New England Patriots wide receiver Randy Moss addresses the media during his postgame press conference from Gillette Stadium on Sunday, September 21, 2008.
(On how stunning today's game was)
We definitely don't live off the past and this is a new season, but this being our first loss of the season if definitely hurts. What makes matters worse is that it was in the division, so that's really painful. They really came in and handed it to us in our house. As coach said, we've still got a lot of work to do. I think we're going to use this week to try and rest and heal up but at the same time we've still got a lot of work to do. It [was] very disappointing out there today.
(On Matt Cassel's performance)
I really can't speak on him. What I can speak on is us as a whole unit, as a team, coaching staff and players. In this game you really can't put a win or a loss on one individual, like the performance Ronnie Brown had today. There's ten other guys out there with him that make plays happen for him to be able to score those touchdowns. They had a team win and we had a team loss. Like I said this week that we're supposed to use for healing and trying to get back guys on the field, I think we're going to be working. It's a good thing but also a bad thing. I look forward to this week and the upcoming games. We'll see what happens.
(On whether the loss was a matter of execution or the Dolphins surprising the Patriots)
Any time you look from the outside looking in you always see what they are doing but I really honestly think that with our preparation this week and the plays and the calls we had we left a lot of football out there. I'm not taking anything from the Dolphins and their coach. I looked on the other side of the field and saw how much this game meant to them. They dumped the water on the coach's head and stuff like that. That was very disappointing looking over on the other side of the field and seeing that because that means their expectations were to come in here and put it to us, which they did. They stepped up and we didn't.
(On if the bye week helps or hurts the team at this point)
Me personally I'd like to get back on the football field. We love to compete any time you get a chance to go out there and compete and make it happen. I was talking to Kevin [Faulk] on the bench and we were talking about, I don't think people really understand how much work we put in during the week as professional football players. Sunday is really the day that you're supposed to come out and just let everything go. With all the build up and frustration that the coaches put players through throughout the week, Sunday is really to get in between those white lines and let everything hang, let everything fall out. I can really see how enthused the Dolphins were and we didn't really seem that way. Like I said this is definitely going to be a very interesting week, to see how we go about it.
(On whether the teams' issues were more mental than physical)
I think it [was] everything-- all of the above. Going with the heart, desire and determination. Seeing the way the Dolphins performed out there, they just wanted it more. I guess that's something crazy for me to say, but I was out there and I could really see it. There were a couple plays that we had out there that we really felt could get the offense going and there were a couple plays that could get the defense going but every time we stepped up they smashed us in the mouth with either a defensive stop or some kind of first down or touchdown. They won as a team and we lost as a team. Week in and week out there is going to be a winner and there is going to be a loser. I think that the bar and the standards have been set so high that any time our play doesn't meet the expectations of the fans and the people in the stadium of course we're going to look bad. You either win or you lose and we lost. We're going to have an off week to take off and really focus on getting back to what we know how to do and look forward to the week after that.
(On being a captain and how he keeps his teammates from getting down)
I don't know. I really don't. I think everything is more staying positive and coming to work every day. I think that with the concept of team around here, this is not the end. We lost. Like I said, you're going to have winners and you're going to have losers. Actually, this loss hurt. Being in the division, Miami Dolphins, they really put it to us today. I think the best thing is to come ready to work everyday. We have a lot of fun out there on the practice field every day. As bad as it seems, that Sunday's supposed to be the day that you're supposed to go out there and let it hang and let it all out, but we didn't do that today. From a leadership standpoint [you] have to keep everything positive. Not look ahead, look week to week and try to go out here and prepare this week and get ready for a game.
(On whether or not the emotions after the Jets game had an effect on this week's game)
No, not at all. After the Jets game we celebrated Sunday and Monday it was [focus on the] Dolphins. It really wasn't a hangover or a carry over from last week. You have to tip your hats to the Dolphins because I've been watching football for a long time and I've really never seen the Miami Dolphins offense have all these gadgets and stuff like that. You have to tip your hat off to their whole team. They made some key plays on defense, offense and special teams. We didn't do that. It's a team loss today and it's a team win. [We'll] just go back to the drawing board.
(On whether or not he has concerns about Matt Cassel's confidence)
Not at all. The main thing is no matter what happens we have to stay upbeat. Not just myself but you've got a whole team and coaching staff that has to say upbeat. I think a lot of people are looking for the captains for all this leadership and change things around but you have a 53-man roster and all these coaches, that's hard to do. Not saying that it's impossible, coach [Bill] Belichick is a hell of a coach. I look forward to good things coming from him this week and any other week. It's a disappointing loss and it's something that really hurts but the good thing about it is you get to come out the following week to try and make up for the week prior to that. You just go back to the drawing board and hopefully we can turn this thing around.