HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on Brett Favre's consecutive game streak ending) Wednesday, December 15, 2010
"It was an incredible streak first of all. Those of us that have been involved with this game know the difficulty in being able to play that many games consecutively is something truly special. It really is a testament to the individual, Brett, who obviously had to play with some difficulty in terms of injuries and things of that nature, but he was able to fight through and certainly did a tremendous job of that all throughout the years. The unique thing is the fact that it did indeed end in Detroit and about 1.3 miles away from where (MLB's Cal) Ripken's ended, which I don't know if we would say was a coincidence or what, but certainly something that is fairly interesting. He has had a tremendous career and is a tremendous player."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on thinking ahead 5-6 years and the records QB-Peyton Manning may set) Wednesday, December 15, 2010
"He has had a few that he is adding to and tacking onto weekly. I think that obviously the way that things have been going that obviously there is going to be a number of them out there for him that he will set if he keeps at the present pace."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on this week being no different than last week) Wednesday, December 15, 2010
"Every game is a real big game for us down the stretch and this one is huge. It's extremely important and our job is to find a way to win it. So we are doing everything that we can in terms of practice, but we are not doing anything differently than we've done. That's how we've always approached things and this week is no different."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on LB-Gary Brackett's statement of the Colts have gotten themselves into this, now they have to get themselves out and if that is the approach Caldwell takes) Wednesday, December 15, 2010
"He responds for himself in that regard. I look at it as we are where we are. I learned a long time ago that you navigate where you are, not where you wish you were. You navigate where you are and we have to look at our present situation and now find the best way that we possibly can to achieve our goal. We are fighting for it."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on who the Colts may get back this week) Wednesday, December 15, 2010
"(WR-Austin) Collie is practicing. We anticipate him making good progress and we will see what happens during the course of the week, and a couple of other guys are day-to-day."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on OL-Michael Toudouze's signing being an indication of OL-Charlie Johnson's injury being more than just a ding) Wednesday, December 15, 2010
"That is a possibility and so we have to make certain we have somebody in place just in case. Sometimes you can't wait until the later part of the week to make that kind of adjustment. You have to get somebody in and get them familiar with what you are doing just in case and that certainly is the case with Michael. He has been with us before. He knows our system. It doesn't take him very long to catch on."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on defining how to contain Jacksonville's run game) Wednesday, December 15, 2010
"One of the things that you do realize is that you are not going to stop (RB-Maurice) Jones-Drew completely. You are just not going to do it. It is just one of those things that he's a very, very good back and he is going to get some yards. What we have to do is make certain that we contain it enough that they don't just chew up ground on us and keep possessions away from us and then score on top of it. We have to make certain that we are able to keep big plays down. What you don't want is for them to be able to rip off 12 and 18 and 20-yard runs on you. So you have to keep that certainly contained and that's what you have to do. You have to be able to get off the field, and they are tough to get off of the field. They lead the league with fewest three-and-outs with 12. The next closest team is Houston with 22, I think, or somewhere there about and we are probably fairly close as well. They do a good job of that and a lot of that is because of him."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on if Coach Caldwell is more worried about giving up 5-6-yard gains or one long rush) Wednesday, December 15, 2010
"Obviously what we try and do is keep the big ones down. Those are the ones that really do some damage, but what they are good at is they are very, very methodical. They have more 3rd-and-2 plays than anybody in the league. That tells you that they are trying to stay in phase with their running game so they end up in 3rd-and-2, which is very, very manageable. It leaves them in a position to either run it or throw it, which makes it tough on your defense. What we have to do is make certain that we keep those first-down runs down and get them into second-and-longs and then maybe we can get them in some third-down-and-long situations, which certainly gives an advantage to the defense."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on remembering a time when Manning was close to not playing) Wednesday, December 15, 2010
"Because he is such a warrior I can't remember any that were in question going into the week. Let me put it this way, I can remember a number of them that because he had injuries early in the week that he had to manage things that he had to really watch just in terms of things we did in practice. I remember he had a bit of a hamstring problem that was pretty severe and that particular week he did most of the running game from the shotgun and most of the pass game as well, which is not unusual for us, but for the run game portion of it is because of the fact that we did not want to really tax his hamstring. That week was one that was pretty trying, but there was never any doubt that he was going to be out there on the field. He is just one of those guys that will sit still. He will find a way to get ready. He will find a way to perform."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on if Favre's streak is more impressive than MLB's Cal Ripken Jr.'s streak) Wednesday, December 15, 2010
"They are both extremely impressive. I would not, only because of the fact that I am a little bit more familiar because I am in it and involved with it on a daily basis, I view this one a little bit differently, but I think they are both great streaks by two great performers."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on the video he taped this week encouraging the fans to be in attendance early) Wednesday, December 15, 2010
"Obviously the importance of it is to get people there early. We do think that without question that being at home generates so much enthusiasm just in terms of excitement. There is a buzz in the air before the ballgame starts. I think those things are all good for us and that is the reason why. We are trying to get folks in there and get them started early. Typically, I think night games people have a little bit more time, maybe it is after church, to get themselves ready to go and in the stadium. Sometimes the one o'clock games, we would like to get them there a little bit sooner, and this game we are trying to stress that."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on if the stadium is as loud as he would like it to be) Wednesday, December 15, 2010
"Our crowd does a nice job. Not only is it loud, but it is knowledgeable. That is also helpful."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on if he feels as the players have said they do, feel like this is a playoff game) Wednesday, December 15, 2010
"Facts are facts, right? It's a fact that we have to win it. Whatever you label it, however you call it, I think we all know what it is. It is a ballgame that is going to be tough. It is going to be hard. It is going to be difficult. The atmosphere is going to be such that it is going to be highly competitive and there is a lot at stake."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on how odd it is to be in this position) Wednesday, December 15, 2010
"I worry less about that. That is so far removed from my mind. That is one of the ideas I was talking about when I said navigate where you are. My job is to stay focused and try to win. That's the only thing that is going to get us to where we are. We cannot deviate, cannot drift off or sort of have euphoric ideas about what ifs. Those things do not make a bit of difference for us in terms of preparation, and right now that preparation is vital. It is key. It is critical. So that is our mission, (our) critical statement right now, we have to focus in on where we are."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on Jacksonville K-Josh Scobee) Wednesday, December 15, 2010
"He has been and it would be an understatement to say he has been deadly. That's the thing that you have to be concerned in close games with him is the fact that there is not a whole lot of room for error. If he is within distance, he's got a shot at it. I remember last year, the first game of the year, he ended up just missing a 62 or 63-yarder just by a very narrow margin. He has got a great leg and he is also accurate."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on if Scobee's past success for hitting game-winning field goals plays into the Colts' game plan) Wednesday, December 15, 2010
"He is always part of the equation. So you just have to fight and do your job and know that if he gets in any sort of range that he is a weapon they could certainly use."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on if there are any big differences in Jacksonville since Week 4) Wednesday, December 15, 2010
"They are playing extremely well. Obviously, when you look at them in terms of they were playing good football then, too. When they played against us they ran the ball well, were opportunistic and took the ball away from us. This team is the same kind of team. They change a little bit here and there, but for the most part when you find teams that start to play consistently well, they don't change a whole lot. I think it was Woody Hayes that always said that good teams have tendencies. That is because of the fact that they believe in what they are doing and you are going to see it regardless of what you play from a defensive standpoint or what you do from an offensive standpoint."
