Bits from Bodden

New Patriots cornerback Leigh Bodden just held a 2 p.m. teleconference with the New England media.

Bodden said that after going 0-16 with the Detroit Lions last season he was looking to come to a winner, that having played for former Patriots defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel while with the Cleveland Browns makes him familiar with the Patriots' system, and that he's looking forward to facing Terrell Owens for the first time in his career.

Bodden, who signed a one-year, $2.25 million deal with the Patriots, said that Foxborough just felt right for him -- Bodden visited on the first day of free agency (Feb. 27) and left without a deal, but the Patriots and his agent, Alvin Keels, kept negotiating.

"Definitely, it has been right from the start," he said. "New England was one of the teams I was hoping was interested in me because of what Mr. Kraft has done with the organization and the success they've built, and they've obtained over the years and to just play for a coach that knows what he's doing and really knows how to win. That's definitely what I wanted to come to, a winning organization."

The 27-year-old Bodden, who had 11 interceptions in the three seasons he played under Crennel in Cleveland, said he's looking forward to getting back to that style of defense.

"Definitely, from Romeo being with the Patriots he brought a lot of the defense over to Cleveland, so I'm familiar with the system, and that's what I plan on doing -- just kind of getting familiar with the system again and the terminology that these guys use and trying to help the team win."

Although he has never faced T.O. in his six-year NFL career, Bodden said he's always wanted to play against him and any of the NFL's other top receivers.

"I'm always up for a challenge of going against big-time receivers," Bodden said. "I feel like if you do well against them then your peers will respect you and that's really all I can ask for."

Bodden had just one interception last season in Detroit after having six in 2007 in Cleveland. He said he didn't agree with claims that his play dropped off, but that it was more that Detroit's system forced him to play a different style at cornerback.

"It was different from what I was used to in Cleveland," he said. "It was just totally different. I feel like I still played well. I did what the coaches asked me to do, and I played within their system. That's all I can really do. I proved I was coachable in listening to the coaches and doing what they wanted me to do. That's all I can do as a player. My play was different just because of a different scheme. I wasn't playing the exact way I played in Cleveland, but I still feel like I played well."