Player Interviews Video and Audio

New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels addresses the media during his conference call on Tuesday, December 9, 2008. Q: Coach [Bill] Belichick mentioned that the Raiders play quite a bit of man coverage. As the offensive coordinator, what kind of a challenge is that for the receivers? Is this a chance for them to maybe highlight their abilities in those one-on-one matchups that they might not see on a regular basis? JM: Yeah, anytime you play a team that plays a significant portion of man coverage, there's obviously a burden on the receivers to get off the line of scrimmage, be physical, use their quickness, whatever their strengths may be. All of our receivers have different strengths and then you have to try to create some separation down the field. This is a team that they do play a little bit more man coverage than some of the teams that we've played in the recent past. But, that being said, they use some different forms of it where they have some people that will help on the interior portion of the coverage, or what have you. It not only presents a challenge to the receivers, but it also requires us to pass protect well and keep them out of the middle of the pocket as long as we need to get open and create some plays in the passing game. It also requires the quarterback to do a great job of reading the coverage. If they have players in there, whether it is an extra secondary player or a linebacker that's designed to kind of help out those man-to-man players, he has to see those guys and make sure he takes care of the free player. Q: You have a receiver in Wes Welker who has nearly 100 catches and is leading the league with that amount. Are you ever surprised that a guy of his size has such success in this league that's often dominated by much bigger guys? JM: Not really. Wes' skill set is different and unique in its own right. He's a very intelligent player. He does a lot of things well. That's the thing that we are fortunate to have here ...

Listen in as Patriots head coach Bill Belichick gives an interview on WEEI's Patriots Monday on Monday, December 8, 2008.

New England Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker addresses the media during his conference call on Monday, December 8, 2008. Q: Do you know or care to know how these playoff tie breakers breakdown as you come to these last three games? WW: No, not really. For us it is just going out there and make sure we do everything on our end to try and win games and let everything take care of itself. Basically just control what you can control. Q: Have you been impressed with how well your teammates who have had to step in and play for injured guys have been able to do that? WW: Absolutely. That is the way it needs to be. Anytime anybody goes down you have to have somebody there and they have to step up, play well and take advantage of the opportunity they get to play. Q: Going back to the playoffs, I understand it is one game at a time, but a lot of you said that you felt your season was on the line. Is it frustrating to know that even if you control what you can control you could be on the outside looking in? WW: Not really. You are just out there playing and controlling what you can control. You just take care of your end and let everything else take care of itself, however it shakes down. [We have to] go out there and give ourselves the best opportunity. Q: Do you have to step back and sometimes marvel looking at the defense knowing there were six starters out by the end of the game from the start of the season and marvel at what they are still able to do? WW: We have a lot of good players. A lot of good young players and older players that have stepped in, understand the game and know how to play. They’ve had the opportunity to go out there and show their stuff and they have done a great job of stepping up, like they did this past Sunday. Q: How do you feel about the Dolphins being neck and neck with you at this point? WW: There is always going to be somebody and competition within the division. For us, we just have to control what we can control and let ever...

New England Patriots linebacker Junior Seau addresses the media during his conference call on Monday, December 8, 2008. Q: Junior, can you talk about the task at hand for you guys going forward? Given the injury situation, what do you guys have to do? What’s the mindset for you guys? JS: Basically our mindset is to go out and honestly look at film today and take it one day at a time. We’re not going to worry about injuries, it is what it is and the team that we put out on the field will be able to focus on winning that game. Q: How do you feel today? How sore are you, or not sore how do you feel after your first game in almost a year? JS: You definitely use different muscles surfing and packing coolers for volleyball games. There are some fast twitch muscles that are kind of sore but other than that I feel good. Q: Can you go over the task at hand for you guys and what it’s going to take, especially with the defense playing shorthanded? JS: We’re definitely going to have to pay attention to details in terms of the scheme. Really relying on the scheme in itself and believing in each other. We’re really going to just have to pull together and that’s what we’re going to do. Q: Did it feel like riding a bike at all, getting out there and getting back into it so quickly and playing as much as you did? JS: Yeah it did. It was definitely a familiar sight. I felt at peace in going in, I really did. Being part of the NFL and back on Sunday it’s something that I live for and that hasn’t changed. Q: Was the feel of the locker room the same for you too? The attitude and what you saw from the players, even with the younger players around you? JS: Well it’s a different team. When you say ‘is it different?’ - I expect it to be different. What we have to do is adjust to the team which we have, the players, the character which we are building and we go from there. For us to think we’re going to h...

Patriots linebacker Rosevelt Colvin gives an interview on WEEI's Patriots Monday on Monday, December 8, 2008.

Listen in as Patriots defensive lineman Richard Seymour gives an interview on WEEI's Patriots Monday on Monday, December 8, 2008.

Listen in as Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel gives an interview on WEEI's Patriots Monday on Monday, December 8, 2008.

Listen in as Patriots offensive lineman Matt Light gives an interview on WEEI's Patriots Friday on Friday, December 5, 2008.

Listen in as Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel gives an interview on WEEI's Patriots Friday on Friday, December 5, 2008.

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Deion Branch addresses the New England media during his conference call on Wednesday, December 3, 2008. Q: Is it going to be strange for you to play against your old team, the Patriots? DB: I think it is going to be a little bit of both. It will be a little strange and a little exciting. Just to…man, it is crazy. I was looking at my playbook this morning and I saw the New England Patriots helmet. Knowing where I am at and knowing that we are going against the guys that I played with my first four years, won two Super Bowls with and have shared a lot of memories with... Most of all it will be a little strange but a little exciting to be out there playing against all my friends. Q: Is it going to be strange not seeing Tom Brady running their offense? DB: Yeah, that is probably the strangest thing that you can think of. Me personally being there, we always counted on Tom [Brady] to be there every week and he was. For him to be gone, it's still not a surprise that those guys are moving forward and doing what they are doing with Matt Cassel leading the team. Q: I know the way your career ended with the Patriots probably wasn't ideal but when you reflect on your time with the Patriots do you think of the highlights or how it ended? DB: I never think about how it ended. You never know what the next day holds for you in this business that we are in. It was very understanding and it was very business-like. Both sides respect each other. I respect coach [Bill] Belichick. I respect everything he did. I am pretty sure he respects me and what I did. I think each party had to do what was best. They had to do what was best for the organization. I had to do what was best for my family. There is no love lost at all. It was just a business move. It was understanding. You see a lot of ups and downs in this business. Q: Your Seattle career injury wise hasn't gone the way you wanted it to. How has the experience been there? DB: It has been a...