INDIANAPOLISCOLTS CONFERENCE CALLS
DE Dwight Freeney
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On the difference Steve McNair has made for the Ravens: "It's too early in the week, so we've haven't really got a chance to re-dissect it, but I know this: I am playing against McNair, he's a veteran guy and he's a guy that has been there before and he knows how to win and he knows how to win those big games. I understand that there's not going to be a lot of mistakes. He's not going to be throwing crazy passes, stupid passes. That's like the wrap on McNair, as far as big games. He really steps up and becomes that big player that team needs."
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On the difference in preparing to play against RB Jamal Lewis versus Chiefs RB Larry Johnson: "For the most part, it's all about us making sure we have good gap integrity and we are where we are supposed to be when we're in a position to make a play. I think coach [Tony] Dungy does a great job of scheming and having a great scheme going into the game to prepare for those types of running backs. It's not really about, 'OK, we have Larry Johnson and this week we have Jamal.' Jamal is a great runner, a hard runner; he likes to run downhill. [He] loves to make that big collision and continue his momentum. But, really it's about us making the tackles."
On the Ravens' offense presenting problems for the Colts' defense: "The thing is that, like I said, McNair – and having him at quarterback – creates problems because he's a veteran guy. Therefore, they're a very balanced offense. They have the ability to pass the ball, run the ball and they do both effectively. So, it's going to be a really, really tough challenge for us defensively because they have so many weapons they can go to."
On his matchup with Jonathan Ogden: "It's going to be a real tough matchup. Jonathan is an All-Pro, Hall of Famer offensive tackle and one of the best in the game today. He's going to come out there with his A-game. He's won some battles; I've won some battles in the past. It's just going to have to take a complete effort for every single play of the game for four quarters."
On what the players expect the atmosphere will be at M&T Bank stadium: "First of all, regardless of where we are playing, it's a playoff atmosphere. Regardless if it was played in Baltimore or played in Indy or we're playing who-knows-where, we know it's going to be rowdy, it's going to be loud and you're going to have to just block that out. At the end of the day, the crowd is not out there playing the game, we are, and we can't let the crowd and all the stuff that doesn't really matter – the things outside the game – come into the game. So, when that whistle blows, we have to go out there and perform and play the way we know how to play."
On what it's like to play for Tony Dungy: "I can't say it enough: He's one of the greatest men – never mind coaches – men that I know. It's just the fact that through adversity, through any type of situation [or] issue, he doesn't panic. He does not hit that panic button. We are what we do every day.
