Bill Belichick Post Game Press Conference Transcript

OPENING STATEMENT:

"I thought it was a real good performance by our team today. Those guys really did a good job. We had a good week of practice, they were obviously ready to go today. The players played well, got good contributions from all three phases of the game and had a lot of guys step up and make plays. I don't want a single anybody out, there were so many guys that contributed. It was a good solid effort. I'm proud of our team. So the results are what they are and we'll see how it goes here going forward. But hopefully this'll be a good game that we can step off from and keep working to improve and get better in our next outing."

On if he was aware of the Houston Colts outcome before the game:

"Yeah, we got the score before the game but we can't really worry about what everybody else is doing. We've got to do what we can do, and whatever else happens, happens."

On what went into the decision to play Rob Gronkowski today:

"He was ready to play."

On if he would still have played had Houston not lost during the early game:

"He was ready to play."

On the fact that having just wrapped up the division title and a first-round bye he doesn't look overjoyed:

"We wrapped up the division a month ago. Unless I missed it…"

On the fact it's pretty good news that they don't have to go on the road initially and have a bye:

"Whatever it is, it is. Whatever it is, it is. When we have to play, we'll play."

On how big of an advantage it is in his estimation:

"I don't know. I don't know."

On the play of the defensive front seven:

"They did a good job. It's team defense and guys were covered, the quarterback had to hold the ball, that helped our pass rush, guys rushed well, guys covered well, but you know, when the receivers are open, it doesn't matter what your pass rush is. If you make the quarterback hold the ball that helps the pass rush. It was good team defense. We did a good job in the running game. There were some long yardage situations and of course we got ahead in the game, that obviously made them have to throw more so that work to our advantage too. But it was good team defense today. Again, I couldn't single anybody out, but the guys on the backend played well, the guys up front played well. There was a big turnover to start the game, put us in good field position early and of course Dont'a [Hightower] jumped on that fumble there down on the goal line, which… You know we had several fumbles against them in the last game and only recovered one. So it was good to be able to get that one."

On the fact Justin Francis played well:

"Well, again I think some of that is overrated. There were several times when one guy came in and flushed the quarterback out and somebody else got him. So if we get them as a team, we get them. But they all did a good job, Justin, Chandler [Jones], Vince [Wilfork], Brandon [Deaderick], Kyle [Love], Trevor [Scott], Rob [Ninkovich], they all do a good job."

On his thoughts on the fact Rob Ninkovich left the game in the capacity he did:

"We'll see what it is. I don't know, we'll see what it is."

On his thoughts on his team's toughness:

"Yeah, it was certainly good today. It wasn't too good a couple weeks ago where we handed the ball away the whole game, or the first half of it anyway. But no, it was good today. The conditions weren't easy, but the players handled them well, they handled the ball well for the most part. I think we dropped some balls, but overall we took care of it, didn't turn it over and that was good. We tackled okay, so I think our overall execution on today's game on a lot of areas given the elements and all that, was good. Hopefully we can do that on a consistent basis."

On Ninkovich's versatility and the value that he has to the team:

"Well, he's mainly played defensive end this year, but he's also, of course, played in the kicking game and at times he plays some linebacker but he's done that before in the past for us. It's pretty common, there's a lot of guys in the league who play linebacker that then go to rush on third down. We're in a four-man front so he's been rushing most of the time. He's a tough kid, he's very competitive and he's got good versatility and his ability to help us in the kicking game as well as defensively over the years including this year, that's pretty valuable too. He does a good job."

On if he feels good about where his defense is now at the end of the season:

"I don't know. We played good today, we'll see what happens the next time we play. I don't know. Every week is its own challenge so we'll see how we do against somebody else and what that matchup is. Today they did a good job. I mean anytime you can hold a team to no points in this league, you have to be doing something right."