INDIANAPOLIS --- Did you miss any of the coverage from this week, leading up to Sunday's big playoff game between the Colts and Bengals at Lucas Oil Stadium? Here are some of the best quotes from the week:
Question to Andrew Luck: Coby Fleener and Cory Redding have said you've been more vocal with your leadership this season. Has that developed organically or did you make it more of a conscious focus this season?
"There's more to yell at Coby (Fleener) about, so I was definitely more vocal (laughs). He's been playing great football. I think it's natural progression for anybody in year three. You get more comfortable. You feel like your opinion needs to be heard a little bit more. I think that's what's great about the locker room. You've got a bunch of open minds, and guys are willing to listen. I think guys are also willing to share their opinion all to ultimately get to the same goal."
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Question to Defensive Coordinator Greg Manusky: The Bengals are 0-5 in the playoffs under Marvin Lewis. Is there something to that?
"Just keep it the same way would be happy for us (laughs)."
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Question to TE Coby Fleener about offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton potentially getting interviewed by other teams to be a head coach:
"Yeah, I think the official announcement will be on my Twitter. It's @Coby. So if you guys would all follow, that'd be great (laughs)."
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Question to head coach Chuck Pagano: Did you say something about Daffy Duck?
"Yeah, (the Bengals) run the Daffy Duck formation made famous by the Ole Ball Coach, Steve Spurrier. So they've got the center and the two guards inside with a quarterback and a back, then they've got two tackles way out on the perimeter with a couple tight ends maybe and a couple wide receivers. Who named it Daffy Duck? I think the Ole Ball Coach did, or somebody named it for him."
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Question to LT Anthony Castonzo about Mike Adams pointing to Andrew Luck's locker when asked why Adams believes the Colts can make a playoff run: Can you describe what it is about Luck that gives you the level of trust you have in him leading the offense?
"He's really good at throwing the football (laughs). Honestly, he's just got skills...God forbid something happens in a playoff game, it's not going to affect him moving forward. He's going to get the job done."
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Safety Mike Adams asked a local reporter, "Do you think we can make a run?" The reporter answered he thought the Colts would beat the Bengals but lose the next game. Adams responded, "Where you from? Here? Horrible. Horrible." Adams then playfully turned away and started talking to another reporter. "How you doing?" Adams told the other reporter. Funny moment.
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ILB D’Qwell Jackson is getting ready for his first playoff game in his 9th NFL season.
"There was one point in my career where you couldn't talk about playoffs. It was called the 'P-word'. It was taboo."
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Return Specialist Josh Cribbs is getting ready for his first playoff game in his 10th NFL season.
"I wake up each morning. I'm not struggling to come to work, even though it's 6 in the morning when I'm getting up. I'm happy to be in this position, because not every team is in this position. A lot of teams are going home, going where they're from, are not coming to work right now. I have the opportunity to play for the Lombardi trophy, and I'm going to make the best of it."
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Former Bengals practice squad running back Boom Herron went 1-on-1 with fellow RB Trent Richardson before their college teams met in the Sugar Bowl. Herron's Buckeyes from Ohio State & Richardson's Crimson Tide from Alabama. Richardson went straight Marshawn Lynch in this Sugar Bowl preview.
