Bill Belichick's PostGame Press Conference Transcript
OPENING STATEMENT
"Well, it was, I think probably about the game we expected with the Jets. It's always tough, a really grind it out game. Obviously really happy for Chris [Jones] at the end after what happened last year. I thought it was so fitting that he made that play. So that was awesome. It wasn't our best. It was good enough, but it wasn't our best. We've got to do a better job in all three phases of the game all the way around. But I've got to give our team a lot of credit. They've played four games in whatever it is, 17, 18 days, whatever it is, since that Kansas City game. They've been tough, they've worked hard, they've really pushed themselves on the preparation. Some guys banged up, guys having to step in and all that. So I thought it was a real good team win for us. Always good to win in the division, the kind of games that you've got to win during the year somewhere along the line. Give the credit to the players, they made the plays when they had to make them. I thought Danny [Amendola] really stepped up and gave us a lot of energy on the kickoff returns and obviously the touchdown catch was a great catch, so that was good too. Hopefully we'll get a little bit of a break here, a couple days to kind of catch our breath and then we're right back at it. So, good to win, we'll enjoy it for a little while, not too long, and then turn the page and get on to Chicago."
On if there was anything intricate done to block the field goal:
"No, there was a lot of technique. No, those guys work hard out there, they work hard every week. Guys you block against, they're all different, the way they do it. Depends on how they block and how you can attack them. They do it differently every week depending on where we feel like we have the best chance."
On the fact they ran with such ease and if he felt there was an adjustment period they'd have to get through without Jerod Mayo in there:
"Well, I mean, I think probably the bigger problem we had was third down. We had our chances to get off the field on third down that would eliminate a lot of those plays. You know, we've got to play the run better too...I mean, we didn't make them punt until the 4th quarter, or whenever it was...it was late. Luckily we played well in the red area, kept them out of the end zone and kept the points down. But, didn't do a good enough job in the running game, didn't do a good enough job on our run forced, didn't do a good enough job on third down, obviously. We had some three and outs offensively that kept us from keeping the ball, keeping the momentum. We just weren't consistent enough in any phase of the game. Didn't cover kickoffs well, I mean, that play hurt us. We had some breakdowns and we can't afford them...can't afford them. But hey, give the Jets credit. They played hard, they gave us a lot of problems too, so there's always work to do."
On the adjustments the receivers made, specifically Shane Vereen adjusting his route and the catch Danny Amendola made:
"Yeah, well Danny's touchdown was, we had a double move outside, Tom [Brady] ended up scrambling, Danny adjusted it, Tom back-shouldered him, so that was kind of a scramble play which, that's one of the first things we put in when we go to the red area offensively and defensively is to deal with the scramble passes, the extended plays. Tom did a good job of buying time, put it where only Danny could get it, Danny made another great catch. Shane [Vereen's] play it looks like the corner just...we ran a double outside route, it looked like the corner sat on it, just dropped Shane like he was out to practice early. I mean that really wasn't a...it was good by Tom to see it, because Shane was kind of a clear out guy on that route, but Tom had time, he was able to scan downfield. You don't want to give him those kind of opportunities. He's not going to miss many of them."
On the fact Amendola hasn't gotten many touches and his use in the kicking game, if it's affected him:
"Nobody works harder than Danny does. Nobody works harder than Danny. He's working every day. Offense, scout team, special teams, he always works hard. He's a really competitive kid...tough, no question about it. I never saw that at all."
On the thought of using Amendola in the kicking game:
"I think Pat [Chung]'s done a good job for us. Pat's playing a lot defense, playing a lot of plays in the kicking game. You know, he's the personal protector on the punt team with Nate [Solder] out, he's played on the punt return, just to try to spread it out a little bit. Danny's worked back there all year and I thought it would be a good opportunity to take a little bit off Pat, but I'm not unhappy at all with what Pat's been doing. I think he's done a good job, but again, just give Danny an opportunity to get some balls back there and also to kind of spread the load to everybody and, you know, one less thing that Chung's got to really focus on because he's got a lot of other stuff on his plate in terms of defense, punt, punt return, nickel, dime, goal line, I mean there's a lot of stuff there."
