VS.

POSTGAME QUOTES
OCTOBER 1, 2007

Patriots-Bengals Gameday

Initial comments:
"I'm obviously as upset as you can be. We're down some guys, but that is no excuse. We allowed that big run in the first half that got us behind the eight ball. Hopefully we can settle some guys in on special teams. Offensively, we have to be more consistent. Defensively, we can't allow the explosive plays like that quick slant in the fourth quarter."

Q: What is most disappointing to you right now?
"It's disappointing where we are at right now. We are going to move out of it and move forward. The bye week gives us a chance to look at ourselves and come out of this a better football team. If we make some changes, we make some changes."

Q: Are you talking about staff changes or personnel?
"Personnel."

Q: If the players were to look at themselves, what would they see?
"Selfishness."

Q: Did you think you had taken care of that?
"Not necessarily, because this is a game of greed. But you have to play it within the scope of what you are asked to do. It's not all about you every play and we have to understand that."

Q: Thoughts on New England:
"They are a good football team. They were patient and mature tonight."

Q: Was the frustration and the sideline fighting to be expected?
"I don't know about fighting. I wouldn't agree with that. We have guys that want to win, we just have to channel it in the right direction."

Q: Thoughts on Willie Anderson:
"He's just sore. He got banged up a little bit in Seattle and he didn't get much work this week. He came out and played as long as he could. We will head to Kansas City a healthier team, and a better one."

Q: Does the bye come at a good time for you?
"It comes at a great time for us. We have 12 important games after the bye."

Q: What happened on the interception right before halftime?
"We were just running a play there. I threw a ball in the end-zone I shouldn't have thrown into coverage. I shouldn't have thrown it."

Q: Can you tell us what happened between you and WR Chad Johnson after that play when you were heading into the tunnel at halftime?
"I made a mistake. I threw a ball into where I shouldn't have thrown to. I got on Chad, but I made a mistake. We're both passionate players, and in the heat of things, sometimes you lose your cool, and I lost my cool. Like I said, I made a mistake and threw a ball I shouldn't have thrown. I should've taken a check-down there. But I got on Chad and I shouldn't have."

Q: Marvin Lewis said that the team needs to not play selfishly. What does that mean to you?
"I think the main thing is not playing as a team right now and that's what he meant. It definitely is evident playing against a team that plays as one and doesn't play as individuals. They play as a unit and as a group. And that's where we need to get to. We're not there right now. The positive out of it is that it's only week four. We need to grow and come together and play as one like that team did on the field today. They beat us up and down the field offensively, defensively and special teams-wise. It's evident to our team that's how you win, that's how you win championships. That's how you have a so-called dynasty — you play as one. And it's a good example to us when you don't play as one and you play a team like that, you're going to get beat."

Q: Do you think having the bye week this week is beneficial?
"Yeah. I'd like to play again right now. It will be a good break for us - a good chance for me to sit back and look at the film and see where we can get better offensively, and a good chance for our coaches. I'm not ready for a bye. I don't think we're ready for a bye especially after a loss. You want to go into a bye week with a win, and we felt like we were ready. We felt like we were going to have a chance to do that, and we didn't get it done."

Q: You're 1-3 and you say that it's a positive because it's only week four. At what point do you not say that anymore?
"It's too early to say that right now. We're 1-3. Looking at our schedule, there's not a game on there we should lose. Point blank. If we play well, we'll win every game. If we keep playing (the way) we've been playing these last three weeks, we won't. There's nothing that says we can't win all of these games coming up."

Q: How is this team going to fix this season?
"It's real tough. We are putting in the work as a team. We have to figure out how to get results. This is about as embarrassing as it gets. We have to look at ourselves as a team. Those guys are a bunch of grown men. They are a mature football team, and we have to figure out how to get to that level. We are constantly trying to figure out how to play like that. They are a good team year in and year out. They are a mature bunch of guys, an older team. ... We have to play better than that."

Q: What do you think the difference was tonight?
"It's just simple football. Execution. They out-executed us. We had our moments where we made some plays, but as a team we didn't make enough plays. They did."

Q: Do you feel like this team has lost its edge?
"We lost our edge tonight. We have to figure out a way as players and coaches to execute against different types of schemes. That is going to lead us to becoming a better team. Individually, we have to play better football."

Q: Was the lack of scoring due to what the Patriots were doing on defense?
"I thought we moved the ball pretty well, but we obviously didn't score. Penalties kind of took us out of a couple of opportunities to score a touchdown. We threw an interception before the half. We are not playing well. Bottom line, we are 1-3. We're not that good right now. If we don't get it fixed, it is going to be long season."

Q: Do you think the players on this team have each others back? It seems like the Patriots do:
"When you win, of course everything is going to go great. You have each others back because you are winning. When you are losing, peoples emotions start going different ways. I think for the most part, the guys on this team get along. If Rudi (Johnson) or Kenny (Watson) have the ball, I'm going to go block for them."

Q: Do you have to make sure there is no finger pointing?
"Personally, I am going to come to the sideline ... I am an emotional player, and I am going to voice my opinion. That's what I do. In my opinion, I don't think that it's a bad thing. I just voice my opinion. I'm not disrespectful at all."

Q: How do you feel after this Monday night loss?
"I feel horrible. The truth of the matter is that we are 1-3. It's just ugly for us right now. Our backs are up against the wall. We have to figure out how to start playing well."

Q: How long do you think it will take for this team to get better?
"I don't know, but we need to figure it out quickly. It is so depressing to me, because we are a lot better than what we are playing. A lot better."

Q: What do you think the problem is?
"I don't know. I can't pinpoint it. We just aren't playing ball together. We need chemistry flowing throughout the whole team. Defense, offense and special teams; we need to pull it all together and play as a unit."

Q: Are injuries affecting this team?
"There is a difference between hurt and injured. Unfortunately, we have guys that are injured. There are a lot of guys that are playing hurt right now. That's not an excuse. We have to go out and play. We are not playing good football."

Q: How frustrating is if for you right now?
"It's frustrating. But, we can't let the frustration get to us. That will kill your football team We lost three games in a row, but we have a lot of football left. We have to come back prepared and get that win. That is all there is to it. We have to go back to fundamentals. We can't have mental errors. The old slogan we had, 'do your job' ... I think we really need to get back to that. Don't over compensate and do too much. Don't try to create anything out there. We should all go back to that. If we play sound, basic, fundamental football, I think we will be all right."

Q: Initial comments:
"It was a good win for our football team tonight. I thought the players did a good job in all phases of the game. The game was not perfect. Cincinnati did give us a good game, especially throwing the ball. We made some plays. We ran the ball well. We were able to stop the run competitively, and cause some turnovers on defense. The kicking game gave us good field position in a couple of occasions.

"This was a tough, hard-fought game. I thought Cincinnati played hard and with a lot of energy. They have some players banged up, but they are a tough football team. We just made a few more plays than they did and we had some guys step up tonight. The last drive capped off the game since we were able to move the ball the length of the field and seal it away.

"I thought our overall level of play was good. We had players step up and play hard for Monday Night Football. Moving ahead, this is a short week to prepare for Cleveland. We will have to put this one behind us in a hurry, but we will celebrate the victory for a short while."

Q: Your thoughts on Sammy Morris:
"He can do a lot of things well. He can run the ball and make plays in the passing game. He has been a good player for us. He played well."

Q: Can you comment on the final drive of the game?
"I thought the line blocked well, and Sammy (Morris) ran the ball well. Kevin Faulk carried the ball well in spread formations for us. They both have good vision and balance. Sammy made some very nice cuts and stayed behind his blocks. We planned on running the ball coming into the game. In the end we brought a very balanced attack."

Q: Comments on Chad Johnson:
"Chad is tough. He is one of the best receivers in the league. We rolled coverage into him a few different times. He was still able to make some plays on us."

Q: Comments on Randy Moss:
"He makes the same plays in practice that he makes in games. He continues to always work on his game. All of our receivers work hard on our passing game. They work hard in film study and we work each day to get better. We are not perfect, but it is nice to see our hard work pay off.

"Randy is smart. He has great hands, and he is very instinctive. Randy can catch the ball and has a great vertical game. Tom (Brady) does a great job of utilizing Randy in the passing game."

Q: Is this team different than other Patriots teams you have coached in the past?
"I think we are moving the ball well offensively. We are balanced. There are many things we can do better. Hopefully we can build on this win with a short week preparing for the Browns.

"Every team at this point in the year is improving. That is also what we need to do. I would like to think we are going to continue to improve and get better as the season progresses. We have a lot of meetings and a lot of practice left this season. We have only played four games so. There is a lot of football left to be played. Everything depends on how much we can improve the rest of the season, compared to how much everyone else can improve throughout the course of the season."

Q: You kept Chad Johnson relatively quiet tonight:
"He's an exciting receiver. He didn't really say much tonight, but he usually says a lot. It was fun."

Q: Does it get more difficult each game when you continue to win so easily?
"It's still early in the season. It looks perfect to you guys right now, but there are a lot of key mistakes we see when we watch the film. If we make those plays, the game would be even easier."

Q: Perhaps Chad was quiet tonight because you didn't give him much to talk about:
"What can I say? We're just two guys playing ball, and trying to win the game."

Q: Comment on your performance tonight filling in for Lawrence Maroney:
"Tonight was a game-time decision for Lawrence, and my offseason helped prepare me for a situation like that. It was not a surprise to start the game."

Q: Are you exhausted? That's more carries than you've had in a while:
"I feel like I just played a football game. I had a lot of carries at times last year. It's a matter of conditioning and trying to fight through whatever pain I feel. If they keep calling my number, I'm going to keep grinding it out."

Q: Did you feel you were close to breaking a long run shortly before your big 45-yard run?
"It was a great job by the entire right side of the offensive line. I just had to make a move on one guy and get to the edge. It was a great call and we were in a great position at that point."

Q: What was it about the defensive formation on your 45-yard run that made you feel the play would work?
"It was the way the offense was called. The blocking scheme he had called was ideal for us."