Denver Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey addresses the New England media during his conference call on Wednesday, October 7, 2009.
Q: What's the difference between playing for Josh McDaniels as opposed to Mike Shanahan?
CB: Obviously, they're different types of coaches. They both want to win and preparation is everything. I tell you what, just being under Josh McDaniels for a few months now, I mean he's a guy that is going to have you as prepared as you can be for a game and that's something that throughout my 11 years I haven't had a lot of. I've had some great coaches including Shanahan, but he's [McDaniels] definitely one of a kind in the way that he approaches the game.
Q: Did Josh McDaniels sort of reinvigorate that franchise?
CB: I think what it was...by the guys we brought in, and the guys that were left here, we got rid of a lot of bad apples and we brought in a lot of good ones and I think that that was the key to really getting this thing turned around, as least positively.
Q: Last year you were hurt against the Patriots, and I remember that day you said that watching your defense, they didn't seem really nasty. How have things changed from late last year to this in that regard? Is there a real nastiness now that you're happy to see?
CB: Well, I think our confidence wasn't there last year, especially in that game. I remember going down in that game, and even as you sit on the sideline you can really just tell how bad guys want it, and I didn't feel that. It bothered me a lot, and obviously I showed that after the game. I hate to be the guy that sits on the sidelines and talks about it, but I feel like I've earned my stripes enough to really sit back and criticize people when I see things going wrong because I want to win, and I can't have people 'half-assing' it, if you say, on the field, and I can't let people get away with that.
Q: How did that turn around this year?
CB: Well, it's funny. I don't have to say much at all this year. I mean we have guys that want it. That's definitely a start. We've got coaches that really want it, but when it rubs off on the players, I mean that's the key because we have to go out there and perform.
Q: What do you see from this Patriots offense, especially now that Tom Brady's back?
CB: Well, that's it right there: Tom Brady. He makes that offense go. Whether he's handing it off or throwing it, he's the key to that offense because he controls everything. You could just see how poised he is. It seems like every week he gets more and more comfortable coming off that injury and he's just getting more and more comfortable and boy, I hope we can find a way to rattle him this week, because he's looking better and better every week?
Q: Do you look forward to your match-ups with Randy Moss?
CB: Yeah, I mean, I've always said since I played him for the first time, he's one of the best I've ever seen, even to this day. He's in his twelfth season, but that guy, he plays like he's 25 years old again and he's so dangerous. He has that deceptive speed. You know he's fast, but then he doesn't run fast, and then all of a sudden he's top speed. He's just a dangerous guy. I look forward to that match-up because if you can come out playing well against him, you know you're doing good things.
Q: So you don't buy it when people criticize him for lolly gagging?
CB: He never lolly gags. See, that's the thing, people don't really understand the game. I mean he blocks, he does all those little things. I wouldn't say he's the greatest blocker, but he does it effectively. When he's jogging, he's just really setting you up for the next time he jogs and then he takes off running past you. He's one of those guys; he loves to find ways to set you up.
Q: What's been the key to your defense's turnaround this year, is it the new guys you brought in, is it the scheme, or the combination?
CB: I think it's a combination of everything; we've got great leaders. You talk about the addition of Brian Dawkins, Andre Goodman, Renaldo Hill, Andre Davis, these guys really...I don't understand why their team let them go, first of all, because they're great leaders and they're great players as well. So, they just brought that attitude with them, and it's rubbing off on a lot of guys. We had guys that had that attitude - DJ Williams, myself, and a few others - but we didn't have enough of the young guys believing it.
Q: Seems like in these parts people remember the play Ben Watson made on you [in the 2005 AFC Divisional Championship in which Ben Watson ran down field to catch up to Bailey and knock him out of bounds after Bailey was en route to a 100 yard INT return for a touchdown]. What are your recollections of that and did you get kidded about after that had happened to you?
CB: I still hear about that, to this day. Nobody ever let me live that one down. The crazy thing is that we both went to [University of] Georgia, so I'm thinking to myself, why can't he just let an old Georgia boy score on that play. But he just shows what type of player he is on that play and I think that even Belichick said that was one of the greatest plays he's seen, even in a loss. It's one of the greatest plays he's ever seen. Definitely one of the greatest, to me too, I just wish I wasn't in there when that happened.
Q: Were you shocked that someone caught up to you? Because it looked like you were gone?
CB: Not really, I was gone and then I started slowing down towards the end and that gave him the opportunity to catch me. Obviously, I was just dead tired.
Q: Whereabouts did you start pulling up?
CB: I can't even remember, probably like the 20, I could really tell I was slowing down, and then by the time I got to the five I was pretty much...it was just all will to get in there because I had no legs.
Q: Does Josh McDaniels having such a familiarity with the Patriots offense help you in any way?
CB: Well, we're just getting started today, so I'm looking forward to it. I hope he can help me as much as possible.
Q: Watching the Patriots offense on film, does it look as dynamic as it was a couple of years ago?
CB: Yeah, and I think they're getting better. Like I said earlier, the key to their offense is Brady. If he's playing well, they're going to play well. Every week it seems like they're getting better and better. They had a minor setback against the Jets, but I mean even after that game they just responded so well and they played a lot of good teams this year so they've proven themselves a lot within these four games.
Q: Is there anything as a defense you guys can take away from what the Jets did on that day?
CB: I mean, I hope so. We're just starting to watch the tape, so I'm really trying to feel out what they did to rattle them and to get to Brady, and to not have them score a touchdown, which is a rare thing. So obviously they did some good things, so hopefully we can take something from that.
Q: When you win games the way you have, obviously in the season and opener and of course last week against Dallas, what does it do for the psyche of the team? You've got a new system, new coach that you're trying to adapt to. When you have success like that, what does that do and what does that mean?
CB: Well, I'll tell you what, when you get in situations like that, you have to be prepared and obviously he puts us through those situations in practice in close situations. Everybody knows what's going to happen, what we expect from each other on the field when we get in certain situations. [On] fourth and goal, we know what plays are going to be called. I think that preparation helps us overcome the close games and helps us come out on top because we know what to expect when it gets close like that.
Q: Do you expect you'll get the best preparation of all this week knowing that Josh McDaniels has a lot of information about the Patriots' offense?
CB: I sure hope so. I'll have a better feeling of what the Patriots are like by Friday.
Q: How long did it take to establish a trust in Josh McDaniels?
CB: Well, I think one thing about football is, you've got to buy in right away, or else you're not going to win early. I think a lot of guys are really buying in now, and as the season goes on, the more trust you gain. Winning definitely helps all of that, so obviously our confidence is pretty good right now in what he's done to this point and what we can do on the field. I think every week, everybody trusts each other more and more.
Q: When Brandon Marshall hugs it out there with Josh McDaniels at the end of the Dallas game is that a statement or I guess a signal that he's bought in too?
CB: Yeah, I mean he has to. If you don't buy into this thing, he's not going to play. The coach has to trust us as well. I mean, Brandon knows that, he knows that, whether he's asking for a new contract or a trade, he's not going to get the best of it unless he goes out there and performs. I'm all for him getting every dollar he wants, but first and foremost you've got to perform.
