Devin McCourty

Patriots cornerback Devin McCourty was on the Dennis & Callahan show Friday morning and talked to guest hosts Bob Ryan and Dale Arnold about the team’s preparation for the regular-season finale, how much he’s improved over the season, and helping Matthew Slater and Julian Edelman learn the defense.

McCourty who wasn’t selected for the Pro Bowl after making it as a rookie, said he has nonetheless improved over the course of his sophomore season.

“Each year you play in the NFL you learn a lot more,” McCourty said. “When you play around different guys and certain guys they’ll teach you different things and you come back and your coach is able to teach you more each year. I thought I learned a lot last year and went through a lot. Then coming back this year and having another full season I learned even more, so I’m just excited to play more this season and finish the year out and keep learning throughout the whole process of the NFL.”

A win against the Bills on Sunday would not only give the Patriots the No. 1 seed in the AFC, it would provide a measure of revenge against a team that beat them earlier in the season.

“[The loss to Buffalo] hurt and it is motivation, but our focus right now is to get better as a team,” McCourty said. “We’re going to go out there and we want to play well on Sunday, so that’s our main focus right now as a team, play well on Sunday and go out there and try to get a win. No matter who’s playing, that’s our focus.”

McCourty shared who his biggest mentor has been in New England, and it wasn’t a defensive player.

“Kevin Faulk is a guy who has played a lot in this league and I just try to look to him and see different things he does with his body,” McCourty said. “How he looks upon the game, mentally, physically, everything he does, I try to get advice from him. When you have a locker near somebody, you’re always able to talk to them and watch them the closest.”

McCourty said he wasn’t bothered by having to teach his position to fill-in guys this year; he was rather happy to help out the likes of Edelman and Slater.

“Doesn’t matter who comes back there,” McCourty said. “If they can help, we’ve got to show them the ropes.”