TOM BRADY, QB
On first half offense?
"What offense? We had a hard time moving at all. We couIdn't get into a rhythm at all. The second half was better, but I don't think it was great by any stretch. It feels good to win, see the defense play the way they did and get those turnovers. We certainly can play a lot better offensively. lt feels good to win those games when you don't play great. You have to win these games when you have an opportunity."
On fourth and one play:
"If you get the first down the game is over. (If) you punt to them and they have three time outs with two minutes left, they only have to go 60 yards. If you get the yard it would be tough for them to win the game. They would have to use all their time outs and there would be a minute left in the game. We tried it and didn't execute it very well. We didn't execute a lot of things very well. It should have never come down to a fourth and one. It was second and one and we lost yards. On third down we didn't gain any yards. We have to do a better job when it counts. I'd go for it every time."
Having been through these types of games so many times, are you ever reminded that you're not going to win?
"We have a lot confidence certainly. I have a lot of confidence when we play a lot better. We are still working at it. I wouldn't say we are in playoff form. But I will say we are five and one. We've played some tough teams and defenses. We are just trying to improve. One thing that We've shown is that we are going to keep fighting all the way to the end."
On developing confidence on first drive of second half:
"It's better to start the third quarter with an eight and a half minute drive with a touchdown. It was good. We needed that. We've done that scoring a couple times right after half time. But we have to do a better job starting the game and taking advantage of turnovers. l have to do a better job of finding open guys. Hopefully it doesn't come down to a nail biter. We won the turnover battle four to nothing. We had some great short fields and opportunities. But like l said it's great to get the win."
On seldom making mental mistakes:
"Coaching. From the time we walk in the door, (Belichick) talks about eliminating bad football. That's stuff Foxborough high school can complete; wide open throws, snap count violations or dropping the ball when you haven't been touched. Those type of things coach is tough on us. The day we started training camp we run laps around the field for stupid plays like that. You're right we try to do the best we can to eliminate those (mistakes) and not beat ourselves."
On play call on fourth and one:
"We have a lot of conidence in that play. You have to think that you'll be able to get the yard. We didn't execute very well and they did. You have to give them credit on that play. But our defense came up really big when we needed it."
JAMES SANDERS, S
On making the stop to force fourth down for the Chargers...
"Yes the game was on the defense at that point. The offense worked for it and we're a team. Sometimes they bail us out and sometimes we have to bail them out. That's the beauty of being a team, we have each other's back no matter what the circumstance is. Our back was against the wall after they didn't make the fourth down but we stood up and made a stop."
On the Chargers player (Richard Goodman) throwing the ball down after his catch...
"Fifteen (Richard Goodman) made a good catch but he's a young player and I guess he thought he was in college and left the ball on ground. Coach Belichick always tells us to play smart football and whether he was touched or not my job is to get on the ball and let the refs make a decision."
You guys have won four straight but is a full 60-minute effort still lacking?
"We're getting close, we're not there yet but each week we're improving. We're getting closer and closer to being where we want to be and that's a real good football team. We show flashes here and there but we have to put it together for a full 60 minutes. Hopefully we'll just keep getting better and better."
AARON HERNANDEZ, TE
On the team win...
"We just knew we had to come together as a team and start playing as a unit. The defense played great and held us in the game so the offense had to get together in the second half."
The passing game was clicking, what allowed you to have some success?
"Everyone just stepped up. We came out a little sloppy and flat on offense and when we came in at halftime we just said that everyone needs to step up and people made plays."
On having more offensive rhythm in the second half...
"We just knew we had to get it going on offense so we came out firing the ball. We were trying to take control of the game at our tempo and it worked out pretty well."
Was there ever a doubt that you guys were going to go for it on forth down?
"I really don't know. I was hoping we would go for it. The chargers just came up and made a big play.
What were your emotions in the last 3 minutes?
"I have faith in our defense and I know they have our back and we have their back. I knew the defense would step up and they did. They made them kick a field goal and put the pressure on the Chargers."
VINCE WILFORK, DT
On if things felt like they might be getting out of control in the Fourth Quarter...
"Thats one thing this team does is they keep their poise. They play to the whistle. At times, when we don't do that, we have problems. For the most part, we always play, keep our poise and stay positive out there on the field if anything happens. Just looking at these guys on film, the situations that came up. we knew when they were down what they were going to do We just had to do a better job on defense at defending those types of situations. Overall, we came out and played well. We played how we wanted to play. We were physical. We were aggressive. We caused turnovers, created turnovers and kept our offense in good field position for the most part. This was another team win. We'll just chalk this one up and go back and prepare for Minnesota for this week."
On how big the four turnovers were In the first half:
"We started the game how we want to start a game. We know playing a team like San Diego at home, if we get off to a slow start, they'lI make us pay, which they've done in the past. That was very Important for us to get off to a fast start and for the most part, we did. The second_half, we came out and it was a different ball game, putting the ball up in the air and everything. We knew what they were going to do. Like I said, we just have to do a better job as a defense to make the plays when it counts. But, at the end of the game 23-20 lining up for a field goal, they false-started. pushed them back tive more yards so who knows what those five yards would have been. That was a big play on our part of keeping our composure and letting them jump, getting the yardage, and then come back with a field goal pressure that they missed. The situation played out the way we wanted lt to play out, but the game should not have even been that close to be honest with you, but it was, We came to San Diego, like I said. we didn't look at their record. It seems like they always start slow and all of a sudden turn it around. One thing we said we didn't want them to turn it around while we were out here."
On what happened on the final field goal that led to the false start:
"I don't know. I know I talked along my guys about we wanted to attack. So, I don't know if he wanted to sit down extra-aggressively to try to stop us, but hey, they jumped, we didn't and it cost them. In a situation like that, normally we don't move unless somebody else moves and it was 50-50, because he moved enough for us to jump across and the ref was on top of it You just have to understand the situation, Five yards in a situation like that is a big five yards to try to tie the ball game. It played out how we wanted it to play out We stayed onsides. They jumped It moved them back five extra yards and it cost them the ball game."
