Transcript of quarterback Tim Tebow's news conference at his locker after the Jets' Wednesday afternoon practice at the Atlantic Health Training Center:
On the challenge of facing the Patriots…
They're a huge challenge and an exciting challenge, just a great organization. Coach Belichick does a great job, always has his teams prepared, always has great game plans, one of the best quarterbacks of all time in Tom Brady. You know you have to match him score for score. They always have great schemes on defense. They have playmakers all over the field — I know quite a few of them, played with a lot of them in college. They're a good team. I feel that they're well coached, they're very well disciplined and they find a way to make plays. They've done a good job over the last, probably, 10 to 12 years, so we have a great challenge on our hands.
On if they will be effective running the ball…
They've done really good in their run defense so far this year, we feel like. They have some big boys up front, led by Vince Wilfork and he's a load. He does a great job, very athletic for his size and quick and makes a lot of plays. And [Brandon] Spikes and [Jerod] Mayo up front do a great job. So to run the ball we have to do a great job, get on our double teams, push them back and find lanes, and be efficient with our runs as well.
On why it's difficult to play the Patriots in New England…
Well, usually they get off to fast starts. When they get off to a fast start and you're playing from behind, you can't have a ground and pound, you have to force it. They do a great job, they've always done a great job, of bending but not breaking, letting you drive down the field but eventually they say you're going to make a mistake. So if that's not working, you have to be patient and continue to drive the ball and not force anything down the field. But when it's given to us, take advantage of it.
On if there's a difference in the atmosphere in the locker room this week…
I don't feel like there's any difference. I feel like it's a great opponent, I feel like we're excited for this game. It's a great division game. Both teams need to get this win and we'll be competing hard for it.
On what he remembers most about the Broncos-Patriots playoff game last year…
Losing. Wishing that we had another shot. Not too many good memories.
On what it means to get high praise from Coach Belichick…
It definitely means a lot. I feel like he's one of the best coaches in the game right now and will probably go down as one of the best coaches ever. When you look at what he's done in his tenure and the effect he's had on this league, it definitely means a lot for him to say nice things about me.
On the offense…
I think we're getting better as a team. I feel like we're given an opportunity to try and make the most of it. We're just working hard to get better every day and every week.
On if it's what he's expected…
I guess I didn't know what to expect. Every week, every game, is a new opportunity, new challenge, so you just try to prepare yourself as well as you can for it.
On if he's learned anything from playing the Patriots in the playoffs last season…
I feel like I learned a lot from that playoff game, from how they played me in the regular season to how they played us in the playoffs, what they did against certain looks we gave them, how they've played other teams similar to how I play. I feel like I've learned a lot. I obviously, feel like I know Coach [Josh] McDaniels pretty well, also. They have great coaches, great players. That's the thing about playing the Patriots, it's not always going to be the same. They do such a good job every week in game planning that they're going to give you something different. You're going to have to prepare for more than what they've shown already on film and that presents a big challenge.
On what he remembers about meeting with Coach Belichick before the draft…
I had a great visit with him. He was a great guy. I had a lot of fun with him. His trip down to Gainesville, I got to know him really well there. He was very close with Coach [Urban] Meyer. My time in college, in the offseason, he would bring his whole coaching staff down and I would sit in a lot of his meetings and watch a lot of film and hang out, so we got to know each other there when they came to Florida, then when I went to New England to visit. He's a great coach and I enjoyed my time with him.
On if he thought Coach Belichick would draft him…
I didn't know. I felt like we had good chemistry and obviously I respected him. I know that he liked the way a lot of my teammates played at Florida, obviously, by how many of them he has on their team now.
On if he has any information to offer from knowing Coach Belichick well…
Not really. Coach Ryan, they played against each other a lot. He knows the Patriots offense well. Coach McDaniels does a great job now that he's back there in New England. But they've faced each other a lot, so I feel like they know each other well, the Jets and New England.
On if he would be prepared to be integrated more into the running game…
I would be ready for whatever I would be asked to do, absolutely.
On if it's a possibility that he will play as a running back Sunday…
I don't know. It's not something that's been talked or planned or worked on at all, so probably not.
On Coach Belichick's comments about him being another running back on the team…
I take that as a compliment, as someone that he would look at as having the ability to run and be effective.
