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September 10, 2007

Monday with Bill

Hey all --

We have just wrapped up with Bill Belichick, who had his morning-after press conference in the wake of yesterday's 38-14 pasting of the Jets. In true Belichick style, the coach emphasized that his team still has a lot of work to do, and that yesterday was just a starting point.

Some other items from the chat:

* Ryan O'Callaghan's use as an eligible receiver was more because the Pats wanted another blocker than O'Callaghan potentially catching a ball. Asked if the big O-lineman has hands, Belichick deadpanned, "he has two. ... But they're not game-tested."

* Using Junior Seau as fullback on Heath Evans' one-yard score was Seau's idea. Belichick said the veteran approached him in spring and told him that if they ever needed a fullback, he could do it. The coach said Seau is good for the job because as a linebacker in a goal-line situation, his job is to find the hole and stop the ball carrier. As a fullback, his job is to find the hole -- and meet a linebacker.

* Challenging the call after Evans' first goal-line push was not called a touchdown was a case of having nothing to lose. It was just before the two-minute warning, Belichick didn't plan on using the timeouts he had left, and he and the coaches in the booth thought there was a good chance it was a score. Even after looking at the tape this morning, Belichick said, he still isn't sure that it wasn't a touchdown.

* Punter Chris Hanson held for Stephen Gostkowski's last two kicks, something Hanson has prior experience with. Belichick said the staff will "maybe talk about" having Hanson remain as holder, a job Matt Cassel has held since the end of last season. Cassel either lost his job after fumbling the ball on a first-half field goal try or got hurt on the same play.

The locker room won't open until around 3:30 p.m. and we'll have more after that.

shalise

Posted by Shalise Manza Young  at 12:19 PM | Permalink