Transcript of head coach Eric Mangini's news conference with the New York Jets media before Wednesday's practice:
We signed [offensive lineman] Mike Elgin to the practice squad. I know you guys got the change in the schedule. I met with some of the captains yesterday and we did a few revisions so that is how that evolved.
In terms of New England, it will be different this year because anytime you're getting ready for the opening game of the season, even with a team you're familiar with, it can be different. You never know what they've been doing in terms of their off-season changes, their off-season study, and you have to also address the new personnel. So anytime you go into the opening game, whether it's Tennessee last year or New England this year, you always have to have the ability to adjust to the unexpected. In looking at New England, the coaching is obviously outstanding. Bill [Belichick] does a great job as does the rest of the coaching staff there who I worked with for quite some time. I believe they do an excellent job each week in terms of identifying other teams' weaknesses and minimizing strengths, identifying the strengths, being able to attack the weaknesses. It's a sound approach and the game plan is always unique to fit that opponent and unique to you.
Offensively, Tom [Brady], I can't say enough good things about him and what he does year in and year out, game in and game out, pressure situations, his ability to read defenses and understand where the defense is going to be vulnerable and where he's going to be able to make some plays. He does an excellent job moving around the pocket, buying time, getting into really good situations. One of the things I also respect about him is his ability to spread the ball around to a lot of different people, and he's got a lot of different people he can spread the ball around to. Overall I think they are an excellent group of skill players and with [coach] Dante Scarnecchia on the offensive line, I think they are very disciplined and sound up front.
Defensively, I worked with those guys and have a great respect for that group. It's a veteran group and I like the way they prepare. I've always liked the way that they prepare and are a physical group up front, a group that does a good job taking advantage of opportunities and understanding tendencies. They're very good at that and able to exploit those tendencies when they come up.
In terms of special teams, I had experience in the off-season with Brad Seely. I've known him quite a few years and he's a great guy. I've always enjoyed seeing the game plans that he has come up with and they've been very good in the return game for a long time and now with the addition of [Wes] Welker, it's another weapon he has available and I know there will be some things we'll have to prepare for there that will be unique to us and in line with their overall philosophy.
On the unexpected factors …
The case with any first game is to go to look at the preseason games and try to take as much information as you can. You look at the things they did the previous year and try to take as much as you can. There are always things that have come up in that game that you haven't seen on tape or didn't see the previous season. You have to come off the sideline, talk about what they are doing and really analyze what the approach is to the game to determine if this was something that was a one- or two-play package or was the theme throughout the game.
On if strategizing is more intense because of the familiarity of the teams …
There are pluses and minuses to that situation because you have a good understanding of the adjustments and the things you traditionally do, they also have a good understanding of the things we traditionally do, and there is that element of trying to take advantage of the information. However, it's not a secret that we both know what the other side has available, so you counter those things.
On how the Patriots defense will differ without Richard Seymour and Rodney Harrison …
They do an excellent job of filling the next player in and that player is able to perform at a high level. I experienced that several times in players we had to insert throughout the course of the season and that's why it's so important and it's something we stress all the time. You don't know at what point you're getting into a game and you don't know if you'll be in for one play or 30 or if you suddenly become the starter. That preparation, that attention to the guys that aren't working with the first group each day, each week is so important.
On the mindset of the Patriots staff in game-planning …
It's something that's done every week, and it's always game-plan specific. It's always based on that opponent. The information that you get from the Colts, their game against the Colts or their game against Denver, it doesn't have the same value because that was what they did then. You have to really look at where you could be attacked or where you could attack them.
On if opening with the Patriots is an opportunity to measure your team …
With the opening game, it's having the opportunity to go to Tennessee last year on the road, a very noisy place, and not having a significant amount of success on the road prior to that. I thought that was a great opportunity for us. You just take them as they come.
On if he is comfortable with the progress of Darrelle Revis …
I like Darrelle's approach to things, and David [Harris], Chansi [Stuckey] and Jacob [Bender]. They're diligent guys, and Darrelle has done a good job not only of working with Mike [Westhoff], Bob [Sutton] and myself but also working with the veteran players. It's not just the defensive backs. It could be Jonathan [Vilma], Eric Barton or Shaun Ellis, trying to pick their brains on the best way to study an opponent, the best way to get ready physically and the best way to condition. I like the way he does that.
On if Revis has progressed as expected …
I didn't really have any expectations because the one thing I've learned is each one of those rookies develops at a different pace, and what you're always looking for is that they are going to work within the time frame you have allotted and then do a lot of additional work outside of that. That carries over throughout their career.
On Thomas Jones \ being ready for Sunday …
We're all looking forward to Sunday [laughs]. We have a lot of time left, and with all the guys that are nursing injuries or are in that process, you look at it throughout the course of the week and let it go right until the end of the week. There's a set schedule of what you're trying to get done in conjunction with the trainers, the doctors, the strength and conditioning coach, and the player. We have all those guys on a program.
On bringing in Reche Caldwell for a workout …
When we bring in our players, we get to know them and see whether or not we want to have them on the short list, general chit-chat, how they enjoyed it and that type of thing, getting to know them.
On the offensive line …
The chemistry part is so important in each of the position groups. You'll hear Brian Schottenheimer saying "me-to-you," that understanding of where the receiver is going to be, understanding where you're going to put the ball, and that's important in the quarterback–receiver, quarterback–skill player relationship with the offensive line being able to communicate effectively across the board.
Last year, Norm Katnik ended up playing quite a few snaps [at left guard after Pete Kendall got hurt] and played two or three games after that. That was one of those situations where an injury happened early in the game and he was thrust in. That's why it's so important during training camp and practice to insert those guys and make a lot of people communicate with each other.
Same thing with David Harris. We may pull Jon Vilma, Eric Barton or Bryan Thomas out to put David Harris in during training camp or during the week because you don't know what's going to happen. Everybody has to have a comfort level with each other and work with each other. With a 45-man roster, you don't know who's going to be in there and you don't want the gap to be so big when that other person goes in that there's a significant dropoff.
On what it means to have a lot of starters back ...
It's always positive to have that carryover and build on the reps and the shared experiences you had the previous year. You can advance and work on some different things as opposed to a significant overhaul. However, every year you bring in new players, whether it be Darrelle, Kenyon Coleman or Thomas Jones, those players need to assimilate as quickly as possible.
