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Bill Belichick Conference Call Transcript: 'It's always tough in Buffalo'

Patriots coach Bill Belichick addresses the Buffalo media during a conference call on Wednesday, October 8, 2014.

Q: What do you make of how the Bills defense has played so far?

BB: They've played good. They're playing good – strong up front, doing a good job in the running game, a lot of sacks, a lot of pressure on the quarterback, turning the ball over. I think Coach [defensive coordinator Jim] Schwartz and his staff and players have done a good job, a real good job.

Q: What concerns might you have with protecting Tom Brady in this game?

BB: That's always a top priority. You've got to handle the pass rush to the throw the ball.

Q: What has Brandon Spikes brought to the Bills defense?

BB: I think we know Brandon well. He's a good, strong, physical player inside, does a good job in the running game.

Q: You made a comment about maybe his hair being longer. Is that what you've noticed?

BB: No, I said that he looks pretty much the same as a player that we had here, which I think he does. The strengths that he had when he played for us are I'd say the same strengths that he's shown with Buffalo. Q: How do you feel like Rob Gronkowski has been progressing these last few weeks?

BB: Rob works hard. Rob works really hard. Probably like a lot of players on our team, the more that they've played, the more they've been able to get into game situations, the more they've improved. I think probably just about everybody on the team you can put in that category.

Q: What did the win last Sunday night show you about your team after losing in Kansas City the previous week?

BB: It was good to win, but we're really past that now. I don't think that has anything to do with this week. We're just focused on Buffalo.

Q: You mentioned how difficult it can be for a tight end to get adjusted to a new offense. Do you feel like Tim Wright is finally becoming more comfortable with the playbook?

BB: I think Tim is a smart guy. He works hard. I think learning is not an issue with him at all.

Q: You talked about needing to match the energy in Buffalo. What kind of reception do you feel like is in store given the fact that the fans may be charged up about the Pegulas taking over for their first game?

BB: We play in that type of environment on the road almost every week. I think this would just be another one of those, maybe higher intensity, I don't know. It's always challenging to play in our division on the road. It's always tough in Buffalo – we know that – so we're going to have to do a good job of playing against a good football team in their stadium with probably real good energy in the stadium. We're going to need our best game. We know that's the challenge ahead of us.

Q: What does it mean to you that the Bills will stay in Buffalo? What is the significance of that?

BB: I'm sure it's huge for the people in that area. I saw what it was like when the Cleveland team moved to Baltimore. It's not good for that community. So I'm sure that this is a great thing for the Buffalo, upstate New York community and the tradition that that franchise has had in the AFL and in the National Football League.

Q: What made you decide to use Darrelle Revis in man-to-man coverage on A.J. Green last week as opposed to the zone he had been playing the first four weeks?

BB: I don't think that statement is really very accurate. I don't know how to respond to it. We've played man and zone in every game – last week, the week before, the week before. He's been matched up some games in some situations. He hasn't in others. I don't know.

Q: It seemed like he was more focused on covering A.J. Green whereas in past weeks he wasn't given one specific assignment. I'm just wondering if you had any plans to do that with any Buffalo receivers.

BB: I would just say that that statement is not accurate. There are games where and times in games where he does have a specific assignment, and then there are times when the matchup is different than that.

Q: What do you see as far as what Kyle Orton has provided this offense after one game?

BB: In the Detroit game, I think it was obvious in the passing game how quickly he gets rid of the ball, how many different receivers he uses in the passing game, his field vision, his ability to spread the ball around to whoever is open. He is obviously a very smart quarterback who has experience, reads coverages well, gets the ball to the right places, gets it out in a hurry, is decisive [and] is accurate. This guy can throw the ball as well as anybody and has excellent timing and rhythm as a quarterback. I think all those things were evident in the Detroit game. Like I said, I'm sure that they'll probably be even better as he continues to play and practice.

Q: You seem to have a specific knack to be able to shut down star athletes, especially in Buffalo. What do you tell your players and what goes into your game plan to be able to consistently do that?

BB: Look, last time we were in Buffalo it came down to the last possession of the game. I think when we play the Bills, it's a very competitive rivalry. They're well coached. They have a very good organization, coaching staff. They have a lot of good players. They're a tough football team. We have a lot of respect for them, and we're going to have to do a good job all the way across the board. I don't think it's about any one player or any one play. We're going to have to play and coach well on every level against a real good football team. That's really what the challenge is. It's not about one guy. You can't take one guy. There are too many guys – too many guys on defense, too many guys on offense, too many weapons in the kicking game. Which one guy is it you want to stop?

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