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Seahawks Quotes 1/22: Kevin Williams, Bobby Wagner

Seattle Seahawks players comment on their upcoming Super Bowl game against the New England Patriots during media access on Thursday, January 22, 2015.

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DEFENSIVE TACKLE KEVIN WILLIAMS

(On how it feels to be going to the Super Bowl) It's huge, man - being my 12th season and able to get to this point is tremendous. A lot of guys play, you get the contracts, you can play for the Pro Bowl but to be able to play in the Super Bowl - I think that's the ultimate goal and being able to do that with this great group of guys is huge for me.

(On if one the things going into signing with the Seahawks was being able to probably play in a Super Bowl) Yeah, having a chance - having a chance to have a chance to get into playoffs, win some games. I didn't have that luxury up in Minnesota the last few years. We were up and down, up and down and to come here with a team that's as solid as we have here and to win as many game as we have and be back going to the Super Bowl - that's what you came here for.

(On if he was also looking at the Patriots) Yeah, that was one of the other choices but I think I'm happy with this decision.

(On if it is difficult to prepare for the Patriots offense) Well, when you play New England, you never know which game plan they're going to go. I think the first playoff game they ran it 14 times and maybe ran it 40 last week, so it's whatever they feel they can attack you with. That's kind of the game plan they come into the game with so you have to prepare for both sides of that coin. I think we have a great staff here and we will be well prepared.

(On if he's ever attended a Super Bowl to watch) I went to the Super Bowl city - I think it might have been Houston my rookie year and after that I was like, 'I won't go back until I get to play.' I'm headed to Arizona now.

(On if there is something that he's looking forward to about Super Bowl week) Winning - we can do all of the festivities and all of that but at the end of the day you want to win. I played all this time to try to get here but most important thing - I want to win.

(On this team having an underdog mentality even though they're Super Bowl champions) We fight no matter who it is in front of us. We're going to prepare and go out and do our best to win the game. It's up to other people to determine underdogs and who is picked to win. We prepare and try to do what's right and get the game going.

(On if he would view his career any differently after a Super Bowl win) It would be the storybook ending, right? I haven't even thought past that. I'm excited we made it to the Super Bowl. My focus shifted to now - trying to get a win against the New England Patriots. I'll worry about all the other stuff when it's over.

(On the importance of Dan Quinn) He's a good leader - great communicator. He's really a players' coach. He wants to put us in the best positions to succeed and I think they really try hard to do that and you can see in our play - we play hard and try to get things done and play and execute what he calls.

(On if there was a moment when it hit him that he was going to the Super Bowl) I still think about it a little bit now at nighttime. Like I said, after the game I enjoyed the moment - soaked it up but then my focus went straight to who we're playing and how we can get this win.

(On when he became a free agent last summer and if he wanted to take the best offer) Of course you want to get compensated well but my thoughts were having a chance to go back to the Super Bowl and I thought these guys had a chance to do it. I think I made a great decision.

(On what is going on in New England with the deflated footballs) We haven't really even thought about it. You still have to tackle, you still have to cover, you still have to rush the quarterback - it doesn't matter how much air is in the ball. We really hadn't talked about it a lot.

(On if he thinks it's a distraction for New England and could be a disadvantage for them) Yeah, it's definitely a distraction for them. That's all the media is talking about right now - at least the week before. I'm glad it their problem and not ours.

LINEBACKER BOBBY WAGNER

(On what kinds of challenges the Patriots present as a power running team)
I think they have good versatile runners. I think [LeGarrette] Blount ran the hell out of the ball last week - that's definitely going to be a challenge - with him back there it balances out their passing game. I think if we stop the run and make them one-dimensional, we will be fine.

(On how LeGarrette Blount is different from other running backs he has faced this year)
I think he has a little bit more juke to him. I think he's able to stop on a dime. He has shifty moves as if he is smaller back. You just have to be ready because he can shake you and he can run you over so you're going to have to be perfect on tackling.

(On how difficult the Patriots are to prepare for)
I think we approach the game the same as we approach every game. We don't personally care what you're going to try to do. Once we figure out what you're trying to do - we're going to adjust to it. If they want to run the ball out - we will be ready. If they want to pass the ball out - we will be ready. If they want to run screens and stuff like that - we are going to be ready. I don't really care what they want to do.

(On if they spent extra time this week on the weird formations the Patriots do)
Yeah, we will be prepared for it. It's something sneaky that they try to do. They will mix it in a point in the game where maybe the other teams are tired but we don't get tired.

(On the 2012 game against the Patriots here)
I remember Sherm [Richard Sherman]. I remember that. I remember I think the last play of the game - they went for a fourth-down -didn't make it and the excitement of winning.

(On if that was a big moment for the team)
I mean, for me, it was. I was a rookie. I watched Tom Brady before I got into the league and to beat him in your home stadium was fun.

(On Tom Brady talking trash in that game) He was talking some trash but I mean everybody talks trash. It's a fun game. It's all within the lines. Everybody is always talking a little smack - it's part of the game.

(On if he talks more trash than most quarterbacks)
No, I've had some quarterbacks talk a lot of trash.

(On the most monumental moment of this season)
Kearse's catch.

(On if this season has been more rewarding because of the struggles that the team has overcome)
Yeah, I can't speak for everybody else but in my opinion it's definitely been. I appreciate this season a lot more because we have been through a lot. I have been through a lot. Everybody was facing injuries. We were having a lot more doubters than we were used to. It's been fun. You have to appreciate all the moments - the good, the bad, the ugly and run with it.

*(On if he has plans to check the football's inflation levels)
* I don't care. They can be flat. They can be pumped up. Someone has to hand them off and someone has to catch them. I'm the guy who has to tackle them so put as much air as you want in them.

(On if he thinks that winning the Super Bowl affecting them this season or if it was its own season with its own challenges)
Yeah, I think it was its own season. I think teams were going to come and definitely give us their best shot but we withstand it. We're here now and we appreciate those moments because it made us grow.

(On Russell Wilson's emotions late in the game last week)
It was great. He was talking a lot - communicating a lot. You could definitely see the passion. I think it showed how much he and everybody else cared about winning that game. We didn't want to go home. We didn't want our season to be over. We definitely wanted to continue pushing on and make some history. I think it's the passion that everybody has for the game - that's why he was reacting the way he was.

(On how he would describe Kam Chancellor)
Animal, beast - anything that eats mammals - something along those lines.

*(On what Kevin Williams has meant to the defense this year)
* Yeah, he's meant a lot especially to me. When Brandon [Mebane] went out - he really stepped in. I think he's done a hell of a job keeping the guys off me, keeping guys off K.J. [Wright] and making the plays in the backfield. Like I said, you have to appreciate this moments because he's been here for 12 years and this is his first opportunity and I want to make sure it's a great one.

(On if they're a going to continue to have a chip on their shoulder)
No, we can use it for however long we wanted to use it, right? I'm using it until they kick me out the league. It's something that we feed off on. Everybody on this team has been doubted at some point in their life. I think that shows why we didn't fold when we were 3-3 or everybody was counting us out and saying that we had a Super Bowl hangover - whatever that is - it's because we've been in this position. We're used to be doubted and we're used to proving people wrong.

(On the Patriots receivers)
They definitely present a deep threat. [Julian] Edelman does a good job especially on third-down - getting open, getting the first-downs and stuff like that. I definitely feel you have to pay a lot of attention to Gronk [Rob Gronkowski] because he opens those guys up because everybody pays so much attention to him and it frees those guys up. I feel like we have the athletes to match up with them very well.

(On if Rob Gronkowski is one of those players that is open no matter what)
I mean he's a very good receiver but when he's on the field with us - I don't know if he's going to be that open.

(On if his view of the Patriots integrity has changed)
It hasn't changed. They are what they are - we focus on us and they do what they do. They're winners. They've done this for a long time. I've watched them - growing up - winning. I have respect for them.

(On if he thinks the Patriots tried to get an unfair advantage)
I don't know what's unfair - it's playing ball. They didn't stop them from missing tackles and they didn't stop them from not making the plays that they were making. At the end of the day, what can we do now? It's all in the past. It's not like we're going to go and say, 'Replay the game' or it's not like we're going to go and say, 'Disqualify them or something.' They're here and we're going to play them and we're going to take advantage of all of our advantages.

(On what is the key as a linebacker to playing pass coverage)
I think it's being patient and being disciplined because they're going to throw a lot of stuff in your face and if you jump the stuff in your face - they're going to throw it behind you. I think that's the key - you have to be really, really focused especially with a guy like Tom. He's going to look you off, he's going to try to get you to bite on the deep stuff and throw the short one. It's a chess game but I like chess.

DEFENSIVE END MICHAEL BENNETT

(On his hat) My friend that just passed away-this was his favorite hat. His wife gave it to me so I'm wearing it all week to give me some good luck.

(On describing Kam Chancellor) Ferocious, he's just a great team leader, and he's just a beast out there-he does everything that you want an NFL player to do. You want a guy to be able to cover, you want him to be able to tackle, and you want a guy that can lead. When you speak about all of those things, you're speaking about Kam Chancellor.

(On the Patriots offense) I think it's kind of like Philadelphia-as long as you study and you see the formations that they have and you prepared for them, you should be ready for them. It's certain things that you see, you know from seeing them or seeing them play, that you just have to be ready for it. Tom Brady is such a great quarterback-he's a Hall of Famer so you just have to be ready for him and the rest of the team.

(On the Patriots run game) I think they just run the ball downhill, I just think that guys aren't tackling them. LeGarrette [Blount] is a big back, I played with him down in Tampa for three or four years. He's the type of back that if you get them going, he can rush for a lot of yards. He's very athletic-I think sometimes people forget that. You just have to tackle them, I think a lot of times when teams get a lot of rushing yards, and it's usually because guys are out of their gaps. If you play gap football usually teams don't break big runs.

(On Kevin Williams) It's not often you get to play with a legend like Kevin. So I'm getting to play along somebody as great as him-he has to change his position for us, that's something you have to do when you come here; to be able to play multiple positions and Kevin has done a great job with that-whether it's nose, end, or 3-technique. We just try to coach him-[Brandon] Mebane is the best nose in the game and that's hard for him to come in and play at the level that Mebane has been playing at for the last couple years, but Kevin has done a great job of doing that. The rushing yards have been the same since Mebane has been out and we've still been playing as a great run defense.

(On Kevin Williams getting his first Super Bowl) Yes-I told him that it's about time you stop playing for the losing team and play for the winning team. It's good for Kevin to get a chance to be in this situation. It'll be new to him, but since we've already been in this situation, we'll coach him up about not worrying too much about the media-it's really about the game. The rest of this stuff is just fun.

(On the Super Bowl hype) I think it's just boring-it's just a waste of time. It's for the NFL to make their money and get the game hyped up like a boxing match. They want to keep building the game up, but at the end of the day, you really just have to play the game. You really can't get into all of the media and all of the things going on. You see all of the things they're talking about now just to keep everybody talking about the game, but really it's about us lining up and playing a great football team and a great game.

*(On his opinion about the Super Bowl Hype) *That's always been my opinion-it's just like a boxing match. It's all about the hype of the game. Legend v. Sherman, What did he say in 2012-I doubt what he remember what he said in that game, but I bet [Richard] Sherman does, but it's just about us lining up and playing against a great football team. They have great players across the board-you talk about [Rob] Gronkowski, [LeGarrette] Blount, and you talk about the receivers on each side-[Julian] Edelman has come in and he's played just like Wes Welker, but he's more athletic than Wes Welker. So they have a lot of great players on their team.

(On the bike he rode after the NFC Championship Game) Actually they donated the bike to my foundation so we're going to auction it off at my charity event in May.

(On the kid crying) Yes-I felt bad for him but I'm glad we won. Some people say the better team lost, but I don't understand how the better team loses, but I guess that's something losers say.

(On the most amazing moment of the season) The most amazing moment is beating Aaron Rodgers in the NFC Championship and beating a great team like the Packers and getting a chance to play against those guys and win the way that we did.

(On best part about next week) The National Anthem-they have famous people singing so it's always cool. I think Katie Perry is doing the halftime with Lenny Kravitz so it's going to be fun. The best part is just getting a chance to go after Tom Brady and playing a good game to see how the game is going to unfold, getting a chance to see Marshawn [Lynch] run the ball how he's capable of doing-that's the best part.

(On being able to play multiple positions) I think it's my willingness to do it-I think you have to have a willingness to play dirty football-not in a sense to play dirty, but just going out there, and playing hard. You have to be able to play with a lot of contact on this team, line up from nose to end, to all the positions-it's just my willingness to do it. I'm just a team guy and I try to do whatever they ask me to do, I try to do it.

(On the keys to playing inside) I think it's my quickness, speed, keeping linemen off balance, and being able to know when I have a man beat, and when I don't have him beat.

(On deflated footballs) I'm not worried about those footballs-those footballs don't matter when you're playing a great defense.

(On his opinion about the Patriots) My opinion is the same-Bill Belichick is one of the greatest coaches to ever step foot in a building. Tom Brady is one of the best quarterbacks to play football. The Patriots are one of the greatest football teams to ever exist in this football league. They have a great team-Robert Kraft is a great owner so they have a great team. My opinion of them hasn't changed at all-it's still all about playing the game. Whatever happened-it happened, so that's just something somebody else is looking for to find an excuse why the other team lost the game, but that's just how it is-sometimes you lose and sometimes you win. We're playing against a great team so we have to be ready to play against them.

(On difficulty preparing for the Patriots) No because we have the type of defense that can do multiple things too-so for them, they're going to go with whatever is working for them and that's how you win football games. If you run the ball good, there is no use of passing it and if you're not running the ball good and they're catching it, then you might as well throw it-that's something they did. Baltimore [Ravens] shut down the run and the Colts didn't shut down the run so they kept running the ball.

(On how they bounced back) It's always going to be challenges because it's new people every year-it's new guys coming in trying to fulfill a new role and new teams that we're playing against so we just went through a lot of changes as the season went on, but good leadership withstood attest the time. Everyone expected us not to be in the championship again, but we always expected us to be right back where we're supposed to be at and we've played great football over the last couple of weeks. At the beginning of the season, everyone is a contender for the Super Bowl, but only towards the end, you see who the real contenders are. So in the beginning, you'll see the pretenders and in December, you'll see the contenders. You see the same teams every year that are competing for a championship and that are us and other teams too.

(On adversity making the season better) Yes because you lose so many guys like Chris Clemons, Red Bryant-it was so many different guys that we lost, but being able to come back, news guys be able to come in and play at a high level and still sustain the type of defense that we have last year or better, it's just a great challenge and we stepped up to the board and you see Russell [Wilson] is playing better than last year, Marshawn [Lynch] is playing the same way he's always played, and Doug Baldwin-people thought Percy [Harvin] was going to come in and Doug wasn't going to be able to play anymore, but Doug still came back and played a great season. [Jermaine] Kearse-the list can go on. Zach Miller goes down and Luke Willson plays a great season. It's just one of those things where people just came in and played at a high level.

*(On Landon Cohen and Demarcus Dobbs) *I think they've done a great job. I think John Schneider and the rest of the staff does a great job of looking for a particular kind of player that can come in and do multiple things. Every time they find the right guy-the guy comes in and has the right personality and fits in and he knows the expectations of our teams and Dobbs-this is his fourth NFC Championship game and this is his fourth year, so he's been prepared for championship moments and Cohen has come in and played great so we always expect guys to come in and keep the same standard.

(On Landon Cohen luckily landing in Seattle) He's not lucky-he just got on the right team. He's been playing, he just had to go through the ringer of the NFL-being cut and keep coming back, that's one of the hardest things for people to do. I know it's easy for people to write stuff like that, but once you get cut, come back, get cut again, and have to come back and you keep fighting-that's something about his spirit, that's why that's good for our team. When you have guys like that have a chip on their shoulder, they can come in and play the way that they can.

(On buying into being the underdog) It's the truth-you think about Russell Wilson, they said he was too short. You think about all the guys that were in front of him, but he's the one that's won the most games out of his draft class. You think about Doug Baldwin-he wasn't drafted, but he's made all the big catches. [Jermaine] Kearse wasn't drafted, Earl [Thomas] is too short, [Richard] Sherman is a fifth round cornerback-you think about all the corners who went in front of him and where he's at right now. You think about all that stuff-Kam [Chancellor] is a fifth round safety, you think about all the guys that went in front of him. You think about me-I'm undrafted, Cliff [Arvil] was in the 3rd round and you think about the only people that were in the 1st round was Earl and Kevin [Williams]. So you think about that and guys keep that on their mind all the time, and that's just how they play. It's easy to get lazy and think we're at the top, but you have to keep going and think of something that's keeping you looking forward and I think that's one of the things that kept us in our position.

(On when he and Cliff Avril stack on top of each other in a stunt) It's just one of those things where you have to switch up one of the linemen sometimes because we're in the same position so teams can usually scheme for where we're going to be at-they spend all week trying to figure out what's going to happen. So sometimes you have to switch it up and we do that occasionally and big things happen.

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