Patriots Blog: Enemy Chatter
BOSTON (CBS) - Here some items Ravens safety Ed Reed and head coach John Harbaugh had to say about this upcoming game against the Patriots.
John Harbaugh on his thoughts of Patriots Head coach Bill Belichick:
"Well, he may not remember this, but originally, probably around '91, '92, somewhere around there he was coaching the Browns and he came to the University of Cincinnati when I was a young coach there and he was scouting some of our players. We had a chance to sit down and talk about those guys. He and Scott O'Brien were really close and Scott was a mentor for me coming up early on there and always has been, actually. So we had that connection and that's where I first met him. Obviously I was in awe of the man at the time and that probably hasn't changed too much."
John Harbaugh on the difference's between the Pats in the AFC Championship game and now:
"Oh, not much. As far as their style and everything, it's the same team. They're tremendously great. That's the thing now; I think they've improved even over last year's team, even as a good as they were last year, a Super Bowl team. They were AFC Champions. They've done a great job with the draft, bolstering the team. They brought a few guys in and improved. They've done it again."
Patriots Blog: Not Your Average Joe
Ed Reed on whether he sees a difference in Wes Welker usage through the first couple of games:
"Not really. I see Wes catching the ball probably not as much but probably because they are throwing the ball to other guys who are open. It's a long season and you do things in a certain way preparing for the weeks to come. I wouldn't read too much into it. Wes Welker's still a great receiver and I'm sure New England, [Tom] Brady and everybody knows that. It's just that people probably want to make news of something that's probably not something big in the organization. If it is, then that's something they have to deal with."
Ed Reed on his respect for coach Belichick:
"I mean he's a winner for one. I had an opportunity to talk to Coach Belichick a couple times and had him over there at the Pro Bowl. Just watching 'A Football Life' with Coach Belichick you can't do anything but have much respect for Coach Belichick and the way he runs things. His background and the discipline and focus that he asks of guys and what he allows you to do as a football player; he honestly understands your athletic ability. If you look at Coach Belichick and the way he coaches his team and the guys that play for him and the positions that they play, he allows football players to be football players. Coach understands that this is a short-lived career and not everybody is going to have those five and 10 and 15-year careers. A bunch of guys are great athletes and they can come on and make a name on his team and find themselves somewhere else with a starting job. You see a lot of guys playing out of position when you're watching the Patriots play."
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