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Replay: Patriots Unfiltered Wed Dec 11 - 02:00 PM | Thu Dec 12 - 11:55 AM

Patriots Postgame Quotes - 10/21/2012

New England Patriots players addressed the media following their regular season game against the New York Jets at Gillette Stadium on Sunday, October 21, 2012. Read their quotes below.

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Wes Welker, Wide Receiver

(On how he would describe the win)
"We just kept fighting to the end. We've been fighting before and the plays just didn't go our way and today we made the plays that made the difference."

(On the offense clicking on the last couple drives of the game)
"That was the point in the game where it was do or die. Some guys stepped up and were able to make plays and we were able to get the win. It's good to see."

(On if Tom Brady put criticism to rest by performing well late in the game)
"I think [Tom Brady] put it [criticism] to rest a long time ago. Nothing's really changed, he's still Tom. I don't think anybody needs to waver on whether he's going to be there or not."

Donald Thomas, Offensive Lineman

(On how the offensive-line unit maintained its composure despite being undermanned)
"The next guy tries to step in and play as well as he can. It's like that on every single team. All the other teams have been through the same philosophy. You come in and play just as well or try to play better than who you're replacing and try not to hurt the team. Guys did a great job, Nick [McDonald] did a great job today, stepping up at a minute's notice and being ready to go."

(On how the team reacted when Dan Connolly came out early in the game)
"The thing is, you try not to let it be a distraction to the game plan. And you've got guys who are able to step up and play. It's unfortunate when you don't have someone else – one of your starters [Dan Connolly] that gets sick before a game. But he can't go and someone else had to step up and play. You can't let it be a distraction, you've just got to play."

Danny Aiken, Long Snapper

(On whether he can tell by the sound of the ball that the kick is good)
"You know, no, not really you're in the trenches out there with the linemen, so…It's an awesome feeling."

(On the redeeming qualities of being successful in the kicking game after the Arizona game)
"We're professionals. We come out every day and we just do our job. We work hard and practice those kicks each and every day and just work hard at it."

(On how he feels for Stephen Gostkowski)
"You feel good for him. He's one of your family members, one of your friends. It's a good feeling."

Shane Vereen, Running Back

(On if it works well that he got the ball in succession to begin the game)
"Yeah, of course. You look to pop off 8-to-10 yard runs right off the bat."

(On the work of the offensive line today)
"They did an amazing job. I was able to pop off those long runs and get to the second level because they did a great job."

(On whether he knows ahead of time if he will be on the field for the first series of the game)
"No, not at all. They tell us to be ready and that's the one thing I try to do is just be ready when my number's called"

(On the feeling when he is tabbed to get the initial offensive reps in a game)
"You get excited, anyway I get to help the team, I get excited to do that."

Kyle Love, Defensive Lineman

(Did you expect the game to be that way?)
"Yes. Any time you play the Jets, they're going to try to knock you around, and we had to keep fighting."

(Do these games where you have a lead and it shrinks get frustrating at any point?)
"You can't get down, because if you let one thing get you down, then that's the way the rest of the game is going to go and you end up losing like that. You've got to put that in the past and keep playing hard."

(Were you guys confident right to the end there?)
"Definitely. We weren't frustrated at all. We just wanted to keep playing and stick it out and win."

(You mentioned that Rob [Ninkovich] saved you. What were your thoughts on that [game-ending] play?)
"I was happy. Rob normally comes through, especially with the Jets. Pepper Johnson told him earlier during the week that he normally has a good game against the Jets. That's what happened. He did."

Rob Ninkovich, Defensive Lineman

(On his game sealing fumble recovery)
"It was just an edge rush. Jermaine Cunningham did a great job of getting inside on the guard, so it kind of shortened that corner for me and I was able to get around the guy. I saw Jermaine on his legs trying to get [Mark Sanchez] down and he tried to throw it, so I just got the ball, knocked him down and picked up the ball." (On his mindset during the end of a close game)
"Win the game. Do my job. Whatever my job is on that particular play, do it to the best of my abilities and try and walk away with a victory. So we did that and I'm happy."

(On if he is happy for Stephen Gostkowski)
"Steve's a great, great kicker. I'm happy he's on our team. He's just great overall. Everything he does: kickoffs, he puts them deep and field goals, he's always kicking clutch field goals for us."

(On why he thinks he has played at a higher level this season)
"I feel like the opportunities are there and last year I was playing hard as well, so every time I'm out there I'm going to make the best of my opportunity."

(On his comfort level with switching back and forth between linebacker and defensive end throughout the game)
"Anything they ask me to do. It helps the team to be able to play linebacker and then jump down to [defensive] end. Obviously if Dont'a [Hightower] isn't there then I'm able to step in and Jermaine [Cunningham] is able to bump in at [defensive] end. We're kind of versatile as far as [the] edge. It's good for us overall for me to be able to jump down to [defensive] end and then have Hightower come in. It just kind of keeps the offense guessing on who's playing what."

Zoltan Mesko, Punter

(On how it feels to see two field goals go through the uprights)
"It's a good feeling and it's probably the best feeling in the house for the guy next to me, Stephen [Gostkowski]."

(On how he feels for Stephen Gostkowski considering his missed field goal in the team's loss to the Arizona Cardinals)
"I feel great. Never lost hope. He's the guy we trust and he's like a brother to me because we're together all the time."

(On what Stephen Gostkowski was like after the missed kick against Arizona)
"I mean we all as athletes have to have, I guess the word of the year is 'amnesia.' I personally have this 24-hour period where I lick my wounds and then we move on and we learn from our mistakes."

(On the difficulty of blocking out the pressure during a high pressure field goal)
"Really we just lined up and did what we did hundreds of thousands of times together."

(On how quickly he knows if it is a good solid kick)
"I think at this point you just hear it and you already know."

Jermaine Cunningham, Defensive End

(On the sack and fumble in overtime)
"I just saw the ball snap and I tried to just get to the ball, the whole defense worked together because we had good coverage and decent pass rush and came up with the ball."

Devin McCourty, Cornerback

(On what were his thoughts with the personal highs and lows tonight)
"My teammates saved my life today, a bad mistake in the fourth quarter I just have to do a better job on holding the ball. This was just a total team win we just kept fighting. Things didn't go our way the whole game, today we made enough plays when we needed to for the win."

(On will he be thinking more about the fumble in the fourth quarter than the touchdown in the first quarter.)
"Yeah, it's just that the fourth quarter is so important, my goal is to just play mistake free in the fourth quarter that's a big one. It's not defensively but it's something I really work on, I'm a big part of that kickoff return team and I think my teammates did a great job because on that touchdown no one touched me and I just have to work on my responsibility and that's holding on to the ball."

(On the kickoff for a touchdown)
"I just ran my lane and I saw Daniel (Fells)
did a great job turning his man, once you get up to the kicker that's your responsibility and I made a move and I got past him."

Rob Gronkowski, Tight End

(On if the win feels good)
"Yah definitely - always getting a win - it's always great. That's why you work so hard all week. That's why you prepare as hard as you can all week and getting the victory is awesome."

(On if he saw the victory as 'winning ugly')
"Well, a win's a win. I'll take it whatever way. You can win some ugly and you can win some pretty and it just doesn't matter. We work together as a team and we got the victory."

(On difference of execution on the final drives)
"We just went out and complete passes, got the run game going a little bit and everyone was just doing their job. O-line was doing good and Tom [Brady] was putting the ball where it needed to be caught and the receivers were making good plays. Overall, we executed as an offense to get where we needed to [be] to kick that field goal."

(On rhythm with Tom Brady)
"I just got to be ready at all times; passing wise, blocking wise and when your number's called you just have to go out there and do your job. And when the ball is thrown to you, you got to catch it and protect it. It was just going good and everyone was just doing a good job out there."

(On the relief of seeing the fumble recovery)
"Oh it was a big relief - [Rob] Ninkovich did a great job, the defense did a great job on that last drive – big relief. I mean you're just praying and right there and you saw it. Super excited to get that victory. It's a great feeling when you see that fumble go up."

(On his feelings about Devin McCourty's performance)
"He's a great player. We love having him on our team, great leader and he just works hard every week and it's awesome having him on the team. That's all you can say about him, he's a good player."

Kyle Arrington, Cornerback

(On the roller coaster style game)
"I said before that when it comes down to a rival game like that, division game, both teams definitely need a win. We were expecting everything and like I said it was a dog fight."

(On playing 60 minutes but it went longer)
"It took us a little longer but we were able to pull it out and like I said, we'll enjoy tonight."

(On give up a lot of passing plays of over 20 yards)
"No comment. We'll go back [and] see what we can improve. It's all about getting better from here."

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