Vince Wilfork big on Patriots this year

Nearly a month into free agency, quite a few AFC teams have been making moves with thoughts and hopes of taking down the Patriots [team stats].
Hearing that notion, Pro Bowl defensive lineman Vince Wilfork [stats] began chuckling.

“You know what? That’s fine with me,” Wilfork said yesterday. “We want to keep doing what we’ve been doing, and hopefully it’s good enough. We’re all starting from the same point once again. We start all over this year. Hopefully, we can finish it off right.”

t’s April, and this is a particular time of year Wilfork enjoys. The Bruins [team stats] began their playoff march last night. The Celtics [team stats] are closing in on the postseason. The Red Sox [team stats] play their home opener at Fenway Park [map] today. As a sports fan, it’s all good for Big Vince.

The Pats? Between March and April, teams retool and reload for the upcoming season. The NFL draft is at the end of the month, and Wilfork will be holding his annual draft party and fund-raiser at Pinz in Milford to benefit diabetes research.

Reached by phone yesterday, Wilfork, who has been relatively silent since the Super Bowl loss to the New York Giants, talked about moving past that crushing defeat in February, and also being encouraged by what coach Bill Belichick has built over the past few years.

“It is what it is,” Wilfork said of losing the Super Bowl. “I’m not one to sit back and dwell over wins or losses. That’s just something I don’t do. Life is too short. It doesn’t matter how great I played, or how crappy I played. Right now, I’m getting ready for next year. Last year don’t matter. That’s the approach. I attack each day like that.”

That being said, Wilfork, who logged more snaps than he had in any previous season, is looking forward to the coming year. He believes the team will be fine, and that confidence is there because the foundation is sound.

“Each year this team is getting better and better. That’s what we want to do. We have a great group of guys in this locker room. And they love football,” Wilfork said. “They have a passion for football. And you can win with that. You can win with people like that, and that’s what we have in this locker room. We have a bunch of guys that love one another, they play for one another. You have to have that to be successful at this level.”

Well, the Buffalo Bills look like they’re trying to be successful by building a defense around superstar Mario Williams, as they signed the free agent lineman last month.

The New York Jets [team stats]’ idea of success is lighting a fire under quarterback Mark Sanchez by trading for Tim Tebow after the Denver Broncos signed Peyton Manning.

Belichick hasn’t been quite as dramatic. While he’s inked a ton of free agents, wide receiver Brandon Lloyd stands as the most prominent of the lot. For the most part, Belichick has brought in more than a dozen depth pieces.

“Whoever they bring in, they feel can help this ballclub win. That’s what it’s all about,” Wilfork said. “Bill, all those guys, they make the decisions, who comes in, who leaves. If they think they have someone that can help us win games, guess what, we’re going to go that route. If it don’t work out, it don’t work out. I’m just happy to be on this side with these coaches and this organization and the people who make the decisions because they’re proven. They’ve proven they can go out and grab guys, guys people never heard of, or guys who have a different role somewhere else, and come here and be successful.

“I know Bill knows what he’s doing. I don’t get caught up into why he’s bringing so and so in. I don’t think he would jeopardize this franchise or this organization by bringing in someone that’s a flat-out knucklehead.”

Wilfork believes the secret is having everyone on the same page, and that’s what the Pats had last season on the road to the Super Bowl.

“If you can get that, you’ll be successful. And we’ve had that over the years,” he said. “I’m very blessed going through college and pros, I’ve had a very good winning percentage. I can’t complain. But the one thing is that group of guys. Everybody gives everything up to win. That’s one thing that’s been similar. You have to have that group of guys that has that fight in them. If you don’t have that, you have a problem.”


(bostonherald.com)