FLOWERY BRANCH — Indianapolis coach Chuck Pagano spoke to the Atlanta media via conference call on Wednesday.
Here’s what Pagano, who’s Colts (4-5) will face the Falcons (6-3) at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Georgia Dome, had to say:
Q: Did the bye week come at a good time for the Colts?
A: It's always great to get back to work. There's a lot of energy and excitement for this ball game. It's going to be a huge, huge challenge. The bye week was productive on many levels. It came at a great time. I'm sure that coach (Dan) Quinn and his staff feel the same way. You get a chance to get some guys back. You get some guys healthy. Have an opportunity to take a look at yourself and what you've done through the first nine ball games and focus on some areas that need some work and some detail and things like that. But it's great to be back working.
Q: How comforting is it having a veteran quarterback like Matt Hasselbeck?
A: It's very comforting to know that you've got a guy in your building who's won ball games for you, can operate at a high, high level. He can run the offense. All those types of things. He obviously has a ton of experience. Guys in the locker room have great faith in Matt. Believe in Matt and trust in Matt. The guy prepares. Every scene he came here, he's prepared like a starter. He's been great in that quarterback room. He's been great in our locker room. He's been great for Andrew and for everybody else on the offensive side. He just brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and wisdom to our football team and to that position. It's great having him. I feel awesome that we have Matt.
Q: How’s Robert Mathis playing for the Colts?
A: It's been great getting him back. He leads the team in sacks with four. We are amping up his play time. He looks like the old Rob. Again, like Matt, he brings a ton of experience, energy and passion to our football team. Great, great competitor. Obviously, he's still got the talent and skills to wreck games. It's great having Rob available."
Q: What did you see while studying the Falcons’ offense over the first five games and the last four when the scoring has gone down?
A: They've got an explosive, explosive offense. Kyle Shanahan has done a great job. Obviously, the quarterback is playing at a high level and has a bunch of yards and touchdowns that he's thrown. The completion percentage, the year that the runner is having. Anytime that you're able to produce like they are producing on the ground, it just opens everything up in the pass game and the play-action pass game. Freeman is awesome and you've got a young rookie in Tevin comes in and can spell him and give you positive plays. The year Julio (Jones) is having, 80 catches and over 1,000 yards, six touchdowns, and….. Roddy White, (Jacob) Tamme and an offensive line that's outstanding. I think, again, you look at three losses by a total of 14 points. So this league, it seems like every game that you play is extremely difficult to win. They got off to a great start and finished games early on. There's been a bunch of one-score games that can go either way, sometimes the ball bounces your way and sometimes it doesn't. I don't think …. Everybody is the same way. It's about situational football and it's about guys making plays at the end…"
Q: How does Colts cornerback Vontae Davis match up against top receivers?
A: He's done a great job for us. Like anybody, they are going to have a play here are there that you'd love to have back. ButVontae is a talented, talented guy and we've asked a lot of him and rightfully so. You're the No. 1 corner, that's part of the job description. I've got all of the confidence in the world in Vontae. He'll do a great job of preparing. It's going to be a tall order for our entire defense to slow this offense down. You have the fifth ranked offense in the league at just a little over 400 yards a game. The way that they can run the ball and then throw it around…again, it's going to take all hands on deck, not only Vontae but the front and the back playing together. … it's going to be a huge challenge.
Q: Can Davis defend Julio Jones one-on-one?
A: We're going to find out. Nobody has so, just looking at the numbers, he's done well in every ball game. Again, it's going to be huge challenge for our entire secondary to try to contain him and Roddy and the rest of the guys….they've got a ton of weapons and a great, great quarterback. It's going to be difficult."
Q: How important will running back Frank Gore be in this game?
A: I think it's huge, regardless of the circumstances. Regardless of who's playing quarterback. You're playing on the road against a great football team in an environment that hostile and loud. You've got to be to run the football and stop the run. We talk about it all the time. Frank and Nate have to do a great job and you're going against the No. 2 rushing defense in the league right now. Again, they do a good job on that side of the football. They are extremely well coached. They are disciplined and they are tough, physical, they play with great swagger and confidence. They compete their butts off. They don't give up big plays. They are sound and great tackling defense. Again, they are stingy as (heck) when it comes to trying to run the football. They are going to load the box and make it extremely difficult. Our offensive line and tight ends and backs have to do a great job to try to generate some yards on the ground.
Q: How are you going to deploy Colts offensive weapons?
A: We only have one football. You want to try to establish a run game and hopefully open up your pass game. It kind of all depends on how they decide to play us and who they are going to take away and try to make you beat them left-handed so to speak…..there is no telling what we may see.
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