Patriots vs Bengals: Bill Belichick Post Game Press Conference Transcript

OPENING STATEMENT:

"That was obviously a satisfying night tonight. I thought our coaching staff really did a good job this week on the short week. Really worked hard to get our team ready and I thought the players really went out and played hard tonight. It wasn't perfect, certainly a lot of things we need to do better, but we played hard, we made a lot of plays against a good football team. Cincinnati's got a good...that's a good club. Marvin [Lewis] does a good job with that group and tonight was just kind of our night, a lot of things went in our favor. We made a few things happen and that was good. Just got to really give all the credit to the players for the way they played. They're resilient, they're tough and they worked hard this week and they played hard tonight, so I'm proud of them for that."

On how "much needed" this performance was for his team:

"I don't know. It was the next game. It was a good win."

On the play of Brady and how emotional he was on that first drive:

"I thought our whole team played well...I thought our whole team played well. We ran the ball, we threwit, pass protected, we caught it, ran after we had it, scored 43 points. Thought the whole team did a good job."

On the number of penalties and if that's just an aggressive mindset:

"No. No. No."

On the breakout game Tim Wright had and if the game plan was to get him the ball early and often:

"No. We ran the plays we ran, Tom hit the guys that were open. Plays aren't designed to go to one receiver. We had everybody running a route and, depending on what the coverage is, it's the quarterback's option to get the ball to the guys that are open. Tom does a good job of that."

On the play of the offensive line and the fact they did a better job tonight:

"Thought the whole team played well, yeah. We ran the ball well, had good balance, ran it, threw it, blocked them, ran after we had the ball, had a lot of guys play well. Give the players credit, they did a great job. Played hard, had good results.

On the job of Darrelle Revis:

"I thought we played well defensively. I mean, they have a lot of good players, a lot of skill guys, it's hard to match up on them. With [Jermaine] Greshem, they're really in four wide receivers and then with [Giovani] Bernard back there it's really five wide receivers, to tell you the truth. So it's a very, very hard team to match up with defensively. I thought all our guys competed well. The secondary, the linebackers, the linemen against a lot of spread out looks. A lot of space to defend in there, I thought that we were competitive in the running game, we were competitive in pass coverage, made them work for their yards, turned the ball over a few times, so that was good defensively and in the kicking game. So it was a good team defensive effort. Revis did a good job, I mean, we had a lot of guys play well."

On the juggling they did on special teams:

"We brought Ja'Gared [Davis] up Saturday from the practice squad, so he played in the kicking game. There was a lot of nickel out there, a lot of 11 personnel, a lot of three receivers on the field. So when we're in our regular 4-3 defense, then [Deontae] Skinner was in. When we weren't, then he wasn't. I don't know how many plays that was, but they were in three receivers a lot more than they were two receivers."

On if he was proud of the focus the team showed:

"Yeah, I was proud of the way the team prepared. I thought they showed a lot of toughness all week in terms of coming back off a short week and a disappointing game Monday night. They prepared hard, played hard, the players did a good job. So did the staff, coaching staff did a good job too. Short week, a lot to get ready for. Cincinnati's a good football team. Guys did a good job."

On if he was pleased with the way his team was able to create turnovers:

"It's always good, when we protect the ball and turn it over, that's always a good way to play. We did a good job of that tonight. Held onto the ball, and were able to take it away a couple times, so that was great."

On the play on special teams of Branond Bolden:

"Yeah, I mean Brandon's one of our best special teams players. Plays on all the units, he's been a solid contributor there since he's been on the team the last three years. That was a big hit he had and Kyle [Arrington] on the scoop and score. So that was a big play for us. I thought our special teams made some plays. We gave up that long punt return, gave them good field position before their touchdown, but we made some plays, created some, covered kicks well, other than that one, so... Again, that's a good unit. Pac Man [Jones] is a tough returner. They've got good special teams that are well coached. Darrin [Simmons - bengals special teams coach] does a good job. It's a tough match up against that group, they're strong in all three phases of the game and I thought our special teams met the challenge tonight."

On the fact he wanted to challenge the fumble early in the game and couldn't:

"Right. Forward progress."

On what the difference was tonight offensively:

"The difference with what? I thought we played well tonight. I thought our offensive team played well, I said the coaches did a good job, Josh [McDaniels] and the staff, Players played well, we executed well in the running game, executed well in the passing game. We did a good job tonight against a good defensive football team. The players played very well and we made a lot of yards after contact, or through the line of scrimmage, plays like that. We got some extended plays with the guys with the ball in their hands. So I thought they did a great job."

On if he saw a lot emotion at the start of the game:

"I mean, I don't know. When you score, you're going to have emotion. When you give up scores and turn the ball over and don't do well ... you've got to generate some plays to generate that. We went down and scored, of course we're excited, we should be, it's hard to do in this league. When we don't do it, I mean, I don't think there's a lot to get excited about."

On the fact they lost by over twenty last week and won by over twenty this week and if that's just the nature of the NFL.:

"We played two different teams."

On if this was a satisfying win given a lot of the criticism and the questions that were asked this week:

"Criticism from who?"

Media, fans:

"With all due respect, I mean really? Look, we've got a job to do, we're focused on doing that job. We're not going to sit around and listen to what everybody else says. We try to do the best we can."