HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on the offensive dynamic being altered without TE-Dallas Clark) Thursday, October 28, 2010
"He certainly created some opportunities for us. Any time you see a guy in his position catch 100 balls, obviously he is an integral part of what we do and always has been. He's been able to certainly force teams to adjust to what they want to do from a defensive standpoint in terms of their personnel. So that's going to remain to be seen in terms of what occurs. Oftentimes in our scheme we have answers according to what they do against us and without him in there. Some of it is going to be a bit of an unknown and we are going to have to adjust on the run, but we do anticipate TE-Jacob (Tamme) is going to be able to get in and give us a chance to do some of the things we've done previously, and maybe we have to adjust a little bit to his strengths as well. There is a little adjustment period there. Losing Dallas is a bit of a blow to us in that regard. It just creates some unknowns."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on if RB-Joseph Addai and RB-Donald Brown will practice today) Thursday, October 28, 2010
"I do not anticipate RB-Joseph (Addai) practicing at all. RB-Donald (Brown) is questionable. If he does, it will be limited work. I know oftentimes you guys probably look at me like, 'Why don't you give us a little bit more in this regard,' but, I think you know how I feel about the injury report and those things. The main reason is because I don't want to give you any misleading information. If you were to ask me or I would have told you exactly what I thought about RB-Mike Hart a couple of weeks ago, I would have been totally off base and you would have said, 'You know what, that guy mislead us.' But the fact of the matter is, he made such an unbelievable turnaround that he went from possibly not playing to playing. The same thing happened a few years back with TE-Dallas (Clark). He went from looking like one day he may have surgery to being able to play. So, what we try and do, we try and clean things up a little bit. We try to put out an announcement as soon as we know about guys that are not playing, clear it up and then the other guys, it is a wait and see with day-to-day operation. I know you guys have to do your job, but I also have to do mine. I get paid to do mine, I don't get paid to do yours. (Laughter)"
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on if RB-Joseph Addai's expectations to play are a couple of weeks out) Thursday, October 28, 2010
"I'm not real sure. He is a guy whose tolerance for pain is unusual. He is one of those guys that can turn it around in a moment's notice and he is up and ready to go, but it is a day-to-day situation. If he doesn't go, obviously RB-Mike Hart is a guy that has to step it up a little bit. RB-Javarris James will have to carry a few duties as well."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on who will hold for field goals and PAT's) Thursday, October 28, 2010
"They have been working on it since last week, trying to solve it, and we do have several different options in that regard. QB-Curtis (Painter) does it, TE-Jacob Tamme does it as well and then P-(Jeremy) Kapinos is also a holder. It looks that right now, K-Adam (Vinatieri) is getting a pretty good feel for him at this juncture."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on if K-Adam Vinatieri will handle kickoff duties) Thursday, October 28, 2010
"Yes, and Adam certainly has the ability to do both."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on recalling a time with so many offensive injuries) Thursday, October 28, 2010
"We have had some weeks where we have gone in without Marvin Harrison. There are some weeks we have gone in, albeit few, but we have had those situations where maybe WR-Reggie Wayne couldn't play. I remember down in San Diego one time, I think that may have been it, San Diego I do recall, matter of fact, I don't think we had 43 guys dressed or it might have been 43 or 42 guys dressed at that time. So we have been through some pretty tough situations from an injury standpoint, but it is also something I have never really tried to focus in on. I have this old motto from when I was coaching back in the early days when I first got started. Oftentimes you can kind of get wrapped up in some things that you have no control of and I used to always say to myself, 'You have to coach who shows up.' That's what we do around here as well. Our 'Next Man Up' is the same mantra, and it's not saying that we don't feel we have a few issues that we have to deal with. We have to curtail some things. We have to adjust our game plans. You have to do it according to what the individual can do from a physical standpoint. So, we have to make adjustments, but the fact of the matter is we are expected to win, too, and we expect to win. That's what we focus in on."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on if he shares the same optimism that WR-Anthony Gonzalez does about playing this week) Thursday, October 28, 2010
"I'm still optimistic. I am, so we'll see."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on why the decision to suspend P-Pat McAfee was not in line with other player alcohol-related offenses) Thursday, October 28, 2010
"I cannot compare it to anything else. I know oftentimes that is what people want to do in that regard. I can only tell you that we look at each situation and let it stand on its on merits and make our decision from there. That's what we did in this particular case, and that is probably all I can give you in that regard."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on if it's tougher playing a team the second time around) Thursday, October 28, 2010
"I've never run into an easy one, whether it's first or second, you know what I mean? They are all tough. They are all very difficult. It's a team that knows you well and it is always a challenge. I am not certain that I'd be able to identify with that because they give you problems whether or not you won the first one or not. There are still issues, difficulties, there are talented teams that adjust, there is a huge difference oftentimes between teams then and now with a four or five week difference between the time that you play them. Things change quite a bit."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on if Texans LB-Brian Cushing changes the Colts offensive dynamic) Thursday, October 28, 2010
"Obviously, he is an outstanding player and now he is in a position where he can be even more of a factor because now he is in the middle and can roam sideline to sideline. He does have that ability. He does have that kind of speed and he is also a guy that you can see is very, very instinctive. When he was in the outside linebacker position, oftentimes he may not be able to cover it quite as well, but in the middle I think that you will find that he will certainly be more of a threat."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on how the Colts can prevent Texans RB-Arian Foster from another 200-yard day) Thursday, October 28, 2010
"What we have to do is play defense the way we know how to play. One thing we have been is up and down. One week we've played extremely well and the next week maybe not so well. That's what we have to do. This week we better play well. He is a guy that's got great vision and ability and he certainly can run the ball awfully well. We have to tackle well and we have to take care of our responsibilities."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on having to make more adjustments on the fly with new players in the lineup) Thursday, October 28, 2010
"Oftentimes, that may be the case during the course of a game, but it does not necessarily have a whole lot to do with what we know about them in terms of the player who is in that position. We know them. There is not too many that we do not have a good sense of, but where it may take a little adjustment is the fact that we are not certain with how the opposition will treat our personnel groupings. That's where the difference comes. For example, when TE-Dallas (Clark) was playing, they ended up playing nickel against us. They gave us nickel fronts, maybe some dime fronts in some situations. That may not be the case depending on how they see the situation. Therefore, it may require a little different approach."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on playing on Monday night and if he likes the spotlight) Thursday, October 28, 2010
"Are you referring to me personally? (Laughter) I think that there is no question about it that there is huge excitement about the game, regardless of when its played, but when you are the only game in town so to speak, it does certainly bring a little more focus on your team, and that's an exciting time for all of us, coaches, players, you name it. It's a big stage and I think that's why we do what we do. We don't mind it, but the way in which this game is covered nowadays, it doesn't matter if you are playing at five o'clock in the morning, you are still going to get great coverage and there is still going to be a great fan interest as well. The other thing about that night game is that it gives folks a chance to get ready for it all day long, so it is usually rocking in that stadium pretty good by game time."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on why Texans DB-Bernard Pollard is so effective) Thursday, October 28, 2010
"He's extremely tough, physical. He is a very instinctive guy. He has an unusual blend of size and speed and he is long. He has been able to make plays defending the pass and coming up in run support and things of that nature, but in the kicking game he is also very dangerous. You can see on film he has blocked field goals and he is always a threat to block a punt. He's a game-changer, but I do think that the bulk size and speed is pretty significant. He is probably a secondary version of DE-Mario (Williams), one of those guys that is big and physical and long and fast."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on Tony Dungy being inducted into the Ring of Honor) Thursday, October 28, 2010
"It's a great honor for him, and he certainly is deserving of it. Just is a tremendous person in terms that not only is he an outstanding football coach, I guess he had 148 victories, and I think there have only been six coaches that have made it to 100 victories in a shorter period of time. Just in terms of teams in a playoff, every, I guess for 10 years straight, I think if you look at that more so than anything else, compare that to anybody else, I don't care who it is, take a look at it. The guy is absolutely fantastic in terms of what he was able to do on the field of play, but then he supersedes that off the field. He's an icon in terms of integrity, in terms of professionalism and he set a huge example for all of is. So, it was a real pleasure for us to have an opportunity to work with him all of those years. He set a great example for us as being a man of God, and also in terms of how he handled this position professionally. He didn't work all night long, certainly did everything in moderation and was able to spend a lot of time with his family and nurture them along as well. Quite a man. The greatest thing about him is what you see, is what you get. You guys have heard me say this time and time again, but the fact of the matter is that this game is a very emotional game, it's a very difficult game to keep your composure. I never heard him raise his voice one time in all of the years that we worked with him. So, I think that says a lot. In this game that is very tough to do. That's difficult to do, but he did it as well as anyone, on and off the field."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on how players or coaches knew Tony Dungy was upset) Thursday, October 28, 2010
"It is probably similar, you guys probably remember because you are historians and talk about Coach (Tom) Landry would sometimes not have to say a word, that it was sometimes how he just tilted his head and gave a little look that you knew he was disappointed, and Tony was much the same way. He had a way about him with his voice. He could keep it exactly on the same level, but you could tell by the intensity in his eyes that when he wanted to get a point across, he could get it across just like somebody getting on top of that table stomping and pounding and it had the same type of effect on our team. I think that in itself was a gift and he certainly had it."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on Notre Dame and teams using scissor lifts for filming purposes) Thursday, October 28, 2010
"First of all, we want to certainly give our condolences to that young man and his family. It is a tough situation and I think safety has always been of the utmost concern of those guys that go up. Not only just in terms of high winds, but also lightning and things of that nature. Anytime that there is something like that that is indeed tragic, I think it makes all of us look at our procedures and to make sure we are in line with the proper procedure to make sure safety is the number one issue for those folks that are working for us."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on if Coach Caldwell could see a tangible difference in helmet to helmet hits this past weekend) Thursday, October 28, 2010
"I did not. I just think for the most part that the guys that play this game, play it hard, they play it with a lot of intensity, and I just did not see any real difference, and they always try to play by the rules. You don't have a lot of outlaws running around in this game, it just doesn't happen. The rules are in place such that would not persist consistently. I did not see and real tangible difference and I watched a lot of games."
