LB-KEITH BROOKING (on how you prepare for a game in such short time) November 20, 2006* *
"There are some guys on the team that haven't been in this situation before, but there are a lot of guys that have (Atlanta played at Dallas on Thanksgiving in 2005). I think we have condensed our practices. Today was really our big work day. We normally on Wednesday have our openers, first down and second down, and Thursday's our passing day and then Friday we do short-yardage, red zone, things like that. But we kind of threw everything in there today and (we will) just try to work on as much as we can and review it tomorrow, which is going to be a real light practice. You're dealt with situations, you just have to face them and get the best out of it that you can possibly get out of it, and that's what we've done."
LB-KEITH BROOKING (on being home helping out in the short week) November 20, 2006
"It does, there's no doubt about it. Another thing is, Indy, they're in the same position that we're in. They played Sunday as well. They're obviously coming off a win, we're coming off a loss, so I think the advantage, I try to gain a perspective on everything, is it's a short week so we don't have to have that taste in our mouth too long and we can just get geared up and get ready and try to hopefully get this taste out of our mouth. The game this past Sunday obviously wasn't pretty and we're just looking forward to something else. Hopefully, (we can) end this week on a positive note and then have 10 days to prepare for our next opponent. That's kind of the way we're looking at it."
LB-KEITH BROOKING (on the Colts offense and RB-Joseph Addai) November 20, 2006
"Obviously with the success that Peyton Manning has had and that offense, looking at it from the outside you would think it's very complicated and they do a lot of things. Well, that is the total opposite. They are very simple. They just do a great job of running the plays that work for them, and they stick with it. Their whole deal is they kind of get you on your heels because they do a great job with their play action. Their running game is very simple. They have four or five running plays, but the way they work it is off their play action because they sell it really well. And their play action, you're getting the linebackers, your second-level guys in coverage, to bite on that play action and not get out there to help your corners and safeties in coverage. Then, kind of opposite of that, is they gash you a few times in the passing game because you're biting on that play action, because you're thinking it's run and you start second-guessing yourself and a little hesitant in the run game, and they gash you that way. They do a great job in their zone blocking, their offensive line, of getting up to the second level. (Joseph) Addai, I'm very impressed with him. I obviously haven't played against him, I haven't studied him a whole lot, but I think he's great in that system. He can get the tough yards inside, he bounces, he has the speed to get outside. And when (Manning) is not getting the look from the defense that he wants down the field, it's amazing sometimes on film watching him, it doesn't look like he's looking at the guy, and he's doing as far as a check-down or flare out in the flat, he's putting it right there to Addai. And he's a very good receiver. Like I said, Manning goes to him a lot when the defense isn't giving him what he thinks he should get down the field, and Addai makes the yards in the passing game. As a total player, I can't find many holes in (Addai's) game. I'm very impressed with him."
LB-KEITH BROOKING (on moving from WLB to MLB) November 20, 2006
"It's different, there's no doubt about it. The system that we're playing, I love the system that we're in. I think guys are getting more and more comfortable in it. And obviously this past week, you throw a 31 spot up on us, it doesn't look very good, but if you've followed us the whole year, we've been put in some tough positions. We've fought our tails off, we're getting better every week, and I'm learning the system more and more every week and so are the other guys. I'm just doing what I'm asked to do on a daily basis and on Sundays. I feel comfortable with the move and I like the direction that our defens
