HEAD COACH BILL BELICHICK
VIDEO PRESS CONFERENCE
January 12, 2022
BB: The Bills have obviously had a good year. A good football team. Well-coached. They have a lot of good football players. Well-balanced team. They're good on offense, defense, and special teams. They do a lot of things well on all downs and all situations. That's why they're where they are. We've had two good, competitive games with them here, so we'll see what happens this weekend, but we know we're going to have to play our best game of the year. That's what we're getting ready to do.
On the challenge of playing Buffalo for a third time this year:
BB: Each week has its own challenges. I'd say what's a little bit different about this one is just how quickly we've played Buffalo with a couple of weeks in between each of the games. Again, we know each other well. I'm sure there'll be wrinkles. I'm sure there'll be things that both teams will do that try to keep the other team off balance or to give them a little bit of a different look. I think that's just part of it, whether it's three games or you play a team twice every year for multiple years. It's kind of the same thing. Each game has its own unique circumstances and matchups. The plays won't get called against the same defenses or vice versa. We'll have to see how things play out. I don't think we want to make up our mind on how this game is going to go in any phase of it. We'll execute the things we do as well as we can and if we have to make adjustments, then we'll make them in game, but that's kind of the way it is every week. I don't really see a big change here for us.
On his message to his former assistant coaches who have been let go from their head coaching positions recently:
BB: I appreciate the question. I'm really focused on trying to get our team ready to play Buffalo. Whatever conversations I have with them or anybody else, I'll keep those private, but we're focused on Buffalo here. I'm sure there are a lot of other stories, a lot of other stuff going on in the league, but right now, it's not really anything I'm concerned about.
On conveying the importance of this game to the team:
BB: This is what we try to do every week, every day. Make the most of each day. Try to pay attention to the details. Make sure we understand, work hard, and try to put ourselves in the best position to succeed. I don't think it's any different than anything we've talked about on any other day that we've come in here, practice or game.
On Josh Allen:
BB: Josh is one of the best players in the league. Dynamic player. The ball is in his hands a lot. He can do a lot of things with it, make all the throws at all levels of the field, obviously run with the ball, scramble, extend plays, and throw it. He's a tough guy to tackle. As I said, great arm, can put the ball wherever he wants, and can get the ball out quickly. It's always a challenge to play against him. He's a tough guy to stop.
On Mac Jones:
BB: Mac's been consistent and done a good job for us all year. We all know, at every position, every player, every coach, we all know we're going to have to be at our best Saturday night against Buffalo and that's what we're all preparing to do.
On preparing for a player with Josh Allen's instincts:
BB: We have to prepare for everything. It really comes down to team defense and fundamental execution, doing that the very best that we can. Again, obviously, they have a lot of great players, they're well-coached, and they have a good scheme. All that's challenging, but that's what we have to do. We've matched up with them before. We'll match up with them again here and see how it goes, but it's really the execution of good fundamentals and consistency. I'm sure they'll make some plays. I'm sure we'll make some. Hopefully, we'll make more than they will, but this is a good football team. Offensively, they're very good. The quarterback's very good. I think it's unrealistic to think we're going to go through the game and he's not going to do anything, but we just need to make more than he does. Â
On how they will prepare for the weather in Buffalo:
BB: We've practiced in just about everything we could, any type of conditions we could have and played in quite a few as well. There's no way to turn the temperature down, up, or anything else. It is what it is out there. I think, over the course of the year, we've dealt with, again, almost everything. I have a lot of confidence in our players. Through the course of the careers, they've dealt with multiple situations of all various types, so, hopefully, we're prepared for that. I'm more worried about the Bills than the weather. I think the Bills are what we have to focus on and that's who we have to beat. The weather is the weather.
On how to correct consistency:
BB: Understanding the importance of every play and making sure that we're focused and locked in on each play. If we do it in practice, then it's a lot better odds of success for us doing it that way during the game, so we'll start today. It's always a point of emphasis, but we'll try to emphasize it a little bit more this week. Shorter week, little less practice. Obviously, we're playing a very good team. Not a lot of room for error, so we've all got to do a good job.
On if he emphasizes the urgency of this game more this week:
BB: It's obvious. We all know what it is, so yeah. It's a one game season. We're all well aware of that. Again, we should prepare, play, and coach accordingly. Whatever's the best we've got, that's what we need to put out there.
On if Jalen Mills will play on Saturday:
BB: We'll see how it goes and we'll follow the protocols. He's not here today, so obviously, we won't practice him, but we'll see how it goes.
On his 'DANGERZONE' hoodie:
BB: It's something that the players did a couple years ago.
On what he has learned from playing a team three times in one season in the past:
BB: It's similar to [playing a team] twice. Look, I think the big thing any time you play a team a second or third time, or whatever it is, it's a new game. We're starting from scratch. Don't think or assume the game is going to go like another one did. Be ready to play it out, play it as you see it, and make the necessary adjustments and decisions that come up in this game. Whatever happened in some other game happened. We learned something from that, but we have to play this game as it plays out. It'll be different than any other game. As long as we do that, we'll be OK.
On the benefits of practicing on the game field of Gillette Stadium today:
BB: It's not frozen.
