Colts Discuss Escaping Cleveland with Victory Over Browns

(Opening statement) – “Well, it was a big win for us and they are all tough to get. It seems like every time we come to Cleveland, it comes down to the last play. I thought we had a lot of guys step up and make big plays when we needed them. We had some injuries and our defenders had to play different positions. All in all, I thought we did a good job. The defense made some big plays in the second half. That is what winning football is all about - contributions from different guys and the key is to come away with a win.”

(On putting pressure on the quarterback) – “Teams have been throwing the ball fast against us. We’ve been playing a lot of three-man rush to take away some of those passing lanes. When we had to get the pressure today, we did. Our rush has been timely, is a good way to put it.”

(On the defensive sacks) – “It is partly because our guys are anticipating speed rushes. We knew we might be able to get some bull-rushes on the Browns. Both of our sacks ended up being because of the bull-rushes. That can be effective when the other team is floating on you a little bit.”

(On the Browns defense) – “That is how they played us the last time in Indianapolis. It was a 13-6 game – very similar to this. They do a good job of making you be patient. The Browns played well on defense today.”

(On missed third-down opportunities) – “We missed a couple of third-and-one opportunities. We could have iced the game there at the end with a third-and-one conversion. All in all, that was the way we thought the game was going to go, but we need to do a better job in the red zone and on third-and-one.”

LB Freddy Keiaho (On the defense) – “No excuses. Execution and expectations are what we live by. That is what happened today.”

(On Browns RB Jamal Lewis) – “He is a strong back. Aside from a few runs, I thought we did a pretty good job on him.”

WR Anthony Gonzalez (On the offense not scoring a touchdown) – “Sometimes, that is how it is. This was one of those days where it was just a grind. As soon as we stepped on the field, we knew it was going to be one of those days. We did what we could and our defense really helped out with that turnover at the end.”

(On this win) – “The only reason it was fun was because we won. If we lose the game, it’s not as much fun. The fact that we were able to pull it out was awesome. On top of that – being able to do it in the “house” I grew up in was pretty cool.”

(On his alma mater – St. Ignatius High School’s 10th State Championship win last night) – “They made a lot of alumni proud. I watched it on television and it was good.”

DE Robert Mathis (On scoring his first career touchdown) – “I still don’t know how to feel. I just remember thinking don’t get caught. When I saw the ball on the ground, it looked like a pile of gold. I saw the field in front of me. I had to score. This was the first time that I have ever run with the football.”

(On one play making a difference in the game) – “Coach Dungy always says that the difference between each team is so small. Whoever makes the key play at crunch time is going to win.”

DB Kelvin Hayden (On the importance of this game) – “Coach Dungy preaches that one play can turn the game around and one game can turn around a season. Some guys don’t listen to that – but it is true. I’m glad to come out with a win today.”

(On the importance of a dual-threat pass rush) – “[Robert] Mathis and [Dwight] Freeney are a blessing. It makes it easier on us in the backfield knowing the quarterback is worrying about the pressure. It is always good to have those guys getting into the offensive backfield.”

(On dealing with injuries) – “The coaches always say when someone goes down, another has to step in. We are not going to change our plan. The guy who steps in has to be effective.”