Transcripts of Tom Brady's and Bill Belichick's conference calls with Jets reporters during the day Wednesday:
QB TOM BRADY
On his thoughts on the Jets after Monday night's game…
They played one of the top teams in the league in Baltimore, who are probably very similar to the way the Jets are. It was a very hard-fought game. They're two very good defensive football teams and they make it tough on offenses. The Jets defense in one of the best in the league and preparing for them is certainly no easy task. We've spent all day Monday, all day Tuesday and all day today trying to get ready for them. They present a lot of challenges. They're just so physical and they really play that scheme really well.
On if he can expand on when he said he hates the Jets…
[Laughing] Can I expand on those feelings? Do they really need to be expanded on?
On how deep is hatred is for the Jets…
It's an intense rivalry. There are not many New Yorkers that like people from Boston and vice versa. When I got here, it was always Yankees-Red Sox. There's just something between New York and Boston. The teams have been very competitive. It's been a great rivalry. Obviously, there has been a lot of player movement over the years between the teams. It makes it fun for the fans. It makes it fun for the players. It's great for the league. I'm glad to be playing so early in the year. It's exciting for the players.
On his approach for going against Darrelle Revis…
Well, ultimately, I'm not playing one guy. I'm playing all 11. I don't look too much into that. I think every team has its strengths and weaknesses. I don't think it's smart to always challenge another team's strength all the time. You've got to figure out the places where you see they're vulnerable and go after those. That's just pretty basic offensive football. If teams do certain things very well, you've got to find other things to do to be successful. You don't want to play always into another team's strengths.
I think they do a lot of things very well, so that's the challenge. It's a very good defense, their blitz schemes and how physical they are. They have a lot of guys that can do a lot of different things — the Bryan Thomases and the Bart Scotts and David [Harris]. They can all rush, they can all cover, and that's what makes it pretty challenging, more so than one guy. I don't think a defense is built around one player. I think, ultimately, it's about a team defense.
On Wes Welker…
Wes has been an incredibly reliable and dependable player since he's been here. He's had some great games against the Jets. He's hard to cover because of his ability to get open with his quickness. He's a really smart player. He's seen a lot of coverages trying to take him away and he always finds a way to be open and get the ball. He's a huge asset to our team and he's someone I'm always looking for.
On his comfort level with Welker…
He's practiced pretty much all of training camp. I think he missed more training camp last year than he did this year. He's an incredibly hard worker. I think that's what makes him so special. He's a great teammate. He practices hard every day and I think that's why he and I have always been on the same page.
On how ready Randy Moss is to go against Revis…
Randy is a competitor. Randy wants to play well every week. I'm sure there are certain players he goes against, or teams we go against, that are very motivating for us and that present challenges. You always want to see how you can do against some of the best players. Look, any team can take away one player, that's really not hard to do, but I don't think that's the goal of a defense. I think defenses are trying to take away the entire offense. We don't look too much into that other than we're going to try to get the ball to the guy that's most open. There are certain guys and different opportunities on every play. If you've got to run, you've got to run it. If you've got to throw, you've got to throw it and you've got to throw it to the guy who's going to be open.
On if Moss is motivated because Revis called him a slouch during the playoffs last year…
I don't know. Different things motivate different people. We're all called a lot of names by a lot of people. It's hard for me to think that you get so worked up over that. Revis is a good player, but we play a lot of good players, too. The Jets have a lot of good players. We don't prepare for one player. We prepare for the whole defense. The thing that makes the Jets defense so good is there are a bunch of good players. That's really what we focus on.
On if the Jets and their coach do too much talking…
I don't really care what they do, to tell you the truth. I'm concerned with what we do. That's been our M.O. for a lot of years. I think it was successful for us. The Jets are going to do what they're going to do and we're going to do what we're going to do. The reality is none of it really matters. What matters is how we go out and play this weekend.
On his reaction to the things Rex Ryan says…
I don't react too often. I don't really get into all that. It doesn't bother me one way or the other. I can sit here and make all the predictions in the world, too. The reality for him and all his players and us and our coach, we've got to go out and play. I don't spend my time looking into that other stuff or analyzing. I know that I've got to get ready to play. I don't want to waste my time trying to analyze what he thinks about us. I just want to go out and play the game. I'd rather spend my time watching film than really talking to you guys, with all due respect [laughter].
On sounding like Bill Belichick…
Listen, guys, the truth is, with all due respect, to win games is preparation, work, commitment and being on the same page with your team. That's why you win games. I can really make all the predictions in the world, but I've got to go out there and play and I think that's what is important to us. Every team has different styles. Every team does it differently. There is no right or wrong way. It's just the way that works for us. That's why I don't think we buy into what other people say about us, good, bad or indifferent. We've got to go out there and play the game.
On if Ryan and Belichick have different styles…
Certainly, oh, yes, of course, but that's their personality. I think that's just the way God made them.
On how much more comfortable he feels at the beginning of this season as opposed to last year…
I felt very comfortable last year and I felt comfortable this year. I thought last year I was very comfortable so I wouldn't say very different at all.
HEAD COACH BILL BELICHICK
On what he saw from the Jets offense Monday night…
We've seen a lot more than Monday night. We've seen all their preseason games, all their games last year, the playoff games, both games against us. They have a lot of good players. They have a good offensive scheme. They definitely give you a lot of problems, a lot of things to prepare for. They hurt Baltimore with the plays with Brad Smith, [LaDainian] Tomlinson. They have great weapons there at receiver, tight end, running back. They give you a lot of things to prepare for. They do a good job.
On if Tom Brady is back in form after his knee injury…
Yeah, I think Tom's playing well. He's had a good training camp. I think he was healthy last year, too. He's been a good player for us through the years and I think he's had a good training camp and is off to a good start this year.
On trading Laurence Maroney…
We felt like it was the best thing to do for our football team. He's done a lot of things for us in four years. He came in as a young player and improved a lot. He worked hard and I have a lot of respect for Laurence. We just thought it was the best thing for our team right now to move on from that.
On the Patriots running back situation with Maroney gone…
We have four running backs on the roster.
On Wes Welker's health and how he has played so far…
Wes just missed a little bit of time in training camp. Otherwise, he's done everything everybody else has done in the first few days. He's worked very hard. I think he's had a tremendous rehabilitation and a good training camp. He's been impressive in the opportunities he's had to practice and play. He's looked pretty good.
On what he saw from Kyle Wilson on Monday night…
I think Kyle is a very talented player, good hands, a good athlete, can return kicks, can run. He has good quickness and is a good defensive player. They took him in the first round and he has good talent. I've seen him in the preseason. He's played outside, he's played inside. He's done a lot of good things.
On how the Patriots 3-4 defense differs from the Jets 3-4…
I don't know. I've never really been in Rex's system, so I don't know the ins and outs and all the little intricacies of his system. Obviously, it's very effective. The Jets are a good defensive football team as the Ravens were when Rex coached down there. I think everything he does ties together well. The players execute it well. He has good schemes to attack offenses. They have their adjustments and their way of doing things, and it's been very effective for him and been effective for the Jets for the last two years. He's a good defensive coach and they have good defensive players. They do a good job.
On if the organization realized that Welker would play so well when they acquired him…
I'd say pretty much. We gave up quite a bit to get Wes, but we felt it was worth the price and we're glad we have him. He's done a good job for us. He works hard. He's a great kid to have on your team. He really has a terrific attitude, work ethic, and is very competitive. He's a good player. I'm glad we have him. We made a significant investment to get him, but I feel good about the player that we have.
On what makes Welker so tough to cover…
He can get open. He has good quickness, good speed. He's an experienced guy, so he knows how to set up routes and play with good route-running technique. He's aggressive. He catches the ball well. In the end, that's what a receiver has to do. They have to be able to get open and have to be able to catch the ball, especially at that position, in some tight spots, and he's done that.
On if it is intriguing to watch the matchup between Darrelle Revis and Randy Moss…
There are matchups out there on every play every week. They're all an important part of the game. Ultimately it comes down to how the team performs and how one team performs against another. The individual matchups, the game within the game, are important in some respects, but I don't think in any way they override the overall performance of the team. The bottom line on the game Sunday is how the two teams fare. It isn't a 1-on-1 game. It's a team game across the board. What we want to do as a team is be able to execute better than the Jets do for 60 minutes. It's a big challenge, but that's what our goal is this week.
On if he watched "Hard Knocks"…
I just caught a very little bit of it. I spent most of my time working on game film and the coaching films. That's where a bulk of our preparation comes from.
On if there was anything to be learned from watching Hard Knocks…
As usual, I think when Steve Sabol, Ken Rogers and NFL Films get together on a project, they make it real interesting and entertaining, it doesn't matter what it is. I think that was definitely the case with this production and all the other ones they've done to go along with the course of their great careers there. I think the best thing for us is to just do a good job with our preparation and there are always little things you can learn from all different sources, whatever they happen to be, players who change teams, coaches, TV shows, whatever. In the end it comes down to playing good football, doing your job and being able to execute the plays better than your opponent. I think where this game is going to be won and lost is out on the field with the execution of the players as opposed to watching reality TV football.
On how well he knows Rex Ryan personally…
I have a lot of respect for Rex, I always have. My relationship with that family goes back quite a ways with Buddy [Ryan] in Philadelphia and Arizona, when we were both coordinators or head coaches in the league. His brother Rob coached here for four years. Rex has done a terrific job. I think our styles are a little different, but I don't think that really matters. I have a lot of respect for what he does and the way that his teams play. They're a tough opponent. We certainly have a lot of respect for Rex and the entire team of the New York Jets.
On if he's ever gone out for a beer with Ryan…
We've hung a little bit. Not too much, but a little bit.
