Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was featured on the weekly conference call with the New England media this week, and weighed in on multiple topics in preparation for the game. Here is some of the best of what Ben had to say.
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On the Patriots keeping 11 defensive linemen, giving them different looks at different angles:**"They keep guys fresh. They keep guys with high motors. They can be complicated at times, their defense and the front seven. They can also be very plain and basic. But even when they are plain and basic and just rush four guys, their motors never stop. I think that's probably one of the reasons why Coach (Bill) Belichick kept 11 because he is going to want fresh guys in there at all times. That's something that we've noticed and we are going to have to try to be prepared for."
On CB Malcolm Butler: "He is fearless. He is not afraid to put his face on somebody and hit them. He jumps all over routes. It looks like he studies and knows his stuff. Typically you try to take advantage of a young guy like that but from looking at film and what we saw last year and this year in the preseason, he is going to be a big test for our guys. I don't know if he is going to go with Antonio Brown or what is going to happen, but it's going to be a challenge for us."
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On Patriots' defense looking different without Revis and what you see:"**We don't really know yet. Preseason is so challenging because you never know – defenses maybe don't want to show everything. Maybe they show some false, bluffing-type things. Really it's a matter of trying to look at film from last year or the last time we played them in 2013. So we just try to look at all kinds of different things. It showed a lot when Revis was out there. Obviously they chose to let him go one-one-one with the other team's best. We are just going to keep looking at different things and try to find some tendencies. I know we won't be able to find too many because of the genius that Coach Belichick is, but we will try to make some in-game adjustments as well."
On what the atmosphere will be like at Gillette Stadium on Thursday night:"It will be electric. I anticipate it being, especially having Tom (Brady) out there and with everything that's going to happen, it's going to be awesome. It's the way that NFL football should start, and maybe it's one of the reasons I knew that Tom would be out there. Because I know the NFL doesn't want to start a game without him out there. Nerves will be running. Jitters will be running for everybody. For young guys, I think it will be fun that they get to experience this. Even old guys like myself, I am sure I will be nervous."
