Slater On Gresh & Zo: Patriots Take A Lot Of Pride In Special Teams
BOSTON (CBS) - 98.5 The Sports Hub's Andy Gresh and Scott Zolak chatted with New England Patriots special teams captain Matthew Slater Wednesday afternoon.
Having a "well balanced" football team and playing well in "all three phases of the game" is spoken about so much it's almost become cliché.
But what the Patriots have displayed up to this point in the season is that they can play true complementary football. When the offense plays bad, the defense can pick them up, and vice versa. When the team needs a spark, the special teams can provide it.
Brandon Bolden helped spark a Patriots comeback in San Diego when he blocked the kick of Chargers punter Mike Scifres.
"We were actually in a return look and he just made a great individual play getting pressure on the punter," Slater said of the game-changer.
"It's been all year where guys have come up big at times when we've needed it; different guys every week. It's really a testament to how hard we work at our craft. So many of us have really bought into that third phase of the game, and I think this year we've really shown how valuable that phase of the game can be. I'm really proud to be a part of this group of guys.
"Everybody that plays for us in the kicking game has taken that attitude of, 'I'm going to take pride in this and try to make a difference in the game.' They certainly have done that this year across the board."
Listen below for the full interview:
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