**Q: Coach Belichick talks as if Jacksonville is a Super Bowl contender. Do they look like that on film?

TB:** They are pretty good. Early in the year, they probably didn't play as well as they would have liked, but lately they have won three of their last five. Over their last four games they have only given up 33 points. Their defense is ranked fifth in the league. They have a great front seven. They have some guys in the secondary that can really hit. It is going to be a tough test. I think it is going to be important for us to go out there and play our best game.

**Q: It seems like a natural time for a letdown after a big win against a division rival.

TB:** I don't think that is the attitude. I think we very much respect their team. They shut out Houston 27-0 and we were in a dogfight with them. They have some very talented players. There is no way, obviously that this is a letdown. I don't think there are many letdown games in the NFL anymore. This is a very good team.

**Q: Has your offense played it best game yet? Are you still looking for that perfect game?

TB:** Yeah. I think sometimes we have played pretty good, but overall we haven't been as consistent as we would have liked and I think that is something that every team fights. I'm glad we are getting the wins while it is working that way. There is no doubt that we have to perform a little bit better out there.

**Q: Are you happy to see Larry Centers back with the team?

TB:** Yeah. I will be nice to get him on the backgammon table and kick his butt like I used to. There is some new fresh meat in this locker room for me. I'm getting tired of beating up on [Matt] Light and [Dan] Koppen and all those other guys.

**Q: The elements could be a factor again on Sunday with maybe more rain than snow. Can you talk about playing in the snow and the elements at this time of year?

TB:** There is no mystery living back here it is really nice. It is always snowy, cold or breezy. We are going to have to deal with all those different types of weather conditions and maybe rain is a part of it. I'm hoping it is not those 30 mile per hour gusts there were the other night, which makes it tough for anyone to throw. Both teams have to play in it and we practice in it too. It is not like Coach ever brings us inside. That beautiful bubble we have is not really for us. We are outside most of the time.

**Q: The one thing that we keep hearing about Jacksonville is that they are really physical defensively. What is your feeling?

TB:** They are very physical and they hit hard. They have guys that try to take your head off. Donovin Darius is probably one of the hardest hitters in the league. They are not trying to shy away from any contact. They are very physical and their front four is pretty impressive. They have a bunch of really good players up there.

**Q: Can you talk about the approach of not looking ahead and focusing on the game at hand?

TB:** I don't think we ever have the luxury of ever looking ahead. We have been fighting a lot of different battles. One week it is the offense that plays well, one week it is the defense that plays well, one week it is special teams. I think we have done a good job of continuing to try to get better. There is not a lot of self-satisfaction. We have won more games this year than maybe ever. I don't think there is a lot of people sitting back and kicking their heels up and hanging out at this point. We are still trying to make a statement and trying to go out and play really good football and play tough football and know that when teams play the Patriots than they are going to get one of the best in the league.

**Q: Where do you come to the point where you say to yourself that you have won the AFC East, we can be comfortable with the situation as it stands?

TB:** I think that comes into play probably the day after your season ends and hopefully that is February. There is a lot of time to evaluate after the season. There is a lot of time over the course of the summer. This is a normal Wednesday for us. We are into the routine of things with lifting weights, practice and meetings.

**Q: Late December with a nine-game winning streak, is there pressure building on this team?

TB:** I think there is always pressure to go out and win. There is pressure at each individual position to go perform. We deal with different kinds of pressure each week. I think winning brings a different kind of pressure that now you are kind of the hunted. We dealt with that before last year too, so hopefully we are poised enough to understand where the obstacles might be and try to go out there and keep winning games.

**Q: Last year, you were hunted early in the year.

TB:** Yeah. I think all year. Whenever someone meets you. I was watching Tampa Bay and when you see Tampa you are still thinking Super Bowl Champs

**Q: How do you dismiss any pressure?

TB:** We are into a routine now and we have been doing it for four months probably. I think we are in a pretty good routine of how to prepare ourselves and how to get ready each week with film work and weight training. I don't think there is a luxury to look ahead or overlook someone.

**Q: So every week is just another game?

TB:** You are really trying to make it that way. As best as you can do that and the more you can eliminate distractions, and they could be anything – tickets, family or a lot of things that you deal with outside of here that can make the week tough.

**Q: Is it even more crucial now because you are playing for bigger things down the road?

TB:** We are. Being in the position that we are in after 13 games with all the hard work we have put in, I guess you don't want to throw it away. We have really gained some serious momentum and I think it is going to be important for us to continue to sustain that momentum and to do that we need to win. You can't win three games in one week; you can only really handle this team that we are playing. We are going to go out there and do everything we can to prepare so that Sunday it is another week. We are playing a team that is very dangerous and that is a very good team. If you overlook them … if any team overlooks anyone or you don't have the respect for them, you will get beat. It is too hard to go out there when it is all even and then you start taking things for granted and there is no doubt you will walk away pretty upset on Sunday afternoon.

**Q: Is a strength of this team being able to win games any way you can?

TB:** Coach always talks about being complimentary. We have done a good job of holding leads and gaining leads and then holding leads and we have lost two games. Those games we lost were very disappointing losses that I think we learned a lot from and we try not to repeat those same mistakes that we made in those games.

**Q: Do you still feel that you haven't played your best game yet?

TB:** No question, without a doubt. I think the defense has had some tremendous games. I think offensively, we have played some games where we have looked pretty good, but there are still some flaws. We have to go out there and play well and as I think as guys play in the same positions … we have been fighting on offense and we have guys back healthy and hopefully guys want to come in and produce.

**Q: The Patriots public relations staff has a statistic that you are 22-4 as a starter after November 1. Do you guys take pride in that?

TB:** That is pretty cool. I think I have been fortunate to be a part of a team that plays well late in the season. Our coaches do a great job of getting us ready late in the year and the more preparation we have usually the better we are. I have just been playing quarterback at that time and contributing like everyone else. You go right up and down that list and all the guys that have been here as long as I have, have that same record. I think it is really a tribute to all of us. It is something we are very proud of.