Q: Is this always a time, everyone's in a break for a month, do you hope everyone comes back in one piece?A: Definitely, especially the young guys, don't understand what this next six weeks is about. It's about building off of what we did. Anything can happen in the OTAs and make sure that we don't have any lapses come, starting training camp. You want to pick up where we started off and keep it going. Hopefully those guys understand that and continue working and come back when we go back to Albany, ready to go.
Q: Have you thought at all, this may be a little bit of a premature question, but have you thought at all about the lessons that you guys can take from the last time you were trying to repeat as champions and what the obstacles might be?A: We had a pretty successful year that year, but it's always about playing as a team and making sure we do that. As long as we do that, make sure we don't become selfish or bigheaded and thinking that ….. and remember what we went through this year. To get to that point of being Super Bowl Champions. We'll be fine. We've got the talent. Definitely got the coaching staff. Staying healthy is a big key, but that's part of the game, so you can't really control that. But as long as we control what we can control, we'll be fine.
*Q: You didn't repeat but you guys started off 11-1, you overcame a lot of the pitfalls that usually happen to a defending champion. *A: I think it had a lot to do with the confidence factor. We're a very confident bunch. We believe in ourselves and know when we go out and play football the way we're supposed to play it, we can play with any team. I know a lot of people made a lot of headlines about our schedule, but we look forward to that, we do. We know that to be the best you've got the beat the best. To beat the best, you've got to be on your Ps and Qs. For us we look at it as pressure not ….. making us excel.
Q: You've got different rules this spring than in the springs past, any different? Any worse? Any better?A: I like this ….. year. I think this ….. year is huge for veterans. I think it might put younger guys behind the 8-ball because they don't get as much work as we did when we were younger, but I think it's got to help prolong a lot of guys' careers and I don't think you're going to see as many injuries because it's giving us a little bit more time to heal our bodies after a long season.
Q: Some guys already looking forward to that training camp of one per-day and practice being done …..A: No question, no question.
Q: Can this defense be better than last year?A: It better be. We should be.
Q: Do you think it is?A: I think it will be, but like I said, we've got to go out there and work. Got a lot of guys who are turning and hopefully we can play like we did in the playoffs, not like we did in the regular season.
