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On similarities between this year's team and his past Super Bowl teams:
"I don't really think too much about it like that. Obviously, there are things like Tom Brady, but, really we're just trying to focus on this year's team and this year's challenges. Right now, that's the Ravens. What happened last year, or two years ago, or three years ago, we're not really all that concerned about that, to tell you the truth."
On the impact of LB Adalius Thomas:
"He's done a great job for us. He came in in the offseason and worked very hard. He was one of our offseason award winners, which I think speaks highly to his commitment and effort in the offseason. We have a lot of guys that work hard in that area, so it's not an easy award to win. He gives us a lot of versatility on defense, as you well know. You guys know better of it than we do, the number of different things that he can do: rush the passer, play the run, play man-to-man, blitz, play inside, play outside, play down, play up, all those things. So, he's given us great flexibility defensively, and a great work ethic. [He is] a smart guy, has a good sense of humor, brings a good atmosphere, a good attitude, to the team and to his job. I think everybody loves being around him and the way he plays."
On injuries contributing to the struggles of the Ravens' defense:
"There's no doubt the corners are both outstanding players, and they haven't been in there consistently for them all year. I'm sure that hasn't helped. It's a really good defensive football team. They lead the league in red [zone] area defense. They're right up there in a number of other categories n right at the top of the league in rushing defense. I don't really think there are many problems there. I think it's going to be a problem for us to score. It's always a problem against the Ravens. They play great at home, they have a lot of great players, and they've got some difficult schemes to deal with. They've got some exotic and unusual kind of pass-rush schemes and coverages. They do a lot of different blitzing: blitz man, blitz zone. They get up there and fake it, disguise it, bring different combinations of players, play a 350-pound guy [Haloti Ngata] at linebacker. They do some things that you don't normally see, so we'll have to spend a lot of extra time getting ready for them because they do them well."
On any surprise by his team's offensive production:
"Every time we go out on the field offensively, we go out with the intent to score. That's why your offense goes on the field. So, our expectations are to score every time we get the ball. That's the only reason for them to go out there. We've done that more this year than in the past, which is good, but, believe it or not, we've always been trying to score. I know it doesn't look like that, but [that is] what we've been trying to do."
On why around the league, many defensive-minded coaches have such successful offenses and vice-versa:
"I don't really have a good explanation for what goes on with other teams in the league. I really just try to focus most of my attention to try to do a good job of coaching our team, and getting our team ready to play its next opponent. It's hard for me to really know what's going on somewhere else. I just think that our players, offensively, have done a good job executing the plays and making plays this year. We've been able to score more points than we have, and that's good, but that doesn't really mean anything this week. I'm sure the Ravens don't care about that and I wouldn't either. We have a whole different challenge in playing them, and getting ready for their schemes and their players. This is a team we haven't played in a while, and whether or not we can score points against them remains to be seen. It doesn't really matter if we've scored them against somebody else or not."
On media attention becoming a distraction:
"Again, our focus is the Ravens. Whatever anybody else wants to focus on, or talk about, we don't really have any control over that. Whatever it is, it is. We just know we have our hands full this week, coming down there and trying to get ready for a team that is very experienced, is tough, has a tremendous record in December and at home, plays with a lot of energy in their stadium, and that's the environment we're coming into. So we know we're going to have to play our best football this week."
On returning to Baltimore:
"My only experiences in that stadium have just been for lacrosse. I haven't had an opportunity to come there for any football games. But it was awesome being there last year, watching [Johns] Hopkins win the national championship. That was a great experience. It's a lot different feel than the old Memorial Stadium; I don't need to tell you guys that. Memorial Stadium will always hold a special place for me because that's where I did start. Even as a kid, going up to watch the Orioles and the Colts play, when I was young, growing up and following them. Going up there to 33rd street… When you grow up, you kind of get weaned onto those two sports, and that sticks with you [for] a lifetime, and it always will with me. It will be good to come back, but, on the other hand, it's really a business trip, and we're really coming down there for one reason, and that's to try to play our best against the Ravens. That will be a handful. We know that."
On last week's game against Philadelphia being a wake-up call:
"I think we fully realize that. We played in a game like that two weeks ago in Indianapolis. We were down by 10 points with 10 minutes to go in the fourth quarter. Look, it's hard to win in this league. Whatever plays you need to win a game, wherever they come, that's what we get paid for. That's what our job to do is. We know in the fourth quarter, games like that, there are going to be plays that [we're] going to have to make in all three phases of the game, and the team that makes the most of them is going to win. And the team that doesn't is going to come up short. So, that's the way we prepare every week. I wouldn't expect this week, or any other week really, to be any different."
On the toughest thing for opposing defenses when facing Patriots QB Tom Brady:
"I don't know. I think you'd have to ask them. I'm not really sure. We just try to set up a balanced offense. We have some different options with what we do. But Tom is an outstanding player, we all know that. There's no quarterback I'd rather have. He does a lot of things well: He manages the game well, he sees the field, he's accurate, he utilizes different weapons, and he's a great guy to coach because you can do different things with him and he's able to execute them. He's very open-minded and has a great sense and feel for the game, as well as the skill to play it. So that's kind of what we try to do. As far as [how] other teams look at us, I'm not sure. You'd probably have to talk to them."
On why the Ravens are 4-7:
"Again, I don't think records really mean anything. I'm not really concerned about what their record is, or our record this week. The only thing that really matters is how these two teams play Monday night. That's what it's all about. It's all about this week of preparation and how we play and coach Monday night. It will all be decided then. All the rest of it is meaningless. It's not a big concern. We look at what we see on tape, and what I see is a lot of good football players, a team that has n again n a proven system with a lot experienced players that give us a lot of problems to get ready for. That's what we're going to try to do: put our best game out there Monday night, because that's what we think it's going to take."
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