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ARTICLE PATRIOTS SAFETY TY LAW CONFERENCE CALL What do
you think about matching up in the red zone? It is
going to be very interesting. Those guys by far and away are the best red zone
team in the NFL right now. We are going to have our hands full. We understand
what they do, and that is score. They aren’t looking to put up three points.
They are looking to get six. The challenge is there; we just have to be ready to
play. What has
to happen for your defense to come out on top in the red
zone? Whoever
plays the hardest down there. It’s a short field so you have to get up and
challenge receivers. You need to press the line of scrimmage and we have to
tackle. If you sit back and play it soft, the Steelers are going to take
advantage of you. We just want to get up there and compete and beat the guy in
front of you. What can
you guys do to rattle a rookie quarterback? That guy
is a different breed but we just have to go in there and give him some different
looks to see if he can pick up on what we are trying to do. Right now he is
leading that team and he is leading them well. They rally behind him and he is
playing with a lot of confidence. So we will try to rattle him as much as we
can, try to put pressure on him, try to give him different looks, and we’ll see
what happens. With two
championships in three seasons, when do the Patriots get mentioned as one of the
greatest dynasties of all time? We don’t
look at it like that around here, not like we have done something that has never
been done before. The Dallas Cowboys did it in the ‘90’s and the 70’s Steelers,
that was a hell of a team too. Denver won it back-to-back, and so did San
Francisco. So to be mentioned with those great teams is cool, but to say dynasty
right now is farfetched. We just take one game at a time and just let the chips
fall where they may. How does
your defense compare to the Steelers defense of the
70’s? They
have Hall of Famers so I don’t know if that is a good comparison right now.
Maybe if we can get some guys to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame then we can
talk about it. But right now there is no comparison. Those guys won four Super
Bowls and they probably had eight Hall of Famers on their defense. We can’t
touch those guys right now. What do
you mean when you said that Ben Roethlisberger is a different
breed? Maybe I
should say rare, not a different breed, because there have been a lot of great
young quarterbacks that have came into the league. But he kind of reminds me of
a young Drew Bledsoe but with a little bit more escape-ability; he is big and
strong. He just took the team on his shoulders and he’s running with it. I can’t
ever see him sitting back down unless he is injured. It’s his team right now,
and everyone rallies behind him and for a young guy to come in and take control
of a team like the Pittsburgh Steelers, which is a pretty good football team, it
still says something. What
does Duce Staley bring to their offense? Power.
He has the ability to get the first down when it is third down and short. He can
break it open for the long run and he is pretty hard to take down. He is like an
Emmitt Smith-type guy with a low center of gravity; he can break tackles, he can
make the cuts, and he can make you miss so he has the total package.
What do
you think about winning streak? When
people tell you about what we have done, we just can’t see it like that because
when you talk about last year that is a closed chapter to us. And people are
talking about us defending the championship. We aren’t defending anything. That
is a done deal. You can’t take that away from us. So we are starting fresh just
like everyone else is in this league. So we are definitely not defending. I mean
last year was last year, and the 15 games in a row we won last year we were able
to enjoy that once we got that championship but right now it is still early in
the season. We haven’t lost a game yet and that’s fine, but we still have a lot
of work to do. We still haven’t played our best football game. As far as streaks
are concerned, we are worried about this season at hand. When we are all retire
maybe we can look back and say that was a pretty good two-year stretch, but
right now it doesn’t even seem like that because we take one game at a time.
Are you
going to have match up again Hines Ward or Plaxico
Burress? That is
a pretty good question and I’d be a fool to tell you that. I knew someone was
going to ask me that but it’s a pretty good one. I’m going to keep that under
wraps. I’m probably going to see a little bit of both of them. They have a lot
of good receivers over there so you never know what is going to happen on game
day. Is it
the best threesome in the league? They
rank up there. They have been one of the best the last few years. You can talk
about the guys from St. Louis, Indianapolis and Pittsburgh, you can pick your
poison when you talk about receiver corps. Are you
going to try to top Josh Lay’s 82-yard interception return last week, the
longest one at Heinz Field? It would
be nice. It’s good to see Aliquippa boys still getting down out there. Lay is
one of my young protégés. I was working out with him in the offseason and I am
glad he’s doing well. But first things first, let’s go out there and win the
football game. If I’m fortunate enough to get my hands on one of those balls I
am definitely trying to score. I’m not the type of guy to pick it off and lie
down and slide. I’m trying to go to the house. Who is bigger in Boston, the Patriots or the Red
Sox? Would it
mean a lot to you to break the interception record in your
hometown? That
would be great, but I’m not going to go out there thinking of breaking the
interception record. I own a piece of it right now and I’m very happy with that.
I think it will come in do time if I just be patient but it would be nice to be
able to break in front of my hometown fans and family. But it is not a priority
at all. My priority is to go out there and do my job and come away with a
“W”. How many
tickets did you have to buy? I had to
cut it down this time. I said I had to cap it. Those things get expensive every
now and then. But I think I’m up to 40 right now. If this
was a nationally televised game, I’m assuming that you would introduce yourself
from Aliquippa High School why is that? No
matter what, I bleed the Quips and Aliquippa. Michigan was a pitstop for me
definitely. I really had a great time there and appreciate my school, but
everything I’m about is how I was born and breed in Aliquippa. So I’m always
going to recognize them first. How
about Darrelle Revis? Two
corners getting down from Aliquippa -- I love to talk trash in the locker room.
They need to win a few more games (at Pitt), but for those guys being from
Aliquippa to go out there and play the way that they are playing being so young
is great. Darrelle Revis, if they keep their heads on straight and keep playing
well I’ll see them up here. And maybe I won’t be too old and still be in the
league so that I could play with them up here a year or two.
Have you
ever thought about your Hall of Fame credentials? That is
something that I’m shooting for and I always said that when it is all said and
done I want to have the opportunity to be enshrined into the Hall of Fame. It’s
a work in progress, I mean, I have the championships to be a part of the
championship teams. I know that is important. Statistically, I think for where I
am in my career, played nine full seasons, statistically I’m there but I have a
lot of football in me. So it’s a dream that I’m chasing and maybe one day you
guys that vote might vote me in. But right now I’m just chasing more
championships and to pad those stats. What do
you think defines a Hall of Famer? Consistency.
I think people start talking Hall of Fame too early when a guy comes out and has
one or two good years. I mean that’s not hard but if you can do it over a period
of time with making a difference on your respective team, that is what makes a
Hall of Famer. The guys that played at a high level consistently over a period
of time and made a difference on their team; not guys that can go out there and
pick off 10 balls but your team is losing year after year. Is
consistency your main contribution to the Patriots over your
career? Yes I
think that is how I was in high school, college, and the pros. I probably never
had mind-blowing statistics but I have always been consistent in my opinion and
you knew what you were going to get. I mean I wasn’t a one-dimensional
cornerback; I was able to cover the best receivers, the fast guys, the big guys.
You know I’m not going to shy away from tackles. I have always been a pretty
physical guy so I think if you talk about a complete defensive back, I think
that I’m that. My favorite corner was Deion Sanders, of course, he made you want
to play corner. The overall complete defensive back was Rod Woodson because he
could do it all. What
makes Aliquippa High School a winning football program every
year? The way
we are coached. We have coaches
there who have played Division I football and had stints in the pros. Dan Short
and Sherman McBride played at the Division I level and they played the game. A
lot of coaches now are book coaches; they never experienced playing. So I think
we have that to our advantage. We have a lot of guys that come in and help out,
even if they’re not on payroll, they will come back and help. So that just works
to our advantage. It’s a football town. The whole city stops Friday night
because everyone wants to go to the game. That makes players want to go out
there and do well because it’s not going to be a good week if you go out there
in Aliquippa and you lose the game. You know that people are going to look down
on you around there so it’s tradition around there to win and we take that very
seriously. Are you
going to be there Saturday night? Are they
playing on Saturday night? Are you
going to stop by the old neighborhood Saturday night? Well it
depends on what time we get in on Saturday night but that isn’t a priority. I’m
coming down there to do a job, but it would be nice to go home. But I’m working
right now and pursuing some of my goals with my teammates and my other family.
So if I’m fortunate enough to get there, fine. But if not I’ll see them after
the game. What
does Coach Belichick do to get you guys to do what you have
done? Everything.
He isn’t going to give you guys anything but we have a lot of laughs. Actually
coach Belichick is pretty funny, some of the sayings and things that he might
come up with. He’s very active when he has to be. This is like his family so
he’ll let you know what’s on his mind. He has a great sense of humor but I don’t
think that he is comfortable around you guys for some reason or he just doesn’t
like you. I don’t know, but he is pretty fun. Can you
give us an example? No. He
keeps it in-house so I’m going to keep it in-house too. But
whatever it is, it is enough to get you guys
motivated? He is a
definitely a great motivator. I think that Coach Belichick brings other examples
of situations, whether it’s putting on cartoons, taking in a basketball game, or
taking another sport and making it into a scenario for football. I mean he could
take a movie, he could do anything as a motivational tool for us and we get the
message. He always has some type of message week in and week out, and it works.
As long as it is working and we keeping playing well, he is going to keep doing
it. What
cartoon did he use to motivate you? I have
been a part of the road-runner, which took me awhile, but I ended up getting it.
We had Bill Russell come speak to us before and everyone was listening then. You
never what tricks Coach Belichick are going to pull. Where
you the coyote or the roadrunner? I think
Coach Belichick is the coyote because he’s always coming up with these different
defenses trying to stop somebody, but his usually works. He
doesn’t get the anvil on the head? Every
now and then you are going to get that but he plans it out a little bit better
then the coyote. How are
things with you and the front office? Everything
is fine with us. We have got passed that and we are winning football games right
now. You never know in this business. I’m just playing football right now and
I’m happy to be here and happy to be playing with the only organization I know
and my teammates. Whatever happens later on down the line happens that’s not
even a concern of mine right now. How many
more years would you like to play? After
this season, I think I have a good four or five years left at corner and then if
I decide to shut it down then I’ll shut it down. If not I’ll go back and steal
me a couple at safety. So you
can see yourself playing 17 or 18 years? If I wanted to I think I could because of the way I train and keep my body. I don’t think you have any Darrel Green sitting here. I mean my goal is to get 15 years and if I can stay healthy then I’ll decide after that if I want to continue playing. |
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