HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (opening statement)
"It was a good, tough, hard-nosed battle. (San Francisco Head Coach Mike) Singletary certainly had his team ready to play and they played hard and they played well. They certainly had a good plan against us. You find a way to win it. I think our guys hung in there, came through and made some big plays and certainly performed well down the stretch. Defense shored up, offense moved the ball and got points on the board. Certainly, our kicking game was strong. We made a few kicks today, which we needed. Overall, I think it was a good effort."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on which offensive plays you run)
"Game-by-game it just depends. Also, it sometimes adjusts during the course of the game. (It) just depends on what we see. (It) depends on our blocking scheme for that week. We just look at opportunities where we can take advantage of it. Oftentimes, plays are called at the line of scrimmage. We have certain criteria that have to be met in order for that play to be called. I think, overall, we have some pretty good things going there once in awhile, in terms of our running game when we needed it."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on changing plays at the line of scrimmage)
"Every one of ours is. There is not anything that goes that is just straight out called. It's in the quarterback's hands to adjust it and get it done. He did a nice job."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on big defensive plays)
"It was huge. Our defense really came up big. I think they are a tough team to handle. When you look at all the weapons that they have, I think you had an opportunity to see them today. Gore (Frank) is some kind of back. And obviously, you can see (Michael) Crabtree can give you some problems, (Isaac) Bruce is still good. Our defense rose to the occasion when we needed it most. We needed a couple of big stops to knock them out of field goal range. That was huge. We were pleased with their effort. We may not have been perfect, but we found a way to win."
HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL (on the Joseph Addai pass play)
"We have a pretty good arsenal of things that we use. That one we've been working on for a long time. The situation was right and he did a nice job of throwing it and Reggie ( Wayne) did a great job of catching it as well."
QB-PEYTON MANNING (on the offense not being in sync)
"We will see some things on film. No question that is an accurate statement. Never found much rhythm. Had a number of three and outs. Couldn't have been very good percentage wise on 3rd downs, it certainly felt that way. It was just kind of one of those days. Kind of call it a grinder. We just kind of keep grinding it out. Fortunately our defense kept them from scoring a lot. So we were able to keep the game close. Red zone, we have been good all year. We were number two coming into this game and that is one of our strengths, just had to settle for field goals. Give San Francisco a lot of credit for that. They did an excellent job on defense, but obviously there are some things we can do better."
QB-PEYTON MANNING (on Joseph Addai's TD pass)
"Great play, the halfback pass by Reggie (Wayne) and great throw by Joe (Addai). A play we rep often. Good call by Tom (Moore) at a big moment in the game."
QB-PEYTON MANNING (on the missed offensive opportunities)
"We probably had some close plays there. That is usually how it works sometimes if you don't have much rhythm. There are some plays we could have made that maybe we didn't make or San Francisco made the play. I don't think we had any turnovers. That was good. We tried to keep them off a short field. Probably the most disappointing series was when they fumbled and we had the ball just on the other side of the 40 (yard line) and went three and out in excellent field position and had the chance to get the lead. We did not take advantage of that field position. Obviously some things we can build on."
QB-PEYTON MANNING (on his limited practice time last Friday)
"It was something we talked about before the season. In November, kind of easing back on Fridays a little bit from a rep standpoint. Just try to be rested from an arm standpoint. I participated in the part of practice that I needed to, but I did take some rest which is what we talked about starting in November."
QB-PEYTON MANNING (on playing at home again)
"We certainly felt good coming into the game. We felt like any rust that we did have, we shook off last week versus St. Louis. That is always what you are concerned about coming off a bye week. It's been two weeks since our bye, so no excuses there. I think San Francisco did a good job on defense. I thought obviously we weren't quite as sharp as we have been at times. There are definitely some areas we can improve on. I thought we hung in there, we kept fighting, and made a couple of pivotal third down conversions when we needed to and scored enough points to win."
RB-JOSEPH ADDAI (on the last time he threw a TD pass)
"It was high school. We tried it and practiced it in college, but never called it. I think we did it once before in my rookie year here, but didn't look too good. But Coach believed in me and I have been kind of consistent in practice. He called it and we ran it and it was successful."
RB-JOSEPH ADDAI (on his TD pass)
"You always hear Tom Moore saying it is our ball or it is nobody's ball. Peyton (Manning) kind of throws it to wherever the defender can't get it. Obviously Reggie (Wayne) was by himself. Like I said, my rookie year I almost threw an interception, so I was just thinking, don't throw an interception. Throw it over him or make it go out of bounds. That was pretty much the situation. Reggie, he made me a believer."
RB-JOSEPH ADDAI (on the running game at the end of the game)
"The biggest thing is just staying with it. The O-line, they are always talking about lets just stay with it, stay with it. It's a sixty minute game. It kind of opened up a little bit at the end. Just being positive, going with it, just staying with it. Knowing it's a long season. We know what we can do. Correct the mistakes that we made and move forward from there."
RB-JOSEPH ADDAI (on the game)
"You feel good about yourself when you win the close ones. You have those games that you win that are really big. Yeah, it's a good game, but it really means something when it's close. That was a game you didn't think about the scoreboard, you just went out there and fought."
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WR-REGGIE WAYNE (on the pass from RB-Joseph Addai for a touchdown)
"It just seemed like it was up there forever, plus he's a left-hander, so the ball was spinning the opposite way. It felt like when I caught it, I was in there by the bathroom somewhere. That's something we've been practicing for years, and we've never actually had a chance to do it."
WR-REGGIE WAYNE (on how he feels)
"We won, so whenever you win you feel good. My groin is a little sore, but that was expected. I'm going to get some treatment for it and move forward."
WR-REGGIE WAYNE (on if he thought he'd be able to have a performance like he did today during the week)
"I did not. Tuesday, I didn't think I was going to be able to play. Wednesday, I didn't think I was going to play. We just stayed on the treatment, it seemed, around the clock. I was able to come out here today and make some things happen."
WR-REGGIE WAYNE (on how he feels)
"It wasn't really that. It was just a different pass. Like I said, coming from QB-Peyton (Manning), he's a right-hander, so the ball spends the opposite way than RB-Joe (Addai's). I just had to get used to it. I don't see it enough, I guess. He did a good job, threw it to the pylon, and I just wanted to make sure I brought it in."
WR-REGGIE WAYNE (on this game being more like what normal NFL games are like)
"We know that as a team. We need these games. We're going to continue to push for our goal, which is the Super Bowl. We're going to need these close games. We're going to need to fight through a little adversity and push forward. We were able to do that today. The team did a good job. Coach (Jim) Caldwell said he was proud of the way we finished today. It was a grinder, and we figured out a way to win."
WR-REGGIE WAYNE (on if he came out of the game feeling any worse)
"No, I'm pretty good."
WR-REGGIE WAYNE (on if the team being off to these starts before limits the celebration)
"It does. We also know that this guarantees nothing. We've had starts better than this and come out with nothing. So, we just want to stay dialed in and continue to win games and do what we've been doing and that's staying focused all week, playing fast. Like I said, we need these type of games. It's going to help us in the long run. It's another 'W'. It's not easy in this league, but we were able to get it done."
WR-REGGIE WAYNE (on if 16 straight regular season wins means anything)
"Nothing. All it means is that we have another win under our belt. There are no hand-outs. All you do is get ready for next week."
TE-DALLAS CLARK (on the game being close)
"We had a feeling this was going to be like this. Just watching these guys on film all week, they bring it to you. They had us scrambling. It took us into the fourth quarter to finally get some drives going."
TE-DALLAS CLARK (on what they showed on film and did today to make it so tough)
"They just play very smart, all across the board. Everyone knows their role. They play hard. They play physical. Everyone is trying to make a play. They don't depend on just one guy. It's the whole defense working together to make big plays for them, and that's what they did to us today."
TE-DALLAS CLARK (on what QB-Peyton Manning is like in the huddle when things aren't easy for the offense)
"It's frustrating for everyone. As players, you're just kind of waiting for a guy to step up and it took WR-Reggie (Wayne) getting that little screen for 30-some yards. That was kind of the play where we could kind of breathe. That was the first, first down I think we got. That kind of gave us momentum, but the first couple of series it was just kind of looking around like, 'Alright, who is going to make the play?' Reggie finally did, and we were able to get some things going."
TE-DALLAS CLARK (on RB-Joseph Addai's touchdown pass to WR-Reggie Wayne)
"It's one of those plays that we'll go to through it back and forth and we'll start practicing it and it's kind of one of those things that you think is to waste and get another play called. Joe put it in a very tough place that only Reggie could catch it, and thank goodness Reggie caught it. It was a great throw, but maybe if someone was all over Reggie and covering him. When he's wide open like that just throw a little lob ball, just a little easy one. Reggie is thinking it's going to be a layup, and he had to go into an extra gear to get it."
TE-DALLAS CLARK (on this game being more of a test than the past games)
"We've had some good ones here lately, and kind of games we could get control of early. This definitely wasn't one of those cases. You kind of had that feeling coming into it. This is a team that keeps it close. Their defense gives a chance for their offense to win it at the end and sometimes they have and sometimes they haven't. That's kind of been the story of their season, so far. We definitely didn't want to give them any momentum like that. So, we were able to kind of play with them. It was a grind. It took all four quarters to finally get it going."
DE-DWIGHT FREENEY (on the team's key defensive line sacks)
"That's the mentality around here, defensive line, linebackers, safeties, corners, the defense in general. We want to be out there, making the big plays when it counts. Put everything on our shoulders, that's our mentality."
DE-DWIGHT FREENEY (on not being 100 percent today)
"That's part of football. You're never 100 percent. I don't know when you are. I was good enough to play. I went out, played a good game. We won the game, and I'll just try to get ready for next week."
DE-DWIGHT FREENEY (on if this game shows that this team can play defense)
"If people believe it, great. If they don't, that's alright. We're going to keep moving, doing what we do week-in and week-out and just keep balling and having fun out there."
DE-DWIGHT FREENEY (on how he would describe this game)
"It was a fight. It was definitely a fight. I think this game kind of took on the personality of their head coach, a great defensive player. They weren't going away, and we really had to play four quarters."
DE-DWIGHT FREENEY (on extending his sack streak on San Francisco's last play of the game)
"I did. I did. That's kind of funny. I got one. I picked one up. Like I said, whenever you're a defensive lineman and you can get a sack, it's kind of like that treasure at the end of the rainbow, type of deal. And we win the game. It's just amazing."
DE-DWIGHT FREENEY (on what he thought about RB-Joseph Addai's touchdown pass)
"We see that a lot in practice. We never see it in the games. We were just waiting for it. I saw him put his arm back, I said, 'Uh oh, someone must be wide open.' He threw it to WR-Reggie (Wayne), great catch, great throw."
DE-DWIGHT FREENEY (on if Frank Gore's 64-yard touchdown run stun the team)
"Not really. Obviously, things happen in football games. You get to the sideline, you look at what happened on the paper, and say, 'Okay, it must have been one thing.' (You) correct the problems (and) go out there. This is not a one quarter game. It's not a one play game. Its four quarters. We went out there and corrected the mistakes."
DE-DWIGHT FREENEY (on if being 7-0 makes life feel pretty good)
"Life is good. This is definitely a long season, though. We've been here before. I've said this before, 'We've been 13-0 and lost in the first round.' For us, its business as usual, I guess. We're not taking anything for granted. This is definitely a great place for our team. We're just trying to keep this thing rolling, take it one game at a time, and we'll see what happens in January."
DB-JERRAUD POWERS (on San Francisco's offense)
"It was a battle. They have a good run offense, and a good group of receivers to compliment the run. They busted a couple of big ones early, and we knew it was going to be a grinder. That was a good football team. We knew it was going to go down to the fourth quarter, and we were going to have to find ways to keep giving the offense the ball. From the defensive side of view, we created a couple of turnovers and just kept fighting. We pulled it out."
DB-JERRAUD POWERS (on Frank Gore's 64-yard touchdown run)
"We knew what to expect. He's been running well all season. We knew he's one of the premier backs in this league, and we knew what he was capable of. We just didn't fill a couple of holes up right, and he's such a good player that he capitalized on it. We missed a tackle. I was on that tackle, also. He broke it through. We knew that we couldn't make a mistake with him because he'll capitalize. After we made a few adjustments, we were able to contain him a little bit."
DB-JERRAUD POWERS (on his fumble recovery in the third quarter)
"It was like three of us that hit him. I rolled over and started to get up and felt the ball and I heard (DB-Jacob) Lacey saying, 'Go, go, go, go.' So, I picked it up and tried to get whatever I could get. It was a big play."
DB-JERRAUD POWERS (on the Colts' defense this season)
"We're playing decent. We surely haven't hit our (high) point. That's a positive. We're in the middle course of the season and we're trying to climb and get better each week. We played decent tonight, but we also had a few errors. We have room to make improvements. That's always a plus coming off a victory when you played well."
DB-JERRAUD POWERS (on good teams having to win games when not everything that usually works is working)
"We've been preaching that all week. We knew this one was going to be a grinder. We knew they were going to come in ready to play, and we were going to have to give our best effort. They came in ready to play, ran the ball well, and we had to make some adjustments just to find a way to win. We really needed this because the last few games we sort of started out pretty quick and it sort of fell into our hands. We needed this grinder."
LB-CLINT SESSION (on the defense)
"They kind of got out of the gate with that first run, that little run by (Frank) Gore. They kind of got us on our heels a little bit. It triggered us. It triggered us to do the job."
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LB-CLINT SESSION (on the Colts' 7-0 record)
"You can't argue with the record. I don't even look at the win category. I just look at the losses and we don't have any of those. It feels good every day (and) every week."
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LB-GARY BRACKETT (on the defense stepping up during the Colts' offensive struggles)
"That's why it's a team. There's three phases. Each week it might be our turn to step up. This week it was our job to hold them to 14 points. Our offense, they came late and got that touchdown for us which was huge."
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LB-GARY BRACKETT (on continuing to play well)
"You just keep grinding (and) keep chopping away. Obviously, we've got a big one next week, a division rival. Just rest for a couple of days and get back to work come Wednesday."
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LB-GARY BRACKETT (on playing in closer games)
"Anytime we are playing defense and it's meaningful out there (and) our stops actually help secure that victory, it's a great feeling for the defense. They're all the same. 18-14, 41-whatever it was last week, as long we get a 'W' at the end of the day, that's all that counts."
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DB-ANTOINE BETHEA (on playing good defense after Gore's touchdown run)
"That's what we have to do. After that play is done, we have to put it in the past (and) continue to play ball. I think everybody rallied together, rallied up together as a whole (and) as a team and I think we did a great job."
DB-ANTOINE BETHEA (on Frank Gore's 64-yard touchdown run)
"We knew what they were going to do. He (Frank Gore) was going to get the ball and run straight downhill. We kind of had a miss up on our fit-up. When it got to me, I think I should've made that tackle. We can't hold our heads. We'll come back and continue to play hard."
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K-MATT STOVER (on why he chose to play for the Colts)
"When this team called, and (Colts Team President) Mr. (Bill) Polian called, and gave me the opportunity to come in here and they said, I was all they were looking at. They really wanted me to be here. I know the type of organization this is. For me to contribute like that, four field goals, which was an anomaly. I said earlier that (last week's game at St. Louis) 42-6, six extra points, is what I understood this team is about. I never envisioned this. I always envision a game, four or five field goals, game-winners, so if it does comedown to that I'll be ready."
K-MATT STOVER (on a couple of the field goals being close)
"As you noticed, that second field goal I hit left. I was very angry with that field goal. I know I made it, but in the long run if you keep putting them like that, you're going to miss them. If you look at the last two, they didn't come anywhere near the left upright. They stayed right, and they were strong right. That was because I was making sure that they stayed right. I guess over my few years of kicking you have to learn how to adjust on the fly. You get a little something going on in your swing, you better correct it as quickly as you can without having to go out there and do it."
