LB-KEITH BULLUCK (on being 13-2 and clinching the No. 1 AFC seed) * *
"It's a great feeling that you set out at the beginning of the year to accomplish several goals and to know that step one is accomplished. It's definitely a satisfying feeling, but also, it's not a fulfilling feeling just because we have a couple of more steps to take."
LB-KEITH BULLUCK (on how tough it was to take the AFC South title away from the Colts)
"It was pretty tough. You see the Colts are still right there, so it was pretty tough. We had to go through a rebuilding process and still had to go out there and compete and get our players to believe that we still can win and do things. I think it's been a pretty trying road. We're kind of in the front right now, but we don't take that for granted."
LB-KEITH BULLUCK (on the difference between winning the conference title in 2002 and now)
"In 2002, for me, it was really my first year starting, my first year actually getting out there and being able to contribute the way I wanted to. So we were just a bunch of young guys out there having fun, which I'm sure half of this team is doing, but for me, it doesn't come around too often. You play in this league long enough, you experience the good and the bad. Once you get something going good, you kind of want to keep it and focus on it at the time, so I think that's the difference."
LB-KEITH BULLUCK (on appreciating the highs a lot more)
"You definitely appreciate that as well as the game."
LB-KEITH BULLUCK (on the defense being an entire unit and team, not individuals)
"I would say that's true. That's something we were able to develop this offseason, develop the mentality. A lot of the guys, you can only start 11, but the guys in other positions and roles that they know they're going to get playing time, they worked just as hard, too, because there was a lot of competition going on within our defense for second-string spots. I think that kind of helped us have an even stronger backbone and more depth, just the guys waiting in the wing to get in and get their chance. And when they get in, they perform."
LB-KEITH BULLUCK (on how much he expects to play this week)
"I expect to go in and start and play until Coach (Fisher) takes me out. We just went through our meetings and it seemed like a regular Wednesday to me as far as game plan-wise. So I expect to be out there until he takes me out, and if they don't, I guess this is what it is."
LB-KEITH BULLUCK (on the debate of playing vs. resting)
"I do, but at the same time, we also have two weeks off. We have a bye week, so I don't know if sitting down for two weeks, for me, is beneficial. That's the coach's decision. We'll see what happens. I'm definitely prepared to play four quarters. It's Sunday in the winter, so that's what I do."
LB-KEITH BULLUCK (on going up against Peyton Manning)
"You play in this league and you want to play against the best and Peyton Manning has shown and proven time and time again that he is one of the best, especially his job. They got off to that slow start, but he also proved that no matter who you are, it's hard to just come in with no preseason training and just play. Once he started to get into his groove, get into his rhythm and get comfortable playing football again, you see what they're doing."
