Q: On the running backs…
TB: I thought they ran hard. Corey [Dillon] ran hard to start. There were some great holes in there. Hopefully our running game is really a strength this year. Last year we didn't get off to a great start. It was nice to see some flashes tonight of what it could be like. I think we have to get back to work, to be a little more consistent throughout the course of the game, but there are some things to build on.
Q: On rooting from the sideline…
TB: Matt [Cassel] goes in there and we're all excited to see those other guys play because we're out there working hard with them in the summer and training camp and we sit in the meetings. When the quarterbacks are out there, I want everyone to do good. We didn't get to finish the job off there in the end, but Matt played really hard. He made some nice passes. I'm sure there are some plays that he'd want back, but I'm excited to see him play next week because I think each time out he grows.
Q: Is he good enough to back you up?
TB: Coach Belichick makes those decisions. He's the one who decides what he wants to see. Matt does everything coach asks him. Football is very important to him. Being around him I know how competitive he is. He did a lot of good things tonight. I think all of those guys who were in there did some good things. I think as a team we're going to need to play better than we did tonight. When you play good teams like this you can't make all those penalties, miss guys, turnovers. Overall we have to do better.
Q: On helping Cassel…
TB: I'm there more for if he has questions for me. He's a very smart guy. He's done a good job of that since he's been here. He understands the game. When he makes a mistake, he's probably harder on himself than anyone else is. Josh [McDaniels] coaches him hard and wants him to do well. I just think that he has grown a lot in this last year and he feels very comfortable out there.
Q: How did that first drive go?
TB: It was good. It was good. On third and 18 we ran a draw for a first down. I don't know if that has ever happened. Guys blocked hard. Corey ran hard. Laurence [Maroney] ran hard. Kevin [Faulk] made a nice play on the screen. It felt good. It felt like we were in a good rhythm. I wish we could have finished it off.
Q: How exciting is it going to be for you to have the three different running styles?
TB: Each guy in our offense does different things. If you look at our receivers, Troy Brown is entirely different than Deion [Branch] and Deion is entirely different than Reche [Caldwell]. Same with the tight ends. [Dan] Graham and [Ben] Watson are very different players and Dave Thomas is different, Garrett [Mills] is different. It's kind of like the running backs too. They all offer something different. And hopefully everybody finds a role. It's nice to have some depth at those positions, but who know how it's going to play out. Depth can dwindle kind of quickly if guys get injured. But if you have all three of [the running backs] healthy all season it should be something to see because they're all very talented and they're all very smart and they work hard. Not only do they run well, but they pass protect just as well, and, from a quarterback's standpoint, when your running back is back there protecting you, you always feel good about it.
Q: It's unique to have all these guys with such varied talents.
TB: And each guy when they're in there, they have to do their job and they have to play their role. And if you can do that cumulatively as a group, you're going to move the ball. You're going to convert third downs, because whenever you get the ball in Deion Branch's hands he's going to do something with it. If they double cover Deion we're going to throw it to Reche and see what he can do with it. If they want to play back and play the pass, great-- we'll hand it to Corey. If they want to rush the passer hard we'll throw a screen. It's that type of thing where the defense almost feels defenseless because you're being so offensive in your attack and attacking so many different parts of the weaknesses of their coverages. That's what you're looking for. That's certainly the way that we feel we can approach this season with the type of players we have. We certainly need to play better than we did tonight. But at times we did some very positive things.
Q: What are you going to say to Deion about the game?
TB: I'm sure he was watching it, living and dying with us. When he shows up, he'll be in great shape and ready to go. I know he's dying to be out here.
Q: Are you looking forward to playing more?
TB: I'm always bored to death when I'm not in there. It's terrible watching from the sideline. You realize how much you don't like it. But it is fun to watch the other guys play because those guys have worked very hard to put themselves in a position where they can go out to compete and play in the NFL. I support those guys throughout, but at the same time you really want to be out there as long as you can.
