Super Bowl XLVI – Wednesday, February 1, 2012(on if he knows if he’ll start on Sunday) “We just all prepare as if we’re going to start, so we’re all ready.”
(on the differences between playing LT and RT) “The nice thing is that it’s been kind of that way all year, so I’ve had plenty of reps on either side, which is nice. It’s an easy thing to do, but when you’ve had plenty of practice it’s definitely doable. It’s something you get used to.”
(on whether he’ll play multiple positions Sunday) “All season they’ve kind of asked me to be at different spots and be prepared in several different areas, and that’s kind of the role I’ve taken on. I embrace it.”
(on having periods of dominance and also periods of inconsistency) “Like I said before, it’s a learning process. It’s my rookie year and everyone kind of gets humbled in this league from what I understand. I’m just learning and trying to get better every week.”
(on always being ready for any role) “That’s kind of the Patriot way that I’ve learned. You always need to be ready and prepared for any situation that may arise.”
(on whether he went up against Giants DE Jason Pierre-Paul earlier this year) “I can’t say that I did. I don’t remember exactly, but I’ve been watching all those guys on film. I saw him for a week preparing for that game and I’ve seen him for two weeks now preparing for this game.”
(on what he sees in Pierre-Paul) “He’s a long-armed guy, quick. He’s a great competitor, a great athlete. He knows what he’s doing, so it’s going to be tough competition.”
(on how to stop Pierre-Paul) “Well, it’s a battle. It’s in our preparation, it’s in our technique, it’s in our schemes. My strategy going into this is to listen to everything our coaches say and try to execute that at a high level.”
(on where Pierre-Paul lines up in different alignments) “You’re going to see him at ‘D-End’, you’re going to see him at (defensive) tackle. You’re going to see him where they move him around to try to create matchup problems.”
(on preparing for each of the Giants pass rushers) “Yeah, we’re overly prepared for who we’re going to face, the personnel we’re going to match up against.”
(on the Super Bowl experience so far) “It’s been awesome. I kind of stepped into something here with a great team. I just feel so fortunate to be a part of it.”
(on the Patriots running game) “I think the run game is of crucial importance. You have to be able to move the ball and run it on the ground or else everything gets shut down. That’s something we focus on. That’s something that’s important to us, is to be a balanced offense.”
(on the Patriots running backs) “Yeah, we’ve got great running backs. It’s great to have that as an ‘O-Lineman’, where they’re reading your blocks, following your blocks and creating yards off that.”
(on whether the huddle is ever chaotic) “No, he’s (QB Tom Brady) the only voice. Everyone else is quiet, and that’s kind of the way it’s run. I think that’s one of the ways that makes him so good.”
(on the biggest adjustment he faced last year at the Senior Bowl) “It was great competition. It was a long time ago. There was a lot of pressure on us to perform at a high level because we were getting looked at by all those scouts.”
(on the biggest adjustment going from tight end his first two years at Colorado to offensive line and how he relates to the Patriots tight ends) “The reason I moved from tight end to tackle was because I was kind of a jack of all trades, master of none and it takes a real special guy to be a good blocker and a good receiver like Gronk (TE Rob Gronkowski), so that’s where I kind of wanted to focus more on blocking. That’s an adjustment for me, but it’s nice having a little experience at college coming here where I’ve been playing both roles.”
(on his development process in New England) “Well, I have great coaches with (Dante) Scarnecchia and coach (Bill) Belichick and that’s been a huge part of it. Another huge part of it is having great teammates that have helped me along this process, both on the offense and the defense, who’s been giving me practice reps against them.”
(on the help of T Matt Light and G Logan Mankins) “Those guys know what they’re doing. They’ve both been Pro Bowlers. They’re both great teammates, both good leaders and it’s of the utmost importance to have guys like that to really help me be a part of that group.”
(on whether they’ve ever used him in a three-tight end set) “Well, there’s been some of that. My role has kind of expanded here and there. Whatever it takes to win games and have a successful offense, I’m just going to fill a role.”
(on when he knew he could play at the NFL level) “I’ve felt that every week, where I’ve had those kind of moments where it’s like ‘Oh, wow, I really can do this.’ I just have to keep working to get better and this is a doable process.”
(on working with QB Tom Brady) “Well, he’s fantastic. All of my teammates are fantastic. To be a part of this group, to step into this group and contribute where I can has been a blessing.”
(on the first things he worked on with offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia) “Well, there weren’t one or two things. It’s been a whole renovation, a whole process. He’s a great coach. He’s put in tons of work for me watching film, watching my technique and improving my technique. It’s been a whole process.”
(on who has been his biggest challenge to face in the NFL) “Well, there’s been so many. I think that was the biggest shock from college to the pros, is how every week there’s such a good pass rusher.”
(on the challenges of facing a number of different defensive alignments) “I think that’s all part of our preparation. It’s why we work so hard during the week to get prepared for who we’re going to face, how we’re going to face them, those sorts of things.”
(on the importance of keeping QB Tom Brady protected on Sunday) “I think that’s always important. It’s going to be an all three phases of the game type of deal, because they’re so good in all ways. It’s going to take a team effort to beat these guys, definitely.”
(on the challenges of the Giants’ four defensive ends package) “It’s going to come down to our preparation, how well we know them, how well we can adjust to what they’re doing and be prepared, execute and perform at a high level.”
(on the anonymity of the Patriots’ offensive line) “I don’t think anyone’s worried about that. It’s all about winning the game. No one worries about who’s in there. It’s just a matter of doing your job.”
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario