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INDIANAPOLIS –The more things stay the same, the more success can be achieved.
That is the same old, same old for the Colts, and the aim is to get the same old results.
Each time this season the team has lost, it bounced back to earn a win. After the team's third loss – a 35-9 drubbing at the New York Jets – it responded affirmatively by winning four straight.
Indianapolis is coming off an even more decisive loss at New England. Time to worry? Nope. Time to work? You bet, and the approach in meeting Buffalo remains firm.
"There really isn't (any change). It's a process," said Interim Head Coach Bruce Arians. "We talk about the process all the time. It has to be consistent every week. Win, lose or draw, you put that one behind you on Monday night and you move on.
"If you bask in the high of a win, you're going to get beat. If you pout and worry about getting beat, you'll get beat again. It's back to work. The Buffalo Bills are a great challenge. We need to protect our home turf and get win number seven, no matter what the cost."
The message on Wednesday was predictable because it has not changed. It was the same through three games before Head Coach Chuck Pagano left with an illness. It remains rooted deeply with Arians serving in Pagano's absence.
Linebacker Robert Mathis has seen great coaching resolve since his 2003 arrival. He is seeing a large number of new teammates respond this year to Pagano and Arians.
"It's very impressive. Guys don't get down. You lose some, you win some, but you remain professional throughout," said Mathis. "You just go about your job and your business. That's what works.
"We have to get going on a winning streak again. It's impressive we've bounced back like we have. Guys don't get up or down. We have a lot of football to play. We still have a goal in mind, that's to get down to New Orleans."
The Colts are 6-4 and remain in good position as the regular season has distilled to six games. Indianapolis is one of six AFC teams with at least six wins, so the process has worked.
"(We) just (need to) make sure we do the things we work on in practice," said Mathis of overcoming last week's 59-24 loss. "We kind of got away from that during the game. We got side-tracked, and they made us pay for it. We just have to do the little things right."
Safety Tom Zbikowski was among the players who heard Arians instruct players on Monday to remember in the right regard what happened at New England. Players were told to remember without dwelling. Zbikowski, a good soldier, obeyed.
"Yeah, you want to put it in your memory bank, but not have it in the front part," said the Notre Dame product. "You just can't let it consume you. It is what it was, and it was still only one game.
"It's something that you have to remember because it was an embarrassing moment that you don't want to ever happen again, something to fuel you."
Buffalo is bringing an explosive offense to Indianapolis this Sunday. Buffalo narrowly was defeated in its outing at New England two weeks ago. The 37-31 loss was not final until Buffalo suffered an interception in the Patriots' end zone in the final seconds.
Buffalo sports an aggressive short passing attack to go with a rushing attack that ranks seventh in the league at 140.8 yards a game.
It will be a challenge for Indianapolis, but one for which defensive end Cory Redding says the team is prepared.
"We haven't lost it. We got our butts whipped by a good team," said Redding. "You have to man up, own up to it and move on. We have Buffalo this week, and we're getting ready for it. You win some and lose some. Learn from it and move on."
