Q: (In reference to what was said after last week)
TB: I think whatever's said is said, and it's after a tough loss. I think a lot of it might have been, not that I can blame you guys for misinterpreting me, but I think sometimes things are said and maybe don't come off as clarified as I would have liked.
Q: Interpret what you meant to say?
TB: You feel like after you lose four games, you've got to do everything a lot better. And believe me I'm at the top of the list. 1A is Tom Brady, and that's who I'm most concerned about, and I'm most concerned about getting me more prepared, and me playing harder, and me doing all the things it takes to win. Believe me I'm a part of the problem, and I'm going to be part of the solution too. I remember a question being asked, 'did you call the guys out, and I said no, not a bit,' and of course that's what I heard I said. So like I said, maybe I didn't express myself the way I wanted to and unfortunately things get said, and that's part of losing four games in a row too. I understand the role of the media, and the way it works, and I'm making your job easy I guess.
Q: Feel the need to clarify with teammates?
TB: You know I think they know me pretty well, and I think they know just how frustrated I get and how much I want to win. So after a half-hour talk, I don't think everything you've built for the last two years is destroyed with the way that it was interpreted. They know the way it's interpreted by the way I play and the way I try to get ready to play. And I know them too, like I said, I wouldn't rather play with a better group of guys in the league, and I'm proud to be the quarterback of the Patriots.
Q: (Sunday is an interesting game and interesting theatre)
TB: It always is. We struggled with those guys last year, and we still beat them twice. So, it's going to be a dogfight this year, and we need to go out there and win.
Q: (Clarify comments at all)
TB: I go out there and they know me, and the reality is like I said, all these distractions, all this stuff, that does nothing to win games. If we were sitting here at 7-0 we wouldn't even be talking about this, we'd just be talking about how we're going to go beat Buffalo. When you lose four in a row, you guys are looking for everything to write about, and it makes it easy when something like that's said, and that's part of the frustration. Believe me, if we're winning, winning cures a lot of things. Like I said, everything we've built for the last couple of years isn't taken away by how you guys you know … they interpret me the way they interpret me, and that's the way it is.
Q: What's it going to be like seeing Drew [Bledsoe] on the other side?
TB: It's like playing a lot of guys, he's a guy that I've always said I have a great deal of respect for. You know he's got them playing pretty good ball, so we're going to need to play well to beat them, and I think we're excited and it's quite an opportunity for this team. I think everybody's excited. I know I'm excited to go up there and really try to get back on the right track.
Q: (Reaction to Bledsoe being traded)
TB: Something was going to happen, so he was going to be here or he wasn't going to be here, and I was prepared either way. Coach made the call, and he's obviously playing good ball, so you're losing a guy on your team who's a pretty good player, and I think that was the reaction.
Q: Surprised where he was traded to?
TB: No.
Q: (Regarding Bledsoe)
TB: He's set a pretty high standard of play for any quarterback. I looked at those record books for the New England Patriots and he's pretty much at the top of every one. He throws the ball extremely well and he's a great leader, and the one thing about him is he's as tough as they come, both mentally and physically. When you play that well over that long a period of time, there's something to be said for doing that whether your hurt, or whether the teams up or teams down, he's always been a pretty consistent player.
Q: (One or two things really stick out about Bledsoe)
TB: Drew never let any of the distractions really get to him. He was so mentally in tune with how he was going to be ready play and he was a tough guy. He played that way, he threw the ball well, there were a lot of things. Not too many negatives to say, not anything that comes to mind.
Q: Do you think Drew learned anything from you? More animated leader on the field in Buffalo?
TB: I haven't been around him when he's in Buffalo, so I don't want to speculate how I think he's changed. He could probably answer that better than I would.
Q: Importance of starting fast and getting something positive going early?
TB: I think it's going to be important for us to always start fast. Any time you lose four straight your looking for something positive to build on. So I agree, you do need to start fast, get something going early so you can kind of lead into playing four quarters of ball.
Q: (Regarding Buffalo not giving up the "big play" of late)
TB: They're actually playing pretty well and they're playing with a lot of confidence. They've got pretty good corners, and they all seem to be in tune with what their coordinator is getting them to do. They're playing pretty sound ball. They had a bunch of picks against Miami, and beat Miami down there. It says something, forcing those turnovers like they did. They've been winning games and keeping teams out of the end zone.
Q: (Even though he's the enemy, Bledsoe)
TB: I think you do the best you can do, and he's doing the best he can do. He has them at 5-3 and they're playing good ball and he's right at the top. He's throwing the ball well, and all the times I'm watching tape, and watching obviously the Buffalo Bills offense, I'm always kind of watching to see how he's playing.
Q: (Regarding Bledsoe wanting to beat the Patriots)
TB: He knows we want to stick it to him too, we're in a tougher situation than he's in. We're the ones who are looking up to them. We're the ones that have that attitude, and we're the ones who really want to go up there and really play well. Every week it's something like that. Every week someone go released from a team, or someone's trying to get back at someone. That's important, but after that ball's snapped, that has more to do with leading up to the week.
Q: (Not discernible)
TB: I'd say that all those things that lead into the week, no matter what's said or what's done that doesn't do anything to win games. All the things we say in the locker room does zero. The things that help you win games are what you do on the practice field, and preparing and playing on Sunday. All that other stuff is exactly what it is, its distractions, and for every minute you spend take away from preparing, you're losing ground. I'll let you guys talk about all that stuff and we'll get ready to try to win a football game.
Q: How much time does it take to get better?
TB: As much as it takes. I think every week we're trying to work harder, and every week, it's like studying for a test. You study your test and you flunk, so you try to study harder the next time even though you think you're giving it your all, you try to study harder. I know yesterday that I prepared harder on a Tuesday than I ever have before, and I think that's what its going to take. And if that doesn't work we'll try something new. It's always working harder, trying to get even more ready to play, and it's the only thing you can do. You can try to collectively come together after all of those pieces are put together and go at it as hard as you can.
