FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth spoke with reporters Thursday at Gillette Stadium, expressing excitement about his regular-season debut with the Patriots on Monday night.

"It's time for me, the sleeping giant, to awake and get back out there on the field and play football again," Haynesworth told reporters at his locker this morning.

Asked about life as a "sleeping giant", Haynesworth said, "I read what you guys wrote, nothing personal, but I didn't do much in D.C. The scheme didn't fit me and that stuff. Now I can go out there and play get back to what I used to do."

Haynesworth shared thoughts on why he's so happy in New England.

"For two years, I was kind of taken out of football a little bit, and now I'm back in it," he said. "I'm truly enjoying the game again. I'm truly enjoying coming in to practice and coming in to work every day. Just to be able to have a chance again to play and to show what I can do is awesome."

Haynesworth added more thoughts about the Patriots when asked about the team naming six captains Wednesday -- Tom Brady, Logan Mankins, Matthew Slater, Jerod Mayo, Vince Wilfork and Devin McCourty.

"I think it's great," Haynesworth said of the team's leadership. "The last two years [with the Redskins], it was a little different, the captains were almost above the team. Here, with Mayo and Vince, you can talk to the guys. It's not something you couldn't do in D.C., but here, it's really like a family in the locker room. Everyone is for you. No matter what happens, if a guy does something or whatever, it doesn't matter, they're all behind him. They're not going to pass judgment or anything like that. It's all about everybody being for you, everybody having your back."

Asked what he likes about the Patriots' scheme, Haynesworth's answer was "everything."

"We're just getting after it," he said. "Coach Belichick is a great coach and he uses what he has."

I have to admit, I feel like a 14 year old school boy seeing the homecoming queen naked!  

I can only hope that within a few weeks, he's the Albert of old and BB draws up defensive line schemes that make opposing teams look silly!

Can't wait!

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Unleash the beast!!  I'm really hoping that Hanesworth has a great season and once again proving that BB is a freaking genius by bringing him in.

In Response to Re: Haynesworth is READY!:


Wow, you are pretty excited then. 

If the new albert is anything like the tennessee albert of old...pass rush will not be a problem.  There will not be a pocket at all unless they double both DT's, and then the ends would be virtually free to clean up.  They would need a TE in all the time just to get a body on a DE, o4r risk Vince or Albert just collapsing the pocket everytime against single coverage...

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Just lock this Beast in a cage every week, no practice and no food. Nothing but a picture in the cage of the qb he will be facing each week and watch the show.  Thats what I would do..

Or just put a picture of Shanny in his cage...

Killa, he was asked questions about himself, what did you want him to say?

I'll be on the record as saying BB has built a championship caliber defense because he has built it around the d-line. I think we will have a few struggles early on as they start to gel but will end up playing much like the 04 D did as the season progresses.

We have some questions in the secondary with the safety position but I think those can be masked by an effective front 7. I think we have more depth at the LB position then we have had since the Bru,Ted J,Phifer,Vrabel days. I think the OLB pass rushing problems will be solved this year as a result of the beefed up d line.

Good defense's start with the d-line. "Let the sleeping giant awake" I'm gonna take that as a metaphor for the Patriots defense to get back to playing smash mouth. Even if that's not what he meant :)

I have a feeling come Dec 11 against the Skins he will really be unleashed just to show up Shanahan and the whole Dc area what he is all about. Mark it on your calendars. 

I'm as excited as Sanchez is  when he is under center- he thinks mangold is man gold

Yes and I'm ready to watch the sleeping giant awake and make pancakes of opposing QB's.

Looks more like his mouth is ready. Guy hasnt done a thing yet.

Hell hath no fury like a scorned Haynesworth crashing the A gap..lol.

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I agree with Taz - Shut the f--- up about yourself and your "two years in Washington" and talk about the team and preparation.

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LOL...

Guys guys, he JUST GOT HERE. He'll learn how to handle himself. Good grief... Right now, I don't care if he mouths off as long as people aren't converting 3rd and 20's on us this year.

Hey Chad, you better stretch out real good before the game because I think you will bw doing a heck of a lot od sprinting Monday night. I hope anyways.

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I didn't even know the Pats were scheduled to play the Skins this year.  Wow, that's scary as you bet Big Albert has that marked on his calendar.  Not sure who the starting QB there will be, but he might want to get sick that week. 

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Yikes! This board is boring when the Pats win. It's especially humorous when the Pats lose. I can still remember the post-Cleveland game posts last year...

Hayneswoth is on double secret probation.  The boy better step up or it's going to be the Germans attacking Pearl Harbor for him.

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