Denver Broncos coaches and players comment on their upcoming game against the New England Patriots.
On the Patriots...
"You are going to get a team that defensively, offensively and in the kicking game that will try to exploit your weaknesses. They're going to have a way to win the game. That's evident when you watch them on tape. They're very well coached. He's been consistent that way for so long. He's just really good at taking away some things that you want to do or making you play left-handed, if you will. It's always something different, relative to what he sees on film and what he feels like he has to do versus this offense. That's one of the challenges."
- Broncos Head Coach Sean Payton
"Obviously, coach Belichick is one of the best of all time. He'll have those guys prepared, and they'll do different things. Obviously, they do a really good job, they're really well-coached, really sharp. We're going to have to trust our eyes, trust what we see in the run game, in the pass game, all that stuff and just play clean football. We have a lot of guys that can make a lot of plays, and we're excited to get after it and play at home."
- Broncos Quarterback Russell Wilson
"They're always extremely well coached and prepared. My first year in 2006, we were lucky enough to get to the NFC Championship Game. When you lose that game, you get to coach the Pro Bowl. That's the old system. New England lost to Indianapolis and the Pro Bowl was in Hawaii. I had a chance to get to know him a little bit more. We really studied a lot. That first year, if you were paying attention to, 'Alright, who do we have to study?' Clearly, New England was ahead of the curve relative to a lot of things. The coincidence of just being a first-year coach and then spending a week and having a chance to visit with [him]. Then years later, we had at least four joint practices. There was no conflict. They were in the AFC, and we were in the NFC."
- Broncos Head Coach Sean Payton
On the Patriots defense...
"[They've had] seven or eight of these one-score games. Just go down the schedule. You just have to look at the tape. They're near the top of the league in every category defensively. They're first in the league in rushing defense, red zone defense, third down and all those stats. They make it difficult for big plays. They stay on top. I think they are one or two in 'Big Plays' given up. They've been in a lot of close games. When you watch the film, you can see that. You can see all of those things. Obviously, they've had a quarterback change. We have to have our best week of preparation to get ready for these guys."
- Broncos Head Coach Sean Payton
"There are some unique looks that you don't see on a weekly basis. We have to have a good week of being on the same page and understanding the front we're getting and the defense we're getting. That's the one thing that stands out. I think they're heavy inside. These guys will two-gap, and they do a great job of being strong at the point of attack and shedding blocks. The other thing is I think they're first in the league in tackling efficiency, relative to yards after contact. They are extremely well coached, and they tackle well."
- Broncos Head Coach Sean Payton
"He's [Coach Bill Belichick] a little more willing to adapt a plan suited for just that game where some guys will play their defense and maybe there will be some tweaks to it. He may give you a different front and coverage look that you haven't seen consistently. He's not afraid to disrupt what he thinks your comfort zone is."
- Broncos Head Coach Sean Payton
On the Patriots offense...
"Offensively, they have been through—they're on their second quarterback, and they've had some guys in and out of the lineup. The tight ends play a prominent role in what they do. He's a guy who I know values the kicking game highly, relative to the vision for players. This will be a good challenge for us. We are at home, and we have to have a good week of preparation."
- Broncos Head Coach Sean Payton
