Patriots quarterback Tom Brady addresses the media during his postgame press conference at the Louisiana Superdome on Monday, November 30, 2009.
Q: How difficult a night was it and how shocking was it to see what they were able to do all night?
TB: You know, there's a reason why they're 11-0. They played really well tonight I think as a team. You know, we obviously didn't play up to their level. Coach said it after the game, they're a great team and we didn't play so great. So there's obviously a big gap between us. It wasn't nearly as competitive as we were all expecting, but that's what happens when you don't play very well against a pretty good team on the road.
Q: On that early interception, do you feel like you put a little extra pressure on yourself trying to be so perfect against this team?
TB: Well, you've trying to make the right play. That certainly didn't help us. We had a lot of opportunities out there during the course of the game and we didn't get the ball in the end zone when we had some chances. So you know we've got five games left, we've got a big game against Miami, we're 7-4. We're just not playing as consistent as we would like against these good teams and that's what you need to do.
Q: You said coming into the game that you like the matchups at wide receiver and tight end. What did they do so effectively against Wes Welker and Randy Moss?
TB: Well, I think they had a good plan. They have some pretty good players over there and we didn't execute really well at times. I think we had some opportunities to make plays and we really didn't. Getting down there in the red area, and kicking field goals, or attempting field goals, before halftime having a chance to get the ball even closer in the red zone and not doing it. You play good offense like we do, you've got to match them and those guys played really well. Defensively, they came up with enough stops. They just didn't execute well enough, I think that's what really it came down to.
Q: I guess we've seen teams double Randy and play different coverages on Wes. But I guess what we're used to seeing is you finding a way to make it work. It didn't seem like you were really able to find that right combination tonight, is that the sense that you had?
TB: This is a team game, so there are 11 guys out there. So if the coverages goes to Wes and Randy, then you have to find other guys to get the ball to and you have to run the ball. At times, I thought we did that. At times, I don't think we did that very well. Like I said, they're a good team. They're 11-0. If we don't play well, we're not going to be able to beat those good teams, especially on the road. We've got three road games left, none more important than the one we're playing this week on a short week. There's only one way out of it, you've got to get back to work and try to do it better next time.
Q: You may not like to think about it this way, but do they look like you guys did in 2007?
TB: That's so long ago, we're a totally different team from what we were then. It's good to be in that position, I'll say that. It's fun when you're winning games like that. They played really well and they played a really good game tonight. In order to beat them tonight, we would have had to have played really well also and we just didn't do that.
Q: Can you pinpoint reasons for that?
TB: Well, it's a collective effort. There are guys out there on special teams, offense, defense. It's not like it's one thing. There are just little things over the course of a game that we're not doing well enough. Sometimes throwing the ball, making reads, throwing interceptions - you can't do that. Having enough chances to score in the red area and not getting it done, you can't do that. I focus on what I need to do better and I certainly need to play better than I did tonight.
Q: The only way you can get over this and Randy talked about how much you look forward to Wednesday.
TB: Yeah, and that's what you have to do. You lose games and you have to find ways to get motivated again and get energized. It's in a short week and you have to understand the opponent we'll be facing. They have a lot to play for, we certainly have a lot to play for - 8-4 is certainly a lot better than 7-4. We've got to find a way to get a win this week.
Q: Getting removed from a game when you're losing ...
TB: You always like to be out there, you know. You'd rather be on the other side of it. But it's for the other guys to get a chance to play. They work hard to get experience when the game is in control for the other team. You always like to be out there, but it's good for those other guys to get some opportunities, too.
Q: Was there any talk with Coach Belichick whether to put Brian Hoyer in? Do you debate it?
TB: No, he's the head coach.
Q: How confident are you that this young defense can regroup both physically and mentally and get going again?
TB: Yeah, I don't think it's a lack of confidence. I think we have confidence every time we take the field. We feel like we have a good plan. We had a good week of practice. We felt like we knew our opponent really well. It felt like we had some really good matchups. Then, you get out on the field and it didn't amount to much. We've done it well at times throughout the season. At times, we've looked great. We're just not doing it consistently enough. Believe me, we're all searching for the problems. It's not like we all come in and go, 'Oh, this is the problem, it's one little thing that's going to change our season.' It's got to be everybody working harder, doing their job and finding ways to do things better than we've been doing.
