Q: You guys must be happy in that it is the month of December and you guys are challenging for a playoff spot?
TC: Exactly, we've put ourselves in a good position to make a playoff run so I guess that is all we can ask for.
Q: Tom Brady has certainly had less work than you have, but you haven't had a lot of games under your belt even though you are in your third year?
TC: Well I started pretty much every game as a rookie and then last year I only got to play like six games before I got hurt. So yeah, I haven't got that chance to play a lot of games, but I feel good about the experience that I have gained so far.
Q: Did you have any idea that your team would have this kind of a season with the coaching change? Often times there is an adjustment period, but you adjusted to victory instead of the other way?
TC: Exactly, you know I think obviously we wanted to believe that Coach Davis was the right guy and we bought in to his system and believed in what he was teaching and fortunately for us it came out to where it was a good step for both people and we have been able to get some wins under out belt.
Q: He said today that he thinks you are the quarterback that can lead that team to the Super Bowl. That is pretty good stuff from your head coach?
TC: Absolutely and I'll tell you as a quarterback when your head coach says stuff like that about you I think you just go out there and you play with so much more confidence. I think it helps your teammates to believe in you even more and more. So I think the relationship that me and Coach Davis have developed in short period of time, I think we both have a mutual respect for each other, which is a great thing.
Q: Perhaps one of the most difficult things to do in the world of sports is being the quarterback of an expansion team?
TC: Yeah.
Q: You have gone through it and perhaps down the road you will be a stronger quarterback because of it?
TC: Definitely so. I think like you say, it's a really tough experience to go through and being especially a rookie starting quarterback on an expansion team. It doesn't make life any easier for you, but we've hopefully worked our way through that situation and we've moved on to bigger and better things. I definitely think it has really helped me grow as a person and it definitely makes you have some thick skin. You learn to take criticism and deal with it in the right way and let it motivate you instead of get you down.
Q: One of the unique things is the ebb and flow of being an NFL quarterback, it is a tough existence isn't it?
TC: Yeah it definitely is. You go through so many ups and downs as a quarterback. I think the main thing as a quarterback is you have to have great talent around you. I think when Edgerrin James got hurt in Indianapolis I think that directly affected, that hurt Peyton Manning. When that running game is gone I think that that hurts. I think as a quarterback you have to have guys around you stay healthy and you've got to stay healthy yourself to be really consistent and be good for a long time.
Q: You guys have had some good games, but last week you got behind early and it was a tough deal?
TC: Yeah, absolutely. We fumbled the opening kickoff and then we went three and out on our first series and they drove down and went up 14-0. So then we got back and got some points on the board, but we really did get behind the eight ball and with a talented team like Tennessee I think it's a tough situation to put yourself in.
Q: I am sure you have had a chance to look at the Patriots and they are playing terrific right now?
TC: They really are. They're an aggressive defense. I think they are doing some good things with their fronts. They are playing a lot of different looks up front. They move Willie McGinest around quite a bit and so we are going to have to account for where he is at on the football field at all times. You know their secondary is good. They're a real experienced secondary. You know Ty Law and Otis Smith and those guys can really play and they've been around and seen a lot of different things.
Q: If you care to dream about the playoffs I suppose this weekend is as important as any weekend you have had this fall?
TC: It definitely is. As a team I think we all feel like this is a huge game for us. We've got five games left and four of them are on the road. We are going to have to go out and win some tough games and upset some people that we're notā¦and beat some teams we're not supposed to beat on the road to make it to the playoffs. So this is just one team that we've got to, that's is on our way to making it to the playoffs for us.
Q: Can you fathom the way [Tom] Brady has played? He has had four games of 70 percent completions. That is pretty amazing for a guy that had to come in at the last minute and maintain the job?
TC: It really is. I know Tom pretty good. A mutual friend, Aaron Shea plays here on our team here and they played together at Michigan. So he's been really patient with the situation where he backed up Drew for a long time, for a couple years whatever. He finally got his chance to play and I think he's a good example of a guy taking advantage of an opportunity when it came his way. I think he's playing great football right now.
Q: Is there a fraternity among NFL quarterbacks? Do you pull for other guys you might know or have played with?
TC: Yeah, absolutely. I think being a quarterback in the NFL is an elite fraternity. I think we all have a mutual respect for each other and we all understand what a quarterback has to go through and how much you have to understand and how much you have to know. I think any time you are actually friends with a guy I think you definitely pull for him and you want to see him do good, except when your team is coming to town to play him.