Q: Based on the 14-2 [record] the last
couple years, what are the primary reasons why you haven't been able to
string a bunch of wins together this year?
BB: I guess we just haven't played well enough.
I'm not trying to evade the question or trying to be smart or anything, we
just haven't played well enough. We just have to play better. Coach better,
play better, just do a better job.
Q: How much have injuries played into that,
Bill?
BB: I don't know, I can't really evaluate it
and put a percentage on it or anything like that. I just know that each week
we take the same approach to each game. We look at our opponents and
understand what they can do – their threats and the strengths of their team
– and try to match them up against our team. And try to come up with the
best plan and the best way to play that team. And then go out there on
Sunday and try to execute it. Some of those games this year have been better
than others. We just haven't been consistent.
Q: Having Tedy Bruschi back, what has that
meant to the team?
BB: It's great to have Tedy back out there,
he's a good player and he's a good leader. He brings a lot of energy and
experience to our defense and to our football team, so it's great to see him
back out there on the field. He's worked hard, he's come a long way, and I'm
happy for him and the fact that he has an opportunity to get back and do
what he loves, which is play football.
Q: How close is he back to being the Tedy
Bruschi that you know?
BB: I think Tedy's getting better every week.
He missed a lot of football in terms of training camp and preseason and six
regular season games, but I think he's a little bit better in terms of his
game conditioning and reactions and football techniques and all that. I
think it's getting a little bit better each week. So that's all positive.
Q: Do you think with the 5-4 start and
everything, can you guys get over the hump and make it back into the
playoffs and the whole nine yards?
BB: Right now all we're thinking about is the
New Orleans Saints. They beat us here in preseason, they've got a good
football team, they've got a lot of talent, and they play well on the road,
so we have a lot of respect for what the team can do and what Jim's done
with them. They've been very, very competitive. They beat Carolina on the
road, which is more than we can say. They played a really tough game against
a good Bears team. Had the Falcons beat – they certainly didn't deserve to
lose that game. We know what they're capable of, they came up here and beat
us. So that's all we're focused on, not anything else. Nothing before and
nothing after. It's just a one-week season right now. New Orleans. That's
it.
Q: Bill, can you imagine what the Saints are
going through being displaced for the whole season? Can you imagine what
that must be like?
BB: Well, a situation like that is very unique.
I'm sure it's difficult. I was involved in a situation – different, but
maybe with some similarity in terms of the Cleveland situation when the team
moved in the middle of the season in '95. But I think that Jim and the
players have done a good job with keeping their focus, especially right
after that happened, going in and beating Carolina. I think it's hard to
compare teams and events like that. The New York teams and 9/11 or the New
Orleans team in a hurricane. They're all bad. |
