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December 9, 2007

Randy Moss postgame transcript

Q: Did the talk surrounding this week's game at all affect your preparation for this game?

RM: I think our focus, with everything that's been said was really held in. Coach [Bill] Belichick and his coaching staff did a great job of getting us prepared - on and off the field- because when we were sitting in the classroom doing work, it was more talking and looking at that humble pie and then motivation at the same time. Then, when we go on the field, it's the same thing. I think, for the most part, our preparation was very focused and very set on going out here and getting it done.

Q: How much attention did you pay to what was said by Anthony Smith?

RM: I've played in the league for 10 years and I don't think I've ever heard a player ever say anything like that. There's trash-taking each week, but just to guarantee a victory - that's something hard. I don't know if his teammates had his back or whatnot, but it was said, it was documented and it was printed. It came to us and we went out there today and you [could] see we wanted it more.

Q: Do you feel like teams are playing you more physically at the line of scrimmage as the season has gone on?

RM: I've been doing my thing for 10 years. What defensive coordinators throw at me is what they throw at me. What they throw at the offense is what they throw at the offense. Like Tom [Brady] has said time and time again, and that's the whole unit, we're going to go out there and execute. Tom is going to find the open man and let's get with it. I don't really get caught up in watching the game. I don't really know how many completions he had to Wes Welker on one drive. I said, 'Wes, if you don't slow down, you're being greedy. Let somebody else.' It was a good victory today, overall. Like I said, with how teams play me, I've seen it my whole career. Sometimes it is frustrating to get bumped and then once you get up to another level, you're still going to get bumped. My main thing is just to try to stay focused and do what I have to do week to week to help the team move the ball.

Q: What was more impressive about that lateral play: The fact that you fielded a grounder from Tom Brady, or the pass back, or his pass downfield?

RM: To be honest with you, I think it was just all 11 of us executing. Tommy [Brady] had to step back. I had to step behind Tommy and make sure that it was a backwards lateral, and he had to step behind me. The offensive line had to protect. The wide receivers had to do their thing. It wasn't just one individual and it wasn't just one pass; it was everybody executing on the same cylinder. And you saw what the results were. Sometimes you look at a play, and before I came here, I've seen all the gadget plays that the Patriots ran and when I first got here, they said that nobody throws the ball but Tom Brady, so I've been lobbying and lobbying, 'Let me throw the ball. Let me throw the ball.' Eventually it worked and we scored a touchdown so that actually felt good.

Q: So they weren't going to let you do it?

RM: They made it very clear that Tom is the only one in this offense that throws the ball. Like I said, it was us executing on all cylinders by the whole unit. It was a great call by Josh McDaniels and we just had go out there and once he threw to me and I threw it back him and he threw it up and everybody was like, 'Uh-oh, uh-oh, uh-oh.' And then, it was caught on [Anthony] Smith so I think that was probably, after all of that… it was all on Jabar [Gaffney] catching it on No. 27 [Smith.] It was really worth it.

Q: What sets Tom Brady apart from other quarterbacks?

RM: Poise, patience… and going out there determined to kill you at any given time. They can give you a fourth and 24 and Tom's still ready to kill you. I don't know how you're going to get it, but that's really his mindset. When you have a guy like that leading your team, leading your offense, everybody else has to pick up and get on his level. Tom Brady, like I've said before, I've always been a big fan of his. Now that I'm on his team, I'm not going to stop. Him - being our leader and our quarterback and all his upsides and his knowledge of the game and his precision and him making good decisions with the ball… my hat's off to him.

Q: Was it important that you develop a relationship with Brady heading into this season?

RM: We see each other every morning. It's 'Good morning,' then 'I'll see you tomorrow morning.' We're around each other a lot and that's the one thing that I said time and time again that Tom and I had to develop some kind of relationship because on the field it's down to business so we don't really get time to talk a lot, but when we're in that locker room, getting dressed, or doing whatever, we get the time to really get to know each other. In my time here, we have gotten to know each other. We talk about everything. That's one thing-I really have trust in him that I can talk to him about anything that's going on. It's not just even football-related. I hope he has the same trust in me. That's how you develop a relationship.

Q: Is there time during the season to put into perspective everything that's going on around here in regards to offensive records by yourself, or Tom Brady, or the offense?

RM: Not really put things into perspective, but-I don't really read the papers or watch a lot of sports television, but my phone rings and text messages come across my phone and it's hard not to really pay attention to what's going on. One thing that I really try to do is to try to stay in straight tunnel vision, try to stay humble, try to eat some of Coach Belichick's humble pie, just follow the road and just keep going each week.

Q: Will there be a period when you will reflect on all of this?

RM: I don't think we'll look back and reflect until the season is over. If we do, do these things-fine. If not, we're still going to look back and reflect after the season. It's really hard to look ahead right now because of the Coach that we have. Coach Belichick really doesn't let his players get ahead of themselves. That's one thing that I really commend him for because he keeps us grounded. We're out here working, preparing for the next team that week. I can't even tell you who we've got next week…

Q: The Jets…

RM: Well, there you go. I really know that Coach Belichick doesn't like us looking forward and, after tomorrow, this game is behind us. When we come back to work, we'll prepare for the Jets.

Q: Do you think there will other players to guarantee victories going forward?

RM: There's plenty of young players in the league so there's no telling what will come out next. I actually think that just being young and being caught up in the game and all the hype that something was bound to slip out. I think that the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers, as far as their toughness and their mouths, it's no telling what's coming out next. Like I said, they've done their talking throughout the week and we did our talking on the field today.

Posted by Mike McDermott  at 10:00 PM to Randy Moss | Permalink