Buckeyes In NFL Conference Championship Games – Vrabel Heads to Fourth Super Bowl – Ohio State Buckeyes
1/21/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
There were six former Ohio State football players on rosters of teams still alive in the playoffs in the National Football League. Each week OhioStateBuckeyes.com will provide updates about how these former Buckeyes performed in the previous week’s action.
| New England Patriots – 21, vs. San Diego Chargers – 12 Vrabel, Mike (LB): 1 tkl and 2 ast |
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| San Diego Chargers – 12, at New England Patriots – 21 Olivea, Shane (OT): Substitute OT Wilhelm, Matt (LB): 1 tkl and 1 ast |
| Green Bay Packers – 20, vs. New York Giants – 23 (OT) Hawk, A.J. (LB): 4 tkl, 3 ast and 1 sack Pickett, Ryan (DT): 2 tkl and 1 ast Walter, Tyson (OL): Injured Reserve |
| Mike Vrabel Press Conference – 1/20/2008 | New England Patriots |
New England Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel addressed the media during his postgame press conference at Gillette Stadium on January 20, 2008.
Q:Mike, can you start by talking about red zone defense in this game and the performance that you guys had?
MV: Yeah, all year we were either giving up touchdowns or we were playing great. There was no in between. I think you saw the great tonight. We forced them to kick field goals and let them get down there unfortunately, but we did a nice job and we were very well prepared. [The] coaching staff really had a good grasp on what they were trying to do when they were down there. They would see a formation and we would be able to check into something and get the right play called and do a nice job with it.
Q:Early in the season, Bill had expressed concern about the red zone defense. What was happening early in the season and what were the corrections made?
MV: I think it was a combination. We had some calls where we pretty much sell the farm, and everybody hits us and they crease us for one and they run it in. I think we were allowing teams to run the football in. Certainly when you get down there, the easiest thing to do is run it in. When you drop back and throw you have a bunch of defenders and receivers in a tight area. We were kind of able to make some adjustments early in the year, not let them run it in, and then we had a good pass defense coverage down there today; and being able to recognize what formations they were in with the back offset and he’s running the wheel route and then just everybody being on the same page.
Q:What was Junior Seau like out there?
MV: Just emotional. The excitement and energy he brings to this team and in the locker room, I heard Bill [Belichick] say, you have to be happy for guys like that that play so hard and put everything into it throughout their career and certainly the type of player he is, Hall of Famer. I’ll be happy to go on a Super Bowl trip with him and hopefully win the game with him.
For the full transcript and video visit www.patriots.com.
