QB-PEYTON MANNING (on being able to clinch homefield advantage throughout the playoffs with a win Sunday) * *
"The idea is to win this game, and it is going to be tough to accomplish that. It's a team that was 6-0 at one point, lost a couple, but now they're back on a winning streak. When you pop the film on you see why, very experienced on defense. It's hard to imagine a secondary that I've ever played against that has this much experience between (CB-Champ) Bailey and CB-Ty Law and (S-Brian) Dawkins, (and) even (S-Renaldo) Hill and (CB-Andre') Goodman have been around for a long time. They are stingy against the pass, don't give up many points and it will be tough to move the ball against them. We have our hands full."
QB-PEYTON MANNING (on QB-Kyle Orton)
"They've won a number of big games this year. I know he's played through some injuries. I haven't seen a ton of their offensive film this season, but from what I've seen, he's played well and doing a good job."
QB-PEYTON MANNING (on OLB/DE-Elvis Dumervil)
"He's an excellent pass-rusher, a high-energy guy, plays with great effort and he has great ability. I think his effort really jumps out at you. He's a factor for them on defense. He'll be a challenge, but it's him combined with a number of other guys, they have good guys up front, solid linebackers and an experienced secondary."
QB-PEYTON MANNING (on if Dumervil is like Colts' DE-Dwight Freeney and DE-Robert Mathis)
"You can draw some similarities there, from a size standpoint and great speed around the edge. (Dumervil is) just relentless in his pursuit of the quarterback."
QB-PEYTON MANNING (on Sunday being a challenge for the offensive line)
"I think it always is. Those guys come prepared for a grind every single Sunday. Denver is tough against the pass. Statistically, they're second in passing yards allowed and haven't allowed very many points at all. They're going to be a factor for everybody, in both the pass and run game."
QB-PEYTON MANNING (on if Denver Head Coach Josh McDaniels has brought any of New England Head Coach Bill Belichick's defensive concepts with him to Denver)
"Mike Nolan being the defensive coordinator, and I've played against him a couple times in the past going back to Baltimore, the New York Jets and even Washington, you see what you'd expect from a Mike Nolan defense. He has a unique scheme that is complicated and diverse, and it helps when you have good players like he has in Denver to execute that defense. It's going to be a challenge."
QB-PEYTON MANNING (on trademarks of a Mike Nolan defense)
"I haven't played against him this year, so I'm still studying them and learning about their defense this year. He's had good players in places that he's been, but he has things that he does, gives you a lot of different looks, and his defenses are sound. Like I've said, he has great experience on this particular defense, especially in the secondary, which gives him great flexibility."
QB-PEYTON MANNING (on if the team talks about going 16-0)
"All we've talked about through the course of this season is trying to win the next game. That's kind of been Coach Caldwell's approach. It's a philosophy that I really feel the team has bought into. We've had some interesting games, games where we were probably lucky to win, but somehow, someway we made the play to get the win. We have not taken winning for granted around here. I feel the reason we have done a good job each week is we have moved on to the next opponent. We've had good weeks of preparation. Denver is the next team we play and it's going to be a battle because of how good their defense is and they have a lot of playmakers on offense. That's really all we've talked about throughout the season, focusing on the next team, and it's been a good approach for us so far and it's one that we're going to stick with."
QB-PEYTON MANNING (on if the close wins will help the team in the playoffs)
"We haven't talked about that at all. I think every game can help you for the next game, whether you have to make a critical third down to ice the game, or you have to get down into field goal range to win the game or the defense has to make a goal line stand. I think, especially all of our young players, you learn something new each week, and I think you apply it the next week and you refer back to week three or whenever. That's part of football, drawing on previous games to hopefully help you win the next one."
QB-PEYTON MANNING (on it being a goal to get the No. 1 seed)
"The goal for me has always been to win each week, especially when you're in the middle of the season. That's all we talk about, the upcoming opponent. The goal this week is to beat Denver, and it's going to be a challenge to try and do that."
QB-PEYTON MANNING (on what will change with QB-Jim Sorgi going on Injured Reserve)
"I can't give you a great answer on that. I know one thing that won't change is Jim's input on our offense and our day-to-day practice plays and game plan ideas. He's always been very helpful to me and to our offense, as far as giving ideas or coming up with different code words for audibles and signals and those kinds of things. That was important, that he was still going to be able to do that. Obviously, he won't be out there on the practice field and he won't be suited up, but that's still critical. It's been critical to our offensive success for the past number of years. He plays a big role, I guess you'd call it behind the scenes, but he plays a big role in helping us add different ideas. He helps with (Asst. Head Coach/WRs) Clyde Christensen and (Senior Offensive Coordinator) Tom (Moore) on putting ideas for plays in. Medically, the surgery and the potential for that is all to be determined. But I do hate it for him. Jim has worked extremely hard. That was where it had to go from a physical standpoint, but the cerebral and mental part, we still expect Jim to be a big factor in helping us."
