QB-PEYTON MANNING(on his thoughts about playing on Thanksgiving Day) 11/23/04
"It's exciting. When the schedule came out, everybody was fired up about having the opportunity to play on Thanksgiving. It's a great opportunity for Indianapolis, playing opening day and having more Monday Night games. We've come a long way since I've been here, in 1998. Everybody will be watching. It's a game you want to play well in. Detroit's always played well at home on this day. It will be a tough game."
QB-PEYTON MANNING(on how the crunched schedule impacts the team) 11/23/04
"Well, it's a short week. Obviously, everything changes. You try to kind of load up on some things in a short period of time. It's nice, at least offensively, to have some veteran players, some guys that have been around for a little bit. There are going to be some things maybe that we haven't seen before, and we'll have some plays that they haven't seen before. So, it works both ways, but it just comes down to execution. The key is to be mentally ready, as well as physically."
QB-PEYTON MANNING(on the importance of this four-game stretch in 18 days) 11/23/04
"That's what we talked about. This is a big game for us to try to win, with a little rest coming up, that we could certainly use injury-wise. This is a big part of that four-game stretch. We've played well so far in these first three, and we want to keep it going in Detroit. This is a big game. It's going to be an exciting atmosphere and it's going to be a tough game, but the key is for us to keep doing the things we've been doing. We've been protecting the ball well. Defensively, we've been getting after the quarterback. We need to keep those things going."
QB-PEYTON MANNING(on how watching him is like watching the video game Madden) 11/23/04
"It's still full speed out there. They don't hit you for real in Madden, I'll say that. Our execution has just been sound, and the passing game has been so effective. The protection, I can't say enough about what the offensive line did in both phases of the blocking game against Chicago. I would like to have that again against these guys. They have some really talented pass rushers."
QB-PEYTON MANNING(on if he likes wearing the throwback uniforms the Colts will be wearing in Detroit) 11/23/04
"I do. It's not a major adjustment for us. It's a little bit different, but that's one thing about playing for the Colts, it's kind of always somewhat of a throwback. It always kind of resembles the Colts of yesteryear, the Johnny Unitas, Lenny Moore, Gino Marchetti era. So, I think it's the best uniform in the NFL, I really do, both home and away. So, this is a throwback year. I think the black hightops add a lot to that. It kind of reminds people of the older days. It's a special opportunity to be able to play in this game, and I think it's one we'll always remember."
QB-PEYTON MANNING(on the emergence of the tight ends the past few games) 11/23/04
"I think it might have just come about. There hasn't been a special meeting to say, 'Hey, we have to get these guys going.' These guys, I'm so appreciative of Dallas (Clark) and Marcus (Pollard), just how unselfish they've been, in the games where they block most of the time and maybe only get to go out a couple, four or five times. And all of a sudden, boom, when they do go out, they're catching the ball and getting touchdowns. The one thing about (Offensive Coordinator) Tom Moore, it's pretty easy to see on film when we call the tight end's numbers, they're doing things with the ball, not just getting the two-yard catch. I mean, they're getting touchdowns, Dallasis breaking tackles and going for 80 yards. It's just been a great weapon, especially down there in that red zone area when I'm sure teams are keying on the outsides, on Marvin (Harrison) and Reggie (Wayne) and (Brandon) Stokley. Those tight ends can slip down the middle. They're doing a great job making plays, especially after the catch."
