INDIANAPOLIS COLTS SAFETY BOB SANDERS
*CONFERENCE CALL *
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Q: I was wondering if the tone of this game feels different from last year now that you guys have Super Bowl rings from the other times you were trying to get over that hurdle?
BS: I don't think so. Around here, I think it's pretty much the same. We're doing the same things. It's just another game that we're preparing for. Right now, that's all we see it as, if anything, another game late in the season. Right now, we're just focused on going out and trying to prepare well for this weekend and get a win.
Q: What you do think when you see the numbers that the Patriots have been putting up?
BS: I think they're doing a lot of good things. They're playing well on defense and, as you know, offensively they're doing a good job and also on special teams. I think, overall, they've gotten better. They're a lot more consistent than they have been and they're just playing well. They're on a roll right now. This week, our main focus is really just preparing as we do normally and [executing].
Q: Do you think beating them the way you did last season at all inspired them to do what they did last off-season loading up on wide receivers?
BS: You know, I really don't know. You can say that it might look like everything fits in there and that's probably what they did, but I don't know. I can't really guess. The things that they do over there is what they do and that's not something that I worry about. I don't know.
Q: You do realize that they seem to be a different team than what you saw last year?
BS: Yeah, they've got a whole new corps of guys in their receiving corps. They're all playing well. They're making a lot of big plays and [Tom] Brady's doing an excellent job of getting the ball to them and spreading it out. You know the thing is just to prepare. You can't really worry much of what they do. It's all about us executing and trying to get better.
Q: I know you're not going to divulge the defensive game plan, but it seems the Patriots' offense would present some problems for you at safety when at times you're likely to be up in the box against the run, but having Randy Moss and Donte' Stallworth and Wes Welker you might want to be back. Does that put you in a tough spot?
BS: I wouldn't say so because Antoine [Bethea and I] are able to play in the running game and in the passing game. If we need to play cover 2, we can play cover 2. If I have to be back and he's in the hole and on three-deep, I mean, it is what it is. Our styles of play help us out. We don't really worry about saying, "I'm used to being in the box so playing deep isn't really my game," but I think all the safeties here have to play both positions so I think we're comfortable with doing whatever. Whatever we have to do this week to maintain those guys and get a win, we'll do and get ready for.
