NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS MEDIA DAY - DEFENSIVE END MARK ANDERSON - Ingles

Super Bowl XLVI – Tuesday, January 31, 2012

(on the ‘New England Way’) “In New England you are more focused on your job. It’s a small town. All that’s there is football. We just focus on our job and everyone buys into the concept. You see how we play on Sundays. We are focused and have a set schedule that we go about every day. Everyone buys into the system. Coach Belichick is so smart. He really breaks down our opponents. I just try to soak in knowledge from him. He is one of the best coaches I have been around.”

(on differences in how New England coaches players compared to other teams) “Like I have been saying, everyone just buys into the system. There are no distractions. It’s just all football. We have access to the facility whenever you need it. There is a lot of film work. Everything you need is right there at the stadium. It really helps you as a player if you want to become the best.”

(on having an offense that scores points) “The situation here is like a dream come true. Our offense puts up points early, and for a pass rusher, you can’t ask for anything more. Right then you know the other team has to pass the ball and that just gives you the opportunity to make plays.”

(on defense’s improvement in the playoffs) “What goes on in the regular season doesn’t matter. Everyone knows that in the playoffs it’s one and done. We all (on defense) set a goal that we wanted to step up as a defense and play hard. We committed to each other. We are getting the job done right now.”

(on if Belichick is hands on with the defense) “He is really hands on with everyone. He’ll work with the defensive line, and sometimes he’s with the whole defense working on strategy. He just gives tips. I take notes every time he talks. It seems like everything he says happens in the game.”

(on his fit in New England system) “It depends on what type of package we have. I play mainly the outside linebacker role and rush the quarterback, but sometimes I drop back into coverage. In pass situations we will go to four down lineman and we try to get after the quarterback.”

(on confidence entering Super Bowl) “Right now my confidence is pretty high. I know what I need to do and I’m just ready to go out there and do it.”

(on his experience with the Chicago Bears) “It was a good experience because I learned a lot. I learned what to do and what not to do. I learned how to approach certain situations. I used what I learned in Chicago and Houston to help me when I came here. It has worked out for me.”

(on thinking it would be easy to get to Super Bowl after going as rookie with Bears) “Honestly it’s true. After my first year in the league, I knew we would go back. I thought all you had to do was win a majority of the games in the regular season and then win out in the playoffs. We didn’t even make the playoffs my other five years with the Bears. This is my first year coming back to the playoffs, six years later.”

(on trying to impress coaches by taking down Brady on his first day) “I didn’t do that. We don’t touch the quarterbacks. If I touched Brady I would be out of there the next day. I never hit him. But when I came here, kind of like in my rookie year, I wanted to show the team what I could do. I love the system. It’s fun right now.”

(on memories of first Super Bowl) “I remember just being overwhelmed. I was young, my first year in the league, and it was crazy to go to the Super Bowl. It was just overwhelming. I remember a lot of excitement. I just wanted to win.”

(on similarities and differences in Belichick and Bears head coach Lovie Smith) “They are similar in that they are both players’ coaches. They know when it is time to work and they know when it is time to rest your guys.”

(on being in awe of Coach Belichick) “He knows everything. He knows about players from other teams. He knows about backups on other teams. He knows weaknesses and tendencies. You have to admire a guy like that. He knew my strengths and weaknesses before I joined the team.”

(on discipline in Patriots’ organization) “You don’t want to mess up. You want to play into the system. When it’s your turn to make the play, just make sure you make the play, or else Coach Belichick will get onto you.”