Q: Can you talk about the fact that you guys played four weeks ago? What does that game mean, what did you learn from it and how do you carry that into this week's game? Â
TT: I feel like it was a good learning experience. I think it's a privilege for us to play again, the New England Patriots and [Bill] Belichick and [Tom] Brady. We're very excited about that. We're very excited about being able to move onto the next round in the playoffs and play a team like this in the playoffs. I think there's a lot that we can learn from our first matchup - different things that we did well, different things that we didn't do so well and ways that we can improve. I think that there are a lot of things that we can learn and improve on and hopefully just do a little bit better this time around. Â
Q: How much, if at all, has this New England defense changed since you saw them the first time around? Â
TT: I feel like they're a very good defense. I feel like they're coached well. I feel like every game they go into they have a different game plan. There are different things they're trying to accomplish and maybe they're trying to get to certain things in a different way. I think they're overall coached very well; they have a lot of great players there up front and in the secondary. They make a lot of plays. I think for us, we just have to be very sound and execute. I'm sure our coaches will have a great game plan and we have to execute and probably make great sideline adjustments. Â
Q: Did you guys feel like it was much your fault that you guys lost that game as it was the Patriots winning? I'm not asking you to downgrade what the Patriots did, but it seemed like you guys had a hand in the loss. Â
TT: I think we did some things well and then I think we definitely made some mistakes that made it a little bit easier as far as the three turnovers. I think we have to correct on that. You have to give them a lot of credit, they came and they played well. We have to definitely minimize the turnovers, convert better on third downs and when we get in the red zone, try to punch it in. You have to give them credit; they're a very good team as well. Â
Q: How did you celebrate on Sunday night? Â
TT: Honestly, just when we left the stadium, just went home and hung out with my close family, a few friends and my brothers and sisters and brothers-in-law. Just hung out at the house and played with my nieces and nephews and had a good time. Â
Q: Does it take long to come down from a high like that? Â
TT: Yeah, you're definitely at a high, you're feeling great, a lot of momentum and that's good. But you really have to take that enthusiasm, that momentum into the next week's work, using that as fuel for next week and trying to continually improve on that. I think you can't necessarily relish on it too much because the next day we have to get ready for a big game and the Patriots. I feel like we were able to do that and have our time to celebrate and constantly have joy. It was a big win for us, I'm not saying you have to stop enjoying it, but you still have to get ready for the next week's game and I feel like we've done a good job in doing that. Â
Q: Did the Pittsburgh game help you in any way or teach you anything or give you more confidence in this league? Â
TT: It definitely was a big win for our team to be able to move to the next round of the playoffs. We were definitely excited about it. It's a memory that we'll take with us for a long time as players and coaches and hopefully as fans because of the way we won it in front of our stadium and the emotions that we had. It's definitely very special. To take nothing away from it but we had to move on to get ready for a big week and heading to Foxborough. Â
Q: Is it possible to compare the game winning moment to any of the things that you accomplished at Florida? Â
TT: I definitely was very blessed to have some great memories at Florida and very blessed to have some great teammates and special relationships and some special wins. I think that was definitely a special one Sunday night. I know it was definitely special not just for the win but for the guys that I won it with, for the fans that supported us, for the coaches and all the work that we put in this season, it was definitely, definitely very meaningful. Â
Q: What's the coldest game you've played in? Have you played in many games below 20 degrees? Â
TT: I'd say probably a handful but not too many; not as many as Mr. [Tom] Brady has probably. Â
Q: Are you still able to be as accurate in the cold? Â
TT: I hope so. Â
Q: You haven't courted it but there has been awful lot of fixation on you and attention to you. Has it ever been awkward with your teammates, knowing that it is very much a team game? Â
TT: I don't think so. I think because for the most part it's not like it's something that you ask for and something that they know you care about them and that's what matters. You care about going out there and trying to get better every day and trying to be a great teammate and then I think the rest doesn't - I don't think they see the rest. Hopefully they see you as a friend and as a teammate and the rest of it is something that we laugh at and sometimes they make fun of you for. Â
Q: What's it going to be like to see Josh McDaniels on Saturday night here? I know you had a pretty unique relationship with him. Â
TT: I wish him nothing but the best. I'm happy for him and his new situation. I want to congratulate him. It's not about that. It's about the Broncos versus the Patriots and it's about us going into a hostile environment and trying to play a good game and playing a great team and playing Tom Brady and Bill Belichick - one of the teams that I watched over the last 12 years growing up. It's exciting, it's exciting for me because it's the next round of the playoffs, it's a big game, it's playing one of the best quarterbacks of all-time, one of the best coaches of all-time and playing in a big game. It's very exciting. Â
Q: After your last game, John Elway said that Tom Brady might be one of the three best quarterbacks of all-time already. You obviously have a lot of respect for Brady. What is it about his game that you admire and enjoy watching? Â
TT: I think number one, he's won a bunch of championships. Ultimately as a quarterback, that's what you want to do and that's what you want to accomplish. The three championships that he's won, he's played great and almost had the best season ever when they lost in the championship game. For me, being able to watch a quarterback like that, how he handles himself, the emotion that he plays with but at the same time the calmness that he plays with, the accuracy, the leadership, the way he motivates his players, the way he gets in and out of great plays, the way he's able to handle any situation. Those are definitely things for me as a young quarterback I can definitely learn from and he's someone that I've watched for a long time. He's been one of the best in the business and he'll definitely go down as one of the best. My hat is off to him and his career and how great of a quarterback he's been and good for him. Â
Q: This will be the first time you'll get to go up against Brandon Spikes. Are you looking forward to that? Â
TT: Yeah, that will be a lot of fun, it will be fun. I've gone against him enough times in practice. All the spring practices we had, we had some fun going against each other. You'd like him on your team but it will still be fun going against him. He's a great player and I wish him nothing but the best. I look forward to giving him a hug. Â
Q: What's the hardest he's ever hit you? Â
TT: I remember a few times in some spring practices when he might have hit me a little late when I had one of those red jerseys on, he wasn't supposed to hit me but he kind of gave me a little nudge so we'll see, I don't know. Â
Q: What makes you more accurate with the long ball? Â
TT: I'm not sure. It's probably just that I have really good receivers that make me look a lot better than I really am. Â
Q: Josh McDaniels was there with you and Mike McCoy. Are you guys using the same line calls, audibles, things like that, that Josh could conceivably give the Patriots going into this game? Â
TT: I think Coach McCoy has done a really good job of implementing what he does. Are there some things that overlap? Absolutely. A lot Coach McCoy has implemented from his background, where he came from and he's done a great job. We're not necessarily too worried about that. Coach McDaniels is a great coach and he'll do a good job but I'm confident in our coaches and their knowledge and I'm very proud of everything they've done this season. Â
Q: Vince Wilfork talked about the physicality with which you play today. He said you're one of the strongest players he's faced. How is your body right now heading into this game and any nicks or bruises or bumps and ice packs that you're using right now? Â
TT: My body actually feels really good. It's one of the best I've been feeling and I'm feeling excited about that. There's definitely nothing to hold back now, not in these games. These games will definitely be physical and they'll be definitely be fast and everybody is going to flying around and hitting hard. That makes the game very exciting so it will be a lot of fun. To have that compliment said by a very good player and someone that has been one of the best at his position in the league is definitely a very big compliment and it means a lot.