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"He did an outstanding job on the kickoffs. Those five kickoffs for touchbacks that he had were, as I understand, a (franchise) record. Since 1970, there are only two people that have ever had five touchbacks in a game, and ironically they are both on our team (right now), Adam Vinatieri did it in 2006 at Denver. Congratulations to Pat. He did a nice job. That makes a huge difference for our defense, trying to convert consistently 80-yard drives is difficult on an offense. He did a nice job for us."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on if there was more of an emphasis on the run game this week)
"We knew we wanted to be a bit more balanced, but oftentimes it just depends on how the game goes. You have to adjust as you go. We ran an offense that oftentimes, it's an old Tom Moore-ism, he didn't really care if we had to run it or pass it as long as he had the chalk last. It just depends sometimes on whether or not the defense gives us certain looks. If they're conducive to running, we run, if it's conducive to throwing, we'll throw it. It just depends on how they play us."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on looking back at the Houston game and the improvement the team made in the week after the game)
"I'm not a big person on looking back. That game is beyond us. It is what it is, we didn't play well. I like to kind of look ahead. We played pretty well yesterday, and we have a lot of work ahead of us this coming week. I don't believe in putting labels on things. I can't do anything about that game. That game is done with. I can't do anything about the game yesterday. That one is over with. If I could, I certainly would. I'd revisit it a thousand times if there was something to be gained from it, but I don't think there is. We just have to focus in on looking ahead. That's what I try to do with the team. Let's just look forward. Let's look at exactly what we have to face this coming week. We have a very, very difficult task ahead of us, so it's going to take everything we have and a little bit more to get prepared for a real solid Denver team."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on development of DT-Fili Moala)
"He's coming along. He's making really good progress. That's the thing, oftentimes guys take a little while in the developmental stage to get yourself in position where you're playing and playing well consistently. He's moving in that direction. He's been working extremely hard. He's been working at his techniques. (Defensive Line Coach) John Teerlinck and (Defensive Assistant) Bill Teerlinck have been working with him considerably to try and make certain that he is doing things the way we like him to do it. Slowly, but surely, he is making real good progress."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on the offensive line's play last night)
"I think we did a nice job of controlling the line of scrimmage, particularly against some guys that play and play well. It was also just a real point of emphasis for us, just in terms of shoring up our pass protection from a week ago. We're not perfect. Like I said last week, getting our quarterback hit or sacked one time is too many, but I think our guys took the challenge on and played better."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on if people doubting the offensive line helped motivate them)
"Not really. I think very few of our guys really react to things that are said about them, or I'm not certain that they read it. I know one thing, we came out and we practice hard, we focus in and we try to get better. That's the real key. It's more of intrinsically motivated guys that are the kinds of guys you look for. We don't need any external motivation for the most part. I think we have a large number of guys that are motivated to do their job because that is what they are supposed to do. They have a lot of pride, and I think you see them adjust accordingly."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on TE-Brody Eldridge's play vs. NY Giants)
"He came along well. Just like any young player, he's going to have ups and downs in the ballgame, and he had a few. But I do think he held his own. I think with young guys, and not only young guys but older guys as well, those guys are paid to rush the passer, too. It was a pretty good guy that he was matched up against. I don't want to point out one play with one player. I don't think that is fair. If you look at his whole body of work, I think he hung in there pretty well."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on TE-Brody Eldridge offering the offense something they haven't had in recent years)
"I think he has a chance to be a good, solid football player. He is tough. He's developing into a good in-line blocker, but he can also give you something in the pass game, as well. But he's young yet. The jury is still out. It's two ballgames, and the first one I think he played nine plays. We'll see how he develops."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on DE-Dwight Freeney and DE-Robert Mathis' ability to take over ballgames)
"Being around them a number of years now, it's something you certainly grow to expect, that you're accustomed to, those two guys being able to be a real force and a real factor in the ballgame. Certainly their intensity level has a lot to do with it, but they have an unbelievable skill level. They have the ability to rush the passer, and they do it in a variety of ways. They can bull-rush you, they can speed-rush you and they can rush you inside or outside. It makes it difficult. Oftentimes, teams will look at one rusher and turn the entire line toward that particular rusher, but when you have two that makes things a bit more difficult. Here's the key, too, I think you see those guys really come to the forefront and you see their skills and abilities highlighted when we can stop the run. When you stop the run it puts teams in more of a passing mode and I think that really lends itself to those guys really getting up the field and creating problems."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on not wanting just sacks, but also wanting to cause a fumble)
"They work on weekly and daily. It's a big point of emphasis and those guys have done it extremely well."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on if the sack-fumble is one of the biggest game changers for teams)
"It sure is. Obviously, it's a situation, too, because of where you're getting the ball, you're gaining yardage with an opportunity to score. That's a huge play."
HEAD COACH- JIM CALDWELL (on –the Colts' defensive third-down efficiency vs. NY Giants)
"Certainly we played better in that area. There is no question about that. You would like to feel that you can build upon that and grow and develop, but that is the kind of effort you are looking for."
HEAD COACH- JIM CALDWELL (on –if third-and-longs are key defensively)
"We always call them from an offensive standpoint, staying in phase. 'In phase' means staying out of long-yardage situations where it is manageable. If you can get teams in those long-yardage situations where they are out of phase, it lends to the selection of plays being rather limited."
HEAD COACH- JIM CALDWELL (on –if the tipping point on third downs is around 5-6 yards)
"That's typically about right. Five or six yards is manageable."
HEAD COACH- JIM CALDWELL (on –being behind in the divisional race)
"It is not like it has never happened to us before obviously, but I keep kind of harping back to it, I know you guys like me to give an overview and all that kind of stuff. I'm not an overview guy. I'm a one-week, one-game-at-a-time guy. That's how I function. That's how my life is built. All I know is I have a job today. I don't know about tomorrow. I know whom we are playing this week and that's whom we focus in on. Yes, it is a little different for us, but what's not different is that we have a big challenge in front of us. So that's what we try and stay focused upon."
HEAD COACH- JIM CALDWELL (on –effort of defense last night)
"I think they certainly were intense. Without question they showed a lot of energy and I think that was key and I think they executed well. When you look at those three things, I think they embody what we have out there. It does not mean we are perfect because hustle, desire and effort make up for a lot of sins, and believe me, there were some. Overall, they were able to keep them bottled up and contained. That's a good team. That team has weapons that you can see last night with a couple of balls thrown over our head and you can see where RB-(Ahmad) Bradshaw almost got loose an couple of times, and Jacobs is a heck of a player. That's a tough team."
HEAD COACH- JIM CALDWELL (on –seeing Brandon Jacobs' helmet ending up in the stands)
"No sir, and I did not see that one. I was aware of it just through comments, but I haven't seen it. I am more concerned about our guys and trying to stay as focused as I can on our own situation."
HEAD COACH- JIM CALDWELL (on –Kavell Conner's play)
"He played like a young linebacker. He ran around and gave us a lot of effort and did some things well. He hung in there. One of the things that jumps out at you if you didn't notice that he was making a bunch of glaring errors out there on the field means he hung in there fairly well. He's got some pop and some ability. He is young in the system, but I thought he did a nice job."
HEAD COACH- JIM CALDWELL (on –Jeff Linkenbach going in during the second quarter)
"It was just to give (Charlie Johnson) a little break there. It is just one of those things, he's making good progress, but we still have to manage it."
HEAD COACH- JIM CALDWELL (on –if Clint Session has a shot to play this week)
"I couldn't give you a clear cut answer on that, but we will have an injury report for you on Wednesday that will maybe shed some light on it, possibly."
HEAD COACH- JIM CALDWELL (on –if coach was pleased to see the team bounce back this week)
"I think it was good. I think our guys have a lot of pride and they certainly practiced extremely well. They played just like they practiced. We had very good practices. We kept getting better all week long. Wednesday was a good practice, Thursday was better and Friday was even better. When you practice that way, typically you have pretty good results. So they were able to carry it to the field and apply it, but we still have a lot of work to do."
HEAD COACH- JIM CALDWELL (on –Antoine Bethea's performance)
"Antoine is a very active guy who covers the field not only in terms of the pass, but also in terms of the run. He made a couple of plays that you probably made note of where he came from the backside to make some pretty good hits. He's one of those guys that have a nose for the ball. He can weave through traffic and he's very comfortable doing it and does a great job when he gets there. He's been a good, solid tackler for us as well."
HEAD COACH- JIM CALDWELL (on –difference in strong and free safety for the Colts)
"There are similar guys in that respect that play back there. They are guys with range and speed and all the guys we have at that position will come up in run support as well. That's part of it, particularly in this league. Safeties have to be active players, particularly when you drop them down into the front."
HEAD COACH- JIM CALDWELL (on –altitude affecting players)
"It's minimal. I used to work at the University of Colorado-Boulder for three years. We had a sign that hung in the locker room that said, 'You are now at 5,826 feet,' and had a couple of canisters of oxygen that sat next to it as guys left the locker room. But I think for the most part it was still fairly even. If you play well, and these guys are young and well conditioned, they'll adjust."
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