Q: When you guys faced the Patriots the first time, they were on their way to being the kind of offense we usually see. What has changed in this Patriots offense the last three games as their productivity has gone down?
DR: I'm not really focusing on what they've been doing wrong. We know what challenge this is for us this week. Despite their last two games, we know the type of game this is between us. It always is a big rivalry and we know they have an unbelievable quarterback in Tom [Brady] and he has some weapons out there he can throw to.
Q: What do you remember about those two high profile showdowns you had with Chad Ochocinco in 2009?
DR: That's in the past; it was what it was at that time. I think we played them the last game of the regular season and the first playoff game. You know, got him two weeks in a row. It was a good matchup between us. We came out with the victory on both of those wins.
Q: I know you've faced him on a fairly consistent basis over the past couple of years. What if anything did you take out of your last go-round with Wes Welker and do you anticipate facing him this week?
DR: Last game, the matchup was great between Wes [and me]. Sometimes I was throwing him on the ground; sometimes he was catching some balls on me. I call him the 'Energizer Bunny' because he never stops - it doesn't matter what you do to him, he just keeps on coming and coming. We're still putting in the game plan this week for us to try to attack these guys the way we want to. If I'm on him, I'm on him. If I'm not, then it doesn't matter - we have confidence in everybody on the Jets.
Q: With Chad Ochocinco, what have you seen of him as the season has progressed, particularly this last game when he seemed to get open several times. What is your assessment of how he's come along?
DR: I guess you just have to take one week at a time. I don't really know the inside or what's going on up there with him in the offense. It might be something where the terminology might be different from when he was in Cincinnati. You could see they're trying to work him into the mix. I guess when he gets comfortable and the Patriots feel that he's comfortable, then they'll probably show him the ball a little more.
Q: The last long strike play that the Patriots offense had was that long play at the start of the second half against you guys. How many times have you looked at that play on tape? What kind of adjustments do you guys think you'll make to try to prevent that from happening this week?
DR: The adjustment is on our side, they didn't do anything spectacular. It was just a simple route play, he got on top of me and Wes [Welker] made a good play. That's just something that we can control over here and I can control in just doing my job.
Q: Was that on you or on the safety?
DR: That was on me.
Q: You probably don't spend a lot of time watching defensive film but what are some of your thoughts on Devin McCourty and what he's been able to do in a year and a half in the league?
DR: You're right, I don't watch other teams' defenses. I haven't really paid attention to him as much this year. I'm focusing on what I need to do and focused on our team and what we're trying to do.
Q: When you guys first faced the Patriots, it seemed you guys were in trouble, headed in the wrong direction and we kept hearing about all the locker room problems. What happened to all that stuff?
DR: It's swept under the rug now; it is. Some guys were pointing people out. We just had a team meeting and got everything out there and moved forward as a team.
Q: What about the weight of this game - how much are you placing on it? Obviously there will be a lot of football left after Sunday night. How much weight are you placing on this game and the significance of it?
DR: This is another week for to just go another step in our goals of what we want to accomplish. This is a very big game - not just for us, for them as well. They lost two games and we've won three straight. This game is going to come down to what we want as a team and also what the New England Patriots want - they want to win. It's a rivalry game, it's going to be very intense. We're doing what we can with the game plan this week and focusing in as much as we can this week so we can get a win at home.
Q: One of the reasons that a lot of teams don't put their outside cornerbacks on slot receivers is because coaches say it takes a defense out of what it usually does. Obviously you guys did it well. What does it prevent a defense from doing when you put an outside corner and put him on the slot receiver? How does that change things scheme-wise?
DR: For us, I can't speak for every team, but for us we feel that we have a lot of depth back there in the secondary and guys can play multiple positions. In our defense, guys move around a lot. I know the slot position as well as playing corner. Kyle Wilson knows the same thing - he has to know the outside corner spot as well as he knows him playing nickel back. We just have versatile guys that we can move in and out of places and do different jobs.
Q: Does it help you knowing that a team like the Patriots is going to come in and throw the ball 45 or 50 times?
DR: We expect it. That's their bread and butter - that's how their offense rolls. They do five-wide, empty a lot and they have a lot of weapons. They have the two tight ends and Wes [Welker] is unbelievable, he's playing lights out this year as well as Tom [Brady] too. They have a lot of versatile players that they can feed the ball to. We expect it. We expect them to come out throwing the ball. If it has to take them 45 to 50 times to throw the ball then I guess that's their game plan.
Q: There have been a couple of times in the past when you guys have come off the Patriots game and struggled but that's been the opposite case the last few weeks. Is there anything that you guys are doing better to handle the weeks after such a highly anticipated game?
DR: I think as a team, our focus, I think that's the biggest thing. We're just really focusing in. We always talk about playing our best football in November and that's what we're just trying to do. We're clicking now, the mental mistakes are less and guys are just buying into the system of what we need to do and taking care of the little things on defense.
Q: Obviously different receivers present different skill sets but how does your game change when you move from the outside into the slot?
DR: It really doesn't change. I try to be as aggressive as I do out when I'm playing corner. To me it really doesn't change. I think the only thing with that position playing in the slot is a lot of things in there are moving a little bit faster than when you're playing outside cornerback. It's a lot of things moving. You have to focus in on the linemen sometimes and what they're doing and how close you are and how close the slot receiver is to the core. A lot of things when you're inside as the nickel back, it moves a little bit faster than you are playing outside corner.
Q: Rex Ryan said today and he's said a bunch of times in the past that you're the best cornerback in the NFL. Do you agree with that?
DR: Yeah, I believe so. Not saying it out of cockiness or anything, I'm a humble guy but I work hard. This has been my dream - to be the best, looking up to guys like Deion Sanders and Darrell Green and Mel Blount. This is where my life is at right now, my situation. I'm just trying to do it the best way I can.
Q: Rex Ryan appeared in a movie as a Patriots fan. How do you feel about that?
DR: That's him. You have to take care of your opportunities off the field as well as on the field. We know the type of guy he is - he's a funny guy, he's always making us laugh, week in and week out. He's a good coach. Actually, I can't wait to see the movie - I'm sure it's going to be funny with Adam Sandler in it too.
