out of this game."

*(on his passion for the game)
"It's just the will to win, I want to win. I want to be on the best teams. I want to be a member of the best teams. I don't really strive for individual accolades or any type of individual goals or anything like that. I've never set any individual goals, I just want to win. I've told myself to do everything I possibly can to help the team win."

*(on how he obtained his passion for the game)
"I think it's just an attitude of being unselfish, not what's best for your situation or how are you going to come out of a certain situation, but always looking at the people that are around you. Caring about the people around you and doing what's best as a whole, as a group, as a team, instead of just what's best for the individual."

*(on what percentage of 100% he would play)
"I don't really look at it in terms of percentages, it's just I'll measure the pain. If it's too painful to go, I'll tell myself that maybe it's best for the team if I didn't go. But, if it's something I can manage, and I feel like I can manage quite a bit of pain, then I'll go."

*(on the exact injury)
"We have never discussed what my injury is, and we're not going to start that now."

*(on if he is happy with his progress)
"Yes, I feel pretty good today, and when I last talked to you, I feel a lot better than I did then. So, each day I've been making significant strides I feel, to get on the field on Sunday. Today's a day where I still have to go out and do my rehab, do some things on the field out there. Tomorrow will be another day where I'll step up the preparation a little more."

*(on the impact Coach Belichick has had on him)
"He's a good football coach, and that's going to help you no matter what type of football player you are. In terms of my career, I'm just a guy where he'll ask me to play this position. This week, this year, next year may be a different position, but I'll play it. I started out this year playing the WIL position (weak-side linebacker), and right now I've been in the MIKE position (middle linebacker) most of the year. So, I've always been an interchangeable part of Coach Belichick's schemes. So, in terms of my career, he's always put me in a position where I can play."

*(on how this injury compares to past injuries)
"In terms of pain that I've dealt with in the past, I've dealt with a lot of pain. A lot of us have had to deal with injuries in our past, but it's just something you have to deal with and do the best you can. It's only Tuesday today too. I still have a significant amount of time to get better, and I plan to be a lot better by Sunday."

*(on if his family is coming to the game)
"The family's coming in Thursday, they're staying in the family hotel just down the street from us, so it's going to be nice having my family so close."

(on is he is surprised that Romeo Crennel is not getting a head coaching position)
"Yes, yes I'm surprised because when all the jobs were open, and there were seven or eight head coaching jobs available, I looked at some of the guys on our defense and said, 'we're going to lose RAC (Romeo Crennel). We're going to lose RAC, what are we going to do?' I thought it was in the bag that he was going to get a job, and I only thought that because of the outstanding job he does with us, and I see him as a head coach."