Opening comments:
"We're busy preparing for our next opportunity. Indianapolis brings their
10-2 record in, the best in the league. A very explosive offense. Peyton Manning
once again dominating, doing a great job. Their defense is one that plays best
with the lead, one that has helped them win 10 games. On special teams, they've
found ways to make plays, such as the case against us there at their place. They
make plays and help their team win. I think if you look at them you see a 10-win
team coming in. Very strong. They've been atop our division for a long time and
for us we're looking forward to the opportunity. It's a big challenge. We're
glad to be here at home. We're looking forward to our crowd. We've played well
at home this year. We have been feeding a little bit off the energy that our
crowd provides and looking forward to that energy on Sunday."
Have you learned anything from the way teams have been playing the Colts
recently, particularly with the two losses?
"We study the tape like we always do, put together a good plan like we
always do. We play them close. They've ended up making more plays in the end to
win the games. I think in the games they've lost, the other team made more plays
and so that's what we're going to look to do."
Have teams learned something from the Jaguars? The Jaguars have been
successful at slowing down the Colts offense in recent years:
"We all work hard at what we do. We spend a lot of time watching tape,
studying things that we think we can do to either expose somebody else's
problems or maybe keep match-ups down from being so productive, and things
like that. Yeah, we're always working at it."
What are some of the keys that you do against the Colts?
"Our philosophy on defense is to be fundamentally sound. I think when you
tackle well and you understand where you belong and you play hard together and
take care of your job, then I think you can play good defense in this league.
Sometimes it can be easier said than done, but our guys have committed to that
approach. We work hard at it and I think that's why we've been successful here
in the four years we've been here. I think each week is a new challenge. I think
certainly this team here offensively is very gifted. The receivers they have,
the skill people they have with the quarterback pulling the trigger, it's a very
dangerous offense."
After the first meeting with the Colts in September, some of the Colts
players made comments about the Jaguars being 'chippy.' Do those comments play
any factor at all as far as motivation or preparation for this game?
"No. They made comments about us being 'chippy' but they're the ones making
the 'chippy' comments. We're competing. They're a very good football team,
they're 10-2 right now. We're just going to focus on preparation."
Is there more energy naturally when playing against the Colts?
"I think whenever you play divisional games, I think you hope to have that
energy. To me, this has been the dominant team in the AFC. It's a great
opportunity, it's a great challenge and for us I think we just want to be steady and prepare and
get ready to play a good game."
 |
| Maurice Jones-Drew of the Jaguars vs the Colts in September, 2006. (Photo: Andy Lyons/Getty Images) |
Despite the Colts being 10-2, they have not been able to stop the run. How are
they doing that?
"Just finding a way as a team. It certainly makes it more difficult. I
think if you ask Tony (Dungy) that he'd acknowledge that. It doesn't make it
easy but they're finding a way. I think it's a matter of as a team finding a way
to win. In our game up there, they made a heck of a special teams play, and in
each ballgame you can look at something they've done to be able to win that 10th
game in 12 tries. I think that's what it comes down to is finding a way to make
a play."
On reports each time the Jaguars play the Colts that the Jaguars always
'play them close' or you 'give them a good fight.' Are you getting tired of
hearing that?
"I was kind of hoping they might give out a couple consolation points for
that and maybe we can add them up and make it a win. If we could get a couple of
those going that would be nice."
Jaguars defenders are listed in the top 10 in 12 of defensive categories
that the NFL keeps. Is this the most balanced, best all-around defense that
you've had here?
"It's the most banged-up unit we've had. I think we get as big a challenge
as you're going to get coming up here with Indianapolis coming in. It's nice of
you to acknowledge those things, that it's happening, but I think for us right
now we're a banged up unit, we're right now in preparation mode getting ready
for the Colts, trying to do all we can to slow them down."
What kind of transition as Bobby McCray made and are you surprised he's been
able to be as good as he has been?
"I think Bobby has done a great job taking advantage of an opportunity to
play, to be an every-down guy and to be out on the football field helping us
win. He's excited about that opportunity to be out there as much as he's
playing, and he's provided a spark in terms of speed off the edge that we need
on defense."
There was some question of whether he could be an every-down guy. Has he
answered those questions?
"He continues to answer those questions every day he goes out. I think
he'll always be challenged because he's not a really big guy but he does have
speed, he does have a natural knack to finish on the quarterback, and he works
hard it. He's an improving player."
On Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew together in the back field:
"At some point we could utilize those guys at the same time."
On going more downfield last Sunday, and receivers catching passes:
"I think what we do is we just make it competitive and seek to have that in
practice. I think the guys practiced well. The passing game is so much about
timing.
You've got to have the protection first and then you have to be able to get the
ball down field, and then create the separation or the ability to be open and in
some cases like with Matt (Jones) last week there were a couple cases where the
defensive back was in good position but he's still open. He's 6'6" so I
think David (Garrard) took advantage of some of those, made some nice throws and
catching it is part of it, so we'll keep working on it."
Were there more plays last Sunday for David Garrard to choose from than
previous weeks?
"In terms of the number of plays we take in, we don't just keep adding to
it. I think what we do is each week select out of the big playbook, out of the
volume of all that we can do, what do we want to do against this opponent? So
it's a week-to-week process where you select the plays you think you can execute
the best against that team and score points and win, so we'll do that again this
week. I think that David has continued to progress and we're getting more
comfortable with what we think he can do, he's getting more comfortable in
decisions that we're asking him to make, and we want to build on that. I think
for us we look at it as we've made some progress, we've had some nice days, we
want to build on that."
Are you in a playoff state of mind?
"I think when you get to December and you're playing meaningful football, I
think there is an excitement in the air. I think you get a little more attention
of the players, of the fans, everybody. It's a little more exciting this time of
year when you're involved and have meaningful games. I think for us right now
we're having fun coming to work. I think our guys enjoy coming to work. I've
sought real hard to create an environment where we could….we're going to spend
a lot of time here and we might as well enjoy ourselves. So we seek to have that
type of environment, where we enjoy coming to work and working against each
other and competing. I think the biggest thing for us right now is to compete at
a high level and then let the results kind of speak for themselves."