INDIANAPOLIS – For a 32-year old running back with more than 2,500 career carries, a bunch of giddiness for a Thursday night game doesn't make a lot of sense.
Last week, Frank Gore was more than eager to back on the field, less than a week after the Colts had to survive a four-quarter affair with the Jaguars.
Gore's urgency came from what he witnessed after watching the film of the Colts overtime victory over Jacksonville.
"Every time I get stopped I'm hitting the ground," Gore said of his main observation from his 17-carry, 53-yard day back in Week Four against the Jaguars.
"That's not me."
The Gore on film was a guy that was pressing.
Following Gore's bounce-back performance in Houston, a 98-yard night (the highest total a Colts running back has had in more than 50 games), the veteran running back admitted to why he was so frustrated.
"Starting this year I kind of let that get to me---wanting to prove to everybody that I can do it, instead of just being me," Gore said of him pressing in his first season with the Colts.
"I just had to calm down, stop pressing and just have fun. Don't worry about what people think about me on this team. Whenever my number gets called, help this team."
Before Thursday night's contest against the Texans, Gore spoke with his old position coach from San Francisco, Tom Rathman.
The message was a reinforcement of what Gore saw from his self-scouting. *
"Take one play at a time, high and tight and just go do you."*
It's why Gore was so eager to get back on the field Thursday in Houston.
With a backup quarterback in and out of hospital, and in the starting lineup, the Colts were going to need a heavy dose of Gore on a short week.
The 22 carries from Gore were the most a Colts player had since the 2012 regular season finale.
He loved the workload.
"I was kind of happy (to play Thursday) because (against Jacksonville), putting us in that situation on the goal line, I know that's not me," Gore said of his fumble against the Jaguars.
"(I knew) I was going to have a chance to get back on a Thursday night and show my fans back in Indy that they can depend on me. I told myself, 'I'm going to sit back, be patient, have fun and talk to my lineman and whenever we get an opportunity to go get it.' And we did."
Through five weeks of the 2015 season, Gore is on pace for a 1,000-yard season, a clip no Colts player has reached since 2007.
When Gore came to Indianapolis this offseason, he knew the stereotype of the Colts running game.
Now, with a new outlook, he's redefining how people view the Colts offense.
"We were hearing all offseason, even me making the decision to come here, (people) saying, 'We can't run the ball, we can't do this up front.' And we listened to that," Gore said.
"We want to show the world that we can. We can do whatever we want to do. As long as we are on the same page, we will be fine."
