(On Leonard Fournette's status) "You guys will see him. He'll be out there on the side. Again, we're going to give it some time and see where we are when it's time to start testing it. I think you guys will know just as much as I do." 

(On if it is an advantage that the Patriots don't know if Fournette will play) "No, I'm not trying to do that. They're going to prepare and I'm more focused on how we have to prepare than trying to throw up smokescreens or anything. I don't … If guys are ready to play, they play. We get them out there. It's more of a focus on us. I think when you start playing those games and things like that, you're wasting energy, wasting time.

(On if he would be comfortable with Fournette playing without practicing) "I am with him. He has done a good job. He's worked really hard. I do feel comfortable with him, probably more of someone I have not been around – if it was a rookie maybe, depending on their situation or position, things of that nature. I might not be as comfortable and they would probably have to show me something." 

(On when he will test to see if Fournette can play) "We have a program set." 

(On if the team will test Fournette before the weekend) "Yes. After I'm done with all the press. (laughter) I'm being honest. I'm not here to BS you guys. It's Friday afternoon." 

(On his impressions of Trey Flowers and the Patriots edge rushers) "I like their edge rushers. I think those guys are very much underrated. I think those guys have an extremely high motor. They play lights-out, they really do. They are very technically sound, very well coached, have good physical traits. I have a lot of respect for those guys." 

(On how the Patriots use Rex Burkhead and his thoughts on Burkhead) "I watched him when he was coming out of college and really liked him. I thought he could do a lot of things. You're seeing that now that he's healthy. Obviously, [James] White is the same way; a guy that plays bigger than he is. He can run and catch. Both of those guys are out there. I see them both as playmakers. I am not [the Patriots] trying to game plan against us. I don't know how they expect to use them, but we have a lot of respect for them. They're good players. We have to be ready for those guys to be on the field individually and both at the same time." 

(On if there was an issue with Corey Grant Sunday) "We practice during the week and we were working hard. We had some packages for him, but obviously now he'll be increased in that work. It wasn't anything of just a person in practice and we wanted him out there. Like I have said before, we think T.J. [Yeldon] can carry the load if he needed to. It wasn't anything that Corey did." 

(On given Fournette's injury why didn't Grant play more) "I think if we knew that early in the week, during the course of the game I think that's a little bit different scenario for us. At the end of the day, looking back we should have gotten him in there a little bit more. We talked about that as a staff. I don't think it would have been much more." 

(On the biggest challenges preparing for a Bill Belichick coached team) "It's always challenging. They're an outstanding football team. I think it's all three phases. You have to do the best job you can. Coach your players and make sure they understand the plan and you have to win the situations and play well. I don't think there's any secret to it. They won a lot of games and they are a great team and very well coached and they have a lot of great players. A lot of times everyone concentrates on all the top names, but give a lot of credit to those other players. They're under the radar, but they are pretty darn good. The [defensive] end, Flowers, is one of them." 

(On limiting Rob Gronkowski) "I don't think it's one of those things. I've seen him a lot obviously. I have had a lot of experience with this team, both when I was coaching at the Jets and then in Buffalo and last year. I don't know if it's a thing where you can take somebody out. I think it's something that you try to limit and make sure they don't hurt you. He's a player that can obviously hurt you. He can make a lot of plays. I don't think there's a steadfast way to be able to shut him down. I think over the story of time you have seen a lot of different things and a lot of people try a lot of things. He's still making great plays and doing well. It'll be a challenge.

(On if the team will have to be aware of Patriots WR Cordarrelle Patterson) "Yes, he's dangerous. We know what he can do as a returner and he's working his way into the offensive game plan. He's a guy that can take the ball and take it to the house. He can cut, he has good vision, he's big and tall, he can break tackles. Like you said, there are a lot of guys. He's one of them. Phillip Dorsett is the other player there. Obviously [Chris] Hogan I know. They have the running backs out there, so there are a lot of weapons with the tight end. Obviously, they have Tommy back there as the quarterback." 

(On having versatility with the '11th' defender on the field) "I think we feel we have some players that can play, so each week we'll look to see what we feel gives us the best opportunity. The players that perform well during the week and the players that we trust to go out there and do it is who we'll put out there. It's a credit to the players and their versatility that they give us an opportunity to do more things and get more people involved. If you're good enough to play then we're going to try to get you involved someway, somehow." 

(On Tom Brady's attention to recovery which has allowed him to lengthen his career) "He would be better to answer than I about how he does it. It's a lot of respect. It's one we all look to and I hope I can find things to do so I can feel as good as he does, even though I'm older. I don't think it surprises me. I don't know him personally, but I know players that have played a long time in the league and one of the traits are that they are able to take care of their body all year round and know their body and know what they need and train very hard. There's a lot of toughness in there also, a lot of competitiveness in there. You have to have a great discipline about yourself to do that, to play. Tommy is a great example of that and not knowing what he has done, but he has obviously done something because I don't look at him as a 40 or 41-year old. I was with Testaverde for a whole season and Vinny was the same type of way. I forget how old he was. I'm talking about young and strong. Vinny was like that. I'm not trying to compare the two from the standpoint of what they have done. I'm comparing how disciplined you have to be to play." 

(On combatting human nature to look back to last year's game against the Patriots) "I don't know. Is it? Maybe it is. I don't know. I think our guys are worried about what we have to do today. It's a different thing. We have a plan. I am worried about another half hour or so that we'll be on the field and I want to make sure we're focused and practicing well. We have things to clean up from the last game. Our focus right now is not to the game on Sunday. Our focus is on what we have to do now to prepare ourselves because during the week we're just focusing on where we are at that time. That's one of the things we have talked to this team about. We talk to them about that from the beginning of camp." 

(On if Brandon Linder re-injured his knee or if he is missing practice for precautionary reasons) "It was the plan going in. This will be something that you will see every week, unless it becomes worse." 

(On if he was hoping to outlast Brady career-wise) "No, I'm not like that. If you're competitive you want to play against the best competitors and he's one of the top competitors in the profession at any level. It has never been one of those things." 

(On if the Patriots have an aura about them) "For me, I think they're a great football team. The other stuff – you guys can do that. They are a heck of a football team. They're well coached, they have players that play hard, schematically they're good. I have a ton of respect for their coaches. The players – I have a ton of respect for them and the job they have done, from top to bottom. Everyone knows that, but we have an opportunity to play them and it's good to see. Let's go out there and compete against each other."