10 Quotes and a Cloud of Dust: Week 4

After three straight blowout wins to start the season, the 3-0 Patriots head to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals on Monday Night Football.

Anyone talking about video cameras on the sideline? Not anymore. Even with the team starting slowly for the first time all season, the Patriots still rolled to a 38-7 victory over the Bills last Sunday.

This week, they head to Cincinnati to take on a struggling Bengals team. After allowing 51 points to the Browns two weeks ago, Cincinnati lost a 3-point game to Seattle, and are just 1-2 so far this season. A three-game losing streak would put the Bengals in a tough hole to climb out of.

Here are the top 10 quotes of the week, heading into Week 4, Patriots-Bengals on Monday Night Football:

10. "A lot of people say that was a cheap shot. I'm far from a dirty player. If you know me as a person, you'd understand that. If you don't know me, don't judge me. If you don't know me, get to know me."
~ Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork

Translation: "You guys want to go to dinner tonight? My treat. We'll talk about our feelings and stuff. Come on, what do you say? I'm a nice guy."

9. "It wasn't the best play I ever saw. It wasn't the worst one. Just try to make good decisions out there with the ball, it doesn't matter how you get it or where you get it, you just need to make good decisions with it."
~ Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick, on Wes Welker's lateral to Randy Moss last week against the Bills

Translation: "All of a sudden we're the Harlem Globetrotters of football…It's kind of fun though, isn't it?"

8. "You know, we're around the same age so we have a lot in common and we know a lot of the same people. We've always had a connection for as long as I've known him. I've always been the most concerned with our relationship on the field and I hope that continues to get better."
~ Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady, when asked if he has gotten any closer to Randy Moss off the field

Translation: "We go to the mall together, a bingo match here and there. There was this great lecture on the future of fossil fuels that we went to. But really, as long as he keeps catching the ball, I don't care if we go to dinner every other night or not."

7. "We haven't stopped anybody all year….It's ridiculous. Like I said, it's a combination of bad coaching and bad playing. Hopefully we can do a better job going forward. It wouldn't take much."
~ Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick, on his defense allowing opponents five touchdowns in five trips into the red zone

Translation: "We've only given up five touchdowns all season, but they were bad touchdowns. Red area touchdowns are bad. I don't care if we go 16-0 and set the record for points allowed, those red area touchdowns are going to keep me up at night."

6. "I'm just trying to stay on top of it. It's feeling good. I'm sure it will be listed somewhere on the injury report. I'm trying to get off that thing, so it's a little extra treatment."
~ Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady, on having his arm massaged near the end of the Bills game

Translation: "Maybe I just wanted a massage, you know? Didn't I earn it last week? I shouldn't even be talking to you about an alleged injury that I allegedly might or might not have."

5. "Rudi has a sore hamstring. We'll see how he is later in the week."
~ Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis on the status of running back Rudi Johnson

Translation: "Rudi's not playing this week. I mean, wait -- I didn't just say that, did I? Darn! What would Belichick have said in this situation?"

4. "It's not a competition between two receivers. It's a competition between the Patriots and the Bengals. We're trying to win a game."
~ Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson when asked if he tried to do even more when there's another great receiver on the other team

Translation: "You bet I'm trying to beat Randy. I've been the best wide receiver in this league while he's been suffering in Oakland the last few years. Time to step it up this week."

3. "As I said before, I think early in the season you get some games and some matchups and some situations that are not really what they are. They'll play each other again and I doubt that the game will go the way this first one did. We've seen those games before. One week it's 51-50. The next week it's 7-3."
~ Patriots head coach Bill Belichick

Translation: "I can't tell what's going to happen in this crazy league from week to week, can you? I mean how many underdogs won yesterday? Eight? Nine? Parcells can have the commentating. I'll stick to coaching."

2. "You know, I was thinking on doing something Monday night, but right now the way the season is going, now that we've lost two in a row…I'd rather, if I do get into the end zone, just hand the ball to the ref and get back to the sideline and get ready for the next series."
~ Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson

Translation: "Ha ha! Just kidding. It's Monday Night Football! I've got a mariachi band, my Batman costume, and a fire-eater from the circus lined up for my first touchdown. Time for my close-up!"

1. "With every short week there is a long week. With every long week there's a short week. Those two always balance each other out. Whenever you play short, you have time on the other end. When you play long, you get less time on the other end."
~ Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick, on playing on Monday night

Translation: "It is what it is. They tell me we're playing Monday, we're playing Monday. It doesn't really matter to me. Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, midnight madness, doubleheader, in Beijing, whatever. This year, with this team, it really doesn't matter when we play."

So far this season it hasn't mattered when, where, or against whom the Patriots have played. On the road on Monday night will be another good test for the team that carries some of the highest expectations in the league. With a win they'll join the Colts, Cowboys, and Packers as the NFL's only 4-0 teams, and two of those clubs are on their schedule this season.

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Darren is a regular contributor to Patriots Insider. You can find him in the forums under the name: DestinationSuperBowl. You can also find archives of his columns on the Insiders by searching for "Darren Kelly"

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