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Bill Belichick Press Conference Transcript

Read what New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick had to say as he addressed the media during his press conference on Wednesday, November 9, 2011.

BB: We announced some rosters moves here this morning. I'll just say on the Albert [Haynesworth] situation, I thought that both he and myself, speaking for the staff, we really tried to make it work. He had a few physical limitations to overcome when he got here but I thought he really tried to do what we asked him to do. We tried to work with him and in the end it just obviously didn't work out. The best thing we can do is just move on. Unfortunately, we had to place Josh [Barrett] on Injured Reserve which is a tough break for him. Kid has worked hard and I wish it would have turned out different for him this year but it is what it is. It's onto the Jets - a team that is playing well, doing a good job in all three phases of the game, they're always good in the kicking game. They played well in their recent wins - good offense, good defense. It will be a big challenge for us down there, I'm sure there will be a lot of energy in the crowd. We'll have to do a good job of not only playing well but keeping our poise and staying focused in that environment. It's a hard place to play in but we have to do a good job on that. That's where we're at here.  

Q: On Albert -  

BB: That's really all I have to say about it. We'll talk about the guys that are here; we'll move onto the Jets.  

Q: Was it the physical limitations that prevented him from having success here?  

BB: No, he missed some time early in camp. In the end, that all worked out.  

Q: Do you think given what you guys paid, the draft pick, was it a gamble that was worth it even if it didn't work out?  

BB: It's all done with; it's onto the Jets.  

Q: In a general sense, obviously you have players that work hard and do well in the classroom but it's a results-oriented business. When does the lack of production on the field start to triumph over trying as hard as you can on the practice field and in the classroom?  

BB: Look, you take the information that you have and it's an ongoing process that's fluid - every situation changes from day to day, week to week, year to year. When you feel like you've gotten to the point where you need to make a decision, then you make one. If you don't and there's reason not to do it or you don't have to do it, then you give it more time until you think you know what the right thing to do is. There's no set formula.  

Q: How do you feel about where your offense is right now?  

BB: I think where we are right now is we have to get ready for the Jets. We have to do a good job against the Jets. It doesn't make any difference what we did in any other game. What matters is how we perform this week down there in New York, in all three phases of the game, so that's what we're working on.  

Q: Having watched the film from the other day, can you put your finger on what has been different the past couple weeks offensively?  

BB: I just think we need to do a better job at everything. There are a lot of positive things but we just need to do better all the way around, in all three phases of the game; there's room for improvement everywhere. Each player, each coach, everything we do, we just all have to do it a little better.  

Q: What did Josh Barrett bring you guys in the secondary and at safety that you might miss or have a difficult time adjusting to?  

BB: Unfortunately he missed some time in training camp too and didn't get into the full season either. I don't know if I can fully answer that.  

Q: It comes down to James Ihedigbo and Sergio Brown basically filling that spot next to Patrick Chung?  

BB: We'll see how it all turns out. We'll use the guys that we think are best in the positions that we feel match up the best against the Jets.  

Q: There's been a lot of talk about Tom Brady's elbow. Can you say definitively that he is healthy? Do you have any updates on his health?  

BB: We list it on the injury report every day in practice and every week based on what his current status is so that's what we'll continue to do.  

Q: Do you have a reaction to Rex Ryan playing a Patriots fan?  

BB: Should be interesting. That's a new one.  

Q: Have you heard anything about it?  

BB: No.  

Q: Apparently he has a bobblehead of you on his desk in this movie.  

BB: I really haven't kept up with it.  

Q: Have you ever had any offers to play a Jets fan?  

BB: I was there for a couple of years so I was a Jets fan.  

Q: Could you have made the move to release Albert Haynesworth without the production that Kyle Love has shown this year?  

BB: Honestly, I don't think any of that was really that big of a factor in it.  

Q: Can you talk about Kyle Love's production?  

BB: Kyle came in here undrafted, did a real good job in preseason last year [and] earned a spot on the roster. His playing time increased gradually over the course of the season last year. We had a few injuries and things, he stepped in and did a good job. He came back this year ready to go, built on last year's performance and has done a good job for us this year. He's improved his techniques, his conditioning - he's been out there on a consistent basis. He's been able to perform and improve and continue to get better. He's done a solid job for us all year.  

Q: Do you think the scheme, him as a defensive tackle as opposed to a nose tackle has helped him?  

BB: I don't know. We pretty much coach the same techniques as far as our reads and using our hands and our techniques and all that kind of thing. Whether we're here or here, it's still pretty much the same. I don't think it's that big of a deal. I'm not saying it's the same, it's different, but there's a lot of carryover. But I wouldn't call it like a new position, if you would.  

Q: Do you have any new information on Brandon Spikes from yesterday?  

BB: No. We'll see how things go in practice today and list it accordingly.  

Q: With Chad Ochocinco, you have talked about how he's made progress in practice. Have you seen that translated onto the field that he's shown growth in games the last few games?  

BB: I mean, again, as I said at the beginning, I think everybody can do a better job. That includes everybody - it includes me, it includes all the coaches, it includes all the players. There's room for improvement for all of us. That being said, there's things that we're doing well - we just have to do more of it, we have to do it more consistently. That goes for everybody - whatever player you want to name, I would say pretty much I would fall into that category.  

Q: Is there a statistic that stands out for you as far as interceptions that you guys throw and points it results in or losses it causes? Is there any correlation?  

BB: There's definitely a correlation between points and wins and losses and a correlation between turnovers and points and then a correlation between red area and points. Those are all pretty strong correlations, so whichever side of those you're on, they're important. If you're trying to score in the red area or trying to keep them out or you're turning the ball over or you're not, you're taking it away, however you want to look at it, those things are very important toward points and points are very important toward winning and losing, relative to some other stats that are less correlated to winning and less correlated to points.  

Q: I just didn't know if there was something specifically about lost possessions?  

BB: Turnovers to points, points to winning and losing. Points, turnovers, red area - I would put those, in that order, at the top. I'm not saying all that other stuff isn't important to some degree or another but what's more important? Those three are at the top of the list.  

Q: Is there anything that stands out about any of Tom Brady's interceptions this year? A common theme?  

BB: I think you can look at each play and obviously there's something that went wrong. A couple balls have been tipped, a couple balls I'm sure he'd like to have back. I'd say for the most part, I think he's throwing to the right guy. There's something about the pass, the route, the catch, the whatever it is - the ball isn't ending up in our hands. I'd say for the most part, he's making good reads and he's going to the right guy.  

Q: Can you describe what it is about Ross Ventrone that makes you want to keep bringing him back and maybe the perseverance that he has to deal with what he's gone through?  

BB: Honestly, I don't think what you referred to is that big of a deal. The guys that are on the team are on the team. They all practice and meet and work out and do the same things. It's really just a question of what their actual status is. But they're either playing or they're not playing, that's what it is. But Ross has been here for a couple years, he's shown value in the kicking game and defensively. He's an instinctive player, he's fast, he's tough, he works hard. He's smart, he understands what to do and he can do a number of things so he brings value to the team in several different areas.  

Q: What would you like to see out of Jermaine Cunningham for him to get back onto the field?  

BB: I'd like to see every player be able to perform at the high level and be productive. That would be true of every player.  

Q: Is there anything in particular preventing him specifically from getting out there? He played a lot more last year as a rookie and he had some productive games. What's the barrier to him getting out there this year? Change in defense?  

BB: I don't know. The performance of the players is relative to each other. That's not really anything that a coach can control. You evaluate, you let them compete, you let them play. Somebody is ahead of somebody else, somebody is behind somebody else. That's the way it is. In my opinion, the players that play the best, play the most. Players that don't play as well have to earn their opportunity for more playing time. I don't know any other way to do it.  

Q: When was the last time you talked to Randy Moss?  

BB: My conversations with players and other people like that I think are private, with all due respect.  

Q: Would you consider bringing him back to the team somewhere down the line?  

BB: I don't think it's appropriate for me to comment on players that aren't with this football team. I'm coaching the ones that are. I'm trying to coach them as well as I can. We're going down to play the Jets on Sunday - big game, big division game on the road, so that's really where my focus is. Talk about guys that aren't here and situations and hypotheticals and all that is - right now I'm on the Jets, I'm on the players that we have, I'm on our team.

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