INDIANAPOLIS --- The Indianapolis Colts locker room is sharpening its focus as the end of the season draws closer, beginning with this week's home game against the Patriots that carries with it AFC playoff seeding implications.
"We're taking it upon ourselves to get 30 minutes a day," running back Ahmad Bradshaw told Colts.com Thursday. "That's how important this game is, how important these last seven games are...film studies, just extra. Even if it's laying down after your nap, getting up and looking at your playbook."
"It's been intense," said rookie defensive lineman Zach Kerr. "You can kind of tell a lot of guys mental is a little bit more intense than it was the last couple weeks. Not so much it being a rivalry, but it's that part of the season. Everybody needs to pick their stuff up, whether it be an extra 30 minutes of film, extra 40 minutes of film, after practice doing something extra. It's definitely important for us to get everything locked in."
And if you think the players are racking up the overtime, then you should see what some of the coaching staff is doing.
"I take my hat off to the coaches. Some of these coaches sleep in this building to get that game plan down to the T," said defensive lineman Ricky Jean Francois Thursday. "For us as players to come together as a group, as a D-line or our whole defense to come together and make sure we have the game plan down against a team like (the Patriots)."
That's because this week against Tom Brady and the Patriots, the Colts must prepare to the level of a straight-A student sitting down to ace their final exam.
"It's like this week everything has to be detailed. Everything has to be crisp," said Jean Francois. "Nothing can be out of the ordinary, because come that game, there's going to be a lot of emotions. You're going to be hyped for the game."
The fans of these players will understand that all too well, and it's safe to say they will appreciate the extra effort these players have decided to put in for Sunday night.
