The Texans beat the Colts, 34-24, on Sunday afternoon at Reliant Stadium. After, the coaches and players from both teams spoke with the media. The following is a transcript of their respective interviews.
Houston Texans Head Coach Gary KubiakT Duane BrownG Antoine CaldwellLB Zac DilesRB Arian FosterCB Kareem JacksonWR Andre JohnsonWR Jacoby JonesFB Vonta LeachC Chris MyersDT Amobi OkoyeSS Bernard PollardCB Glover QuinK Neil RackersLB DeMeco RyansQB Matt SchaubDE Antonio SmithWR Kevin WalterDE Mario WilliamsFS Eugene WilsonT Eric Winston
Indianapolis Head Coach Jim CaldwellRB Joseph AddaiDB Melvin BullittTE Dallas ClarkQB Peyton ManningDB Jerraud PowersLB Clint Session
Houston Texans Head Coach Gary Kubiak
(on how he felt about the team's performance) "It's always good to win in this league. It's so difficult to win and we've been working real hard to face division opponents. It's a good start and we're going to have to play that way every week. It's a big challenge this season"
(on RB Arian Foster's performance) "He's been excellent all camp, so it's not like all of a sudden it was a surprise today. He's had an excellent training camp. The thing I'm most happy about is we've been working really hard and becoming a physical football team and you're in a 13-10 at the half and our defense had played really well in the second half. We were very patient and very physical as a football team. That's where I would like to see us be and we took a step in the right direction."
(on DE Connor Barwin's injury) "He dislocated an ankle. They're trying to get the pain under control right now. Obviously, we'll have to fix it, but I don't know when, so I'll let you know. That's a tough loss. He's a fine young player doing some great things for us."
(on replacing DE Connor Barwin) "Obviously (DE) Jesse (Nading) and (DE) Tim (Jamison) were getting the load. It looked like Jesse played a great deal and ended up getting that last onside kick. That's part of this game. You lose players; you don't want to lose guys. We lost a very important one today, but it gives someone else the chance to come in. Somebody has to step up.
(on offensive line's performance) "We were good today. They played us in a lot of coverage. They were trying to not give up big plays to us in our play action and that type of thing. I thought (Offensive Coordinator) Rick (Dennison) showed great patience in what we were doing offensively the second half running the ball. It's nice to be able to line up when you get the football and try to close-out a game. That's what we looked like we could do today so hopefully we can keep that going."
(on FB Vonta Leach's performance) "Ever since Dallas, he's played special for us. (FB) Vonta (Leach) is a catalyst for our team. Where he goes, we tend to go. He's got some big time ball in him. Since Dallas he has played very good. We had been challenging him to get his weight down and I think he's a better player because of that."
(on DE Antonio Smith's leadership on defensive unit) "He's a new player on our team, trying to learn how we do things—our system. That happens sometimes. It took some time for us to get (DE) Antonio (Smith) believing in the way we wanted to go. Once he bought in, he's been playing very well. I've never had any problems with his work habits or how he goes about his business. Our guys really respect him. He loves to play. He has a lot of fun playing."
(on defensive scheme used to hurry up Colts QB Peyton Manning) "We were patient in our coverage. He still sat there and threw it 57 times, 40 completions is a lot of completions. We were patient and we tackled well. We just tried not to give up the big play to him like we did there at the end of the game. (QB) Peyton (Manning) is going to make plays and pick you apart. He's the best in the business. What we tried to do was make sure we were not giving up big plays and finding a way on third downs. If you look at third downs, it looks like it was probably the difference in the game."
(on amount of running plays called) "I think we only ran 23 snaps in the first half. It was not a lot of snaps so we weren't really too far out of whack. At halftime, we talked about the key to the game being the most physical team and our offensive line, after that first series, was like run the ball. That's what you want as a coach. You want those guys walking the sideline saying, 'Run the ball coach.'"
(on K Neil Rackers recorded tackle) "It scares you, but you don't want to take that away from him. He likes to go down there. He will make a tackle. You don't want to lose him, but I think that's what makes him tick. He likes being a part of that. He likes getting pushed around a bit and showing his teammates he'll go down there and make a tackle. He did a good job."
(on LB Brian Cushing's absence) "I'm sure (LB) Brian (Cushing) has a big smile on his face. We've got a big challenge playing without him, and we know that. As a team we made a promise to him that we were going to play well. When you come back, this team is going to be playing well. I hope he is proud of his teammates today. We played a lot of nickel so you didn't see (LB Xavier Adibi) very much. But (LB) DeMeco (Ryans) and (LB) Zac (Diles) were excellent in the game and played a lot of snaps. We feel good where (LB) Xavier (Adibi) is right now so he's ready to go. He's had a couple good weeks. He's healthy and he's ready to go, so he's fine."
(on the secondary's performance) "You're going to give up yards to him (QB Peyton Manning). If you gauge yourself on yards when you play the Colts—you've got to gauge yourself on points. You've got to gauge yourself on third downs, gaining possession: The turnover was huge when they knocked the ball out on the 10-yard line. That was the biggest play of the game to me. They did a great job."
(on offensive line's performance) "They were coming off the ball. I think (LG) Wade (Smith) has been a great addition. I think (C) Chris Myers is healthy. I told you all he wasn't last year. They've played a lot of snaps together so hopefully we just continue to get better. They were the catalyst for the football team today."
(on Colt's defensive containment of WR Andre Johnson) "They had some coverages. They did a lot of doubling to him which helps us running the football. It was an unselfish win. (WR) Andre (Johnson) catches three balls and we probably played as solid of team football as we could play. It's all about winning."
(on RB Arian Foster's performance) "He's a kid that basically came from nowhere. He's had some struggles and he sat around one place and figured out there is only one way to do it in this league to be successful and somehow the light went on about week 15 or 16, and he's taken advantage of a great opportunity. Guys change; players change. He's really changed the way he goes about being a player and a pro. I'm very proud of him today."
Houston Texans T Duane Brown
(on this win today) "It was very special. We prepared for a long time for this game. We've talked about it a lot. We won in the fashion that we wanted to win by running the ball and playing great defense. It was an all around great team effort."
(on his emotions coming off this win) "This is my seventh time playing against these guys. It seems like every time we play a great game and then it comes down to the last few plays and then we let it go. We finished it the way we wanted to. We got up on them and ran the ball and we kept running the ball and ran the ball on demand. That's something that we dream of as offensive linemen. It was a very special feeling."
(on what he thought about RB Arian Foster's performance) "I was happy for him. He worked his butt off for the past couple of years to get in the position that he's in now. He was very hyped up about this game. He knew what kind of game that he could have. Us up front, we knew as well. We went out and created some seams for him. He found them and he has great vision, agility and speed to get those yards."
Houston Texans G Antoine Caldwell
(on trying to pour it on the Colts defensive line by the run game) "Early in the first drive, we were going to do a lot of running. I don't think they intended us to run like that all half, but we went out there with the right mindset, that we were going to be physically moving some people around. Once we got that going, they just keep on calling the runs."
(on the Colts' strategy against the Texans' zone blocking scheme) "The Colts did a good job of pulling us off of the zone scheme and double teams. They did a lot of blitz and running through gaps. They were forcing us to pretty much go man on man. I think every guy up front had the mentality, 'If I have a guy in my gap, I'm going to take care of him.' When you have five or six guys out there with that mentality, you're going to get the job done."
Houston Texans LB Zac Diles(on DE Connor Barwin's injury) "It was serious. I glanced over for a second and saw what an ankle looked like. You don't want to wish that on anybody. I know how he feels. I was in that situation two years ago and I was just trying to tell him, 'Keep your head up. There will be a light at the end of the tunnel.'"
(on DE Jesse Nading's performance) "Jesse came in and didn't miss a beat. He came in strong and did the job."
(on the mentality going into the 4th quarter facing QB Peyton Manning) "You've just got to go in there and know the scheme of the defense. Just keep doing what you were doing the whole game and don't deviate from that. That's exactly what we tried to do, and like I said, we've been in this situation before. We just knew that until the clock hits triple zeros we have to keep on the grind."
Houston Texans RB Arian Foster(on how he feels about being one of top rushers in the NFL today) "It's nice. In this league you have to come and prove yourself every week. We are going to go out and celebrate tonight and have a good time, but go right back to work tomorrow."
(on what he thinks some of the keys were today to get the win) "We ran the ball, obviously. Against the Colts, you've got to keep number 18 (QB Peyton Manning) off the field and you have to be effective in the run game and we did that consistently throughout the game. We leaned on the run heavy in the second half and it paid dividends."
(on what a game like this feels like as you are going through the game) "You have to have patience. It didn't feel like I was going to get it going. The run early, it wasn't clicking as well as I wanted it to or I expected it to, but you keep going and going. They started getting a little tired. We started getting a little tired. It's just a test of wills."
(on if he feels they broke the Colts physically and mentally) "That's the game of football. I don't want to say we broke them or anything like that, but it showed at the end of the game. We stayed on the field and anytime you have a long drive and you throw a pass, that says something about your team and that thing beating in their chest."
(on the effectiveness of the offensive line) "I can't say enough about those guys. We've heard this whole offseason about how our run game wasn't as efficient last year and how if we had a run game, we could have done this and could have done that. We heard those whispers all offseason and you try to shake them, but that wears you down after awhile. You can do one of two things. You can either let it get to you or let it get in you and I feel like it got in us. We are going to try to continue that moving forward."
(on how controlling the run-game affects the team's success) "It's a different feel. You wear the defense down and like I said, it's a test of wills. Running the football is old fashioned. It's just you against them and they know you are going to run. We know we're going to run. It's just whoever is going to step up and make a play."
(on if there was a different vibe or energy from the offensive line in the huddle based on their success) "Oh, we talk in the huddle. We have fun out there. We bump helmets before every drive. It's fun. It's short-lived, but you have to have fun while you're doing it."
(on if he's sensed himself becoming a better player) "Yeah. Coming in the league, you don't know what to expect, especially if you don't get a lot of publicity and nobody knows about you. But you see guys like (WR) Andre Johnson and (QB) Matt Schaub and the way they carry themselves as professionals and businessmen and you kind of mimic that and develop your own personality through the course of your time being here. They set the tone here. They are our leaders and I'm in a privileged position to be here."
(on if this was a message game for opponents) "You've got to be careful with that but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a big game because it's a division game. It's an opening against the Colts and they've been dominant in this division for I don't know how many years. I think our previous record was 1 and 15 against them. I think it set the tone for this year, but I think the thing is, like I said previously, being a professional and knowing that it's one game out of sixteen. We can go 1 and 15 from here and it doesn't matter, so we have to go back to work. It starts tomorrow. We'll get a lift and a run in and we've got Washington, I believe, next week."
(on his talk with former teammate, Colts player Jacques McClendon after the game) "He was my old hog at Tennessee. It's good to see people that you've bled and sweat with in college and you see them on this level. He knows what kind of player I am and I know what kind of player he is and we expect big things out of each other. Everybody that was there during my tenure at Tennessee, we know what we expect out of each other."
(on if he considers himself an unconventional NFL guy) "I can't speak for everybody in the NFL. I always like to walk to the beat of a different drum. That's always been my style. I'm sort of a rebel. I guess it kind of hurt me earlier on, but I guess when you do well, it becomes an attribute and not a flaw."
Houston Texans CB Kareem Jackson(on eliminating the explosive plays from the Colts offense) "For us, minimizing the big plays is what we want to do. We knew coming into the game we needed to minimize as many big plays as possible."
Houston Texans WR Andre Johnson
(on the win today ) "It was a big win. We knew that we needed to win this football game. Like I said earlier during the week, we knew that it'd be a big challenge for us. At the same time, it's just one game, but I thought it was a big challenge for us because it was a chance for us to see where we at as a team to play against a team like that."
(on this win setting the tone for the rest of the season) "When you come out and play a game like this, you don't want to take any steps back. You want to keep going forward. You don't want people saying that we were a fluke and things like that. We are just going to enjoy this win today and come in a watch the film and go back to work on Wednesday."
(on how big it was for the Texans to gain six or seven yards on a regular basis today) "In the first half, we were trying to pass the ball a little bit. When we came out in the second half, guys were like, 'Hey man, let's run the ball.' The way that the offensive line and (RB) Arian (Foster) played today was awesome. Even or defense went out and played a great game and they kept us in the game. We were able to score touchdowns instead of field goals."
(on why this game is a watershed moment for the Texans) "I wouldn't say this is an 'over-the-hump' game. I think this is just a game to see where we are at as a football team. Most of the time, when we play the Colts, it's usually four or five games into the season. To play them in the first game in the season, it was no time to wait around. We had to come out and be on top of our game. The expectation around here is much higher than it used to be. Hopefully we can go out and have a showing like we did today next week."
Houston Texans WR Jacoby Jones(on the Texans making a statement today) "We got the victory and we are going to move on and we are going to prepare for the next team. They're a great franchise and it's good to get a jump on them in the AFC South."
(on letting the critics know that the Texans are going to be a factor this year) "I think we sent that memo out when we played the Cowboys. I'm not talking any trash, but you know how it is."
(on what did he say to Colts players post game) "They're a real mature team. They were saying to us, 'Good job and way to play' and 'We'll see you again.'"
(on watching the offensive line's performance) "We pounded in camp and coach put it in our mindset that we have to run the ball to win. So we came out in week one planning to run the ball and that's what we did."
(on preparing to face the defending AFC Champions) "I was on the sideline telling guys that if we get the chance we have to hit them in the mouth."
(on the performance of RB Arian Foster) "The young kid is animal. He's going to tote that thing like a loaf of bread and he's going to do it week-in and week-out."
(on how big the win is for the rest of the season) "Honestly, we are supposed to do this. We'd been working hard in camp and we said we were going to do it and we did it. We have to enjoy it and get back to work tomorrow."
(on how good it feels to beat the Colts) "Every week in the NFL is like the Super Bowl. Every week you have to play like that if you want to win and reach the playoffs."
Houston Texans FB Vonta Leach(on the offense putting an emphasis on running the football today) "We were trying to throw the ball. We came out and became a physical team in the second half. We got the running going and we just stuck with it."
(on the Texans imposing their will on the Colts by running the ball) "That attitude, when everybody knows you're about to run, and everybody in the stadium knows you're going to run, and the opposing team knows you're going to run, we just ran the ball. That's a sign of our offense really clicking together."
(on the performance of the Texans offensive line) "The whole offensive line did a good job. Everybody is on the same page with what they were doing to us. When they were blitzing us and when they weren't blitzing us, everybody indentified the right people. We just went in and did our job."
Houston Texans C Chris Myers(on what made this game against the Colts so different) "The four games I've been part of this organization, we haven't been able to finish those games. We've been up and haven't been able to put them away. We were able to do that today early in the fourth quarter."
(on the Texans gaining more rushing yards than passing) "It's usually flipped. We'll take that every single day of the week. If we play all 16 games and say we are only going to have less than a hundred yards passing and over 200 rushing we'll take it every single day."
(on if it's an offensive lineman's dream to have run dominated drives) "You want running plays every single play. Even in some games when you're not running the ball too well, you still want them to call running plays. To be able to go out on the field in the 15-play drive and have 13 running plays; it's just a testament to (RB) Arian (Foster) and us as an offensive line."
(on his thoughts on RB Arian Foster) "I think he's doing unbelievable right now. He's staying humble and he's punching for those first downs by putting his foot on the ground and getting down the field."
Houston Texans DT Amobi Okoye
(on how much tougher his team is defensively) "I think physically and mentally, we have gotten better in toughness. Doing the strength and conditioning program, two-a-days and putting more pads on. I think it's more just within; everybody is searching within themselves knowing that you can't relax and being accountable for your teammate. Quite honestly, I didn't do things out there for me. I did it for DeMeco (Ryans). I did it for Mario (Williams). I did it for Antonio (Smith), I did it for Bernard Pollard. And I did it for my D-Lineman and my whole defense."
(on the team's toughness late in the game) "In the 4th quarter, we said enough is enough. Even though they got that touchdown at the end, you can tell people were mad amongst each other. We're looking forward to the Monday night game against them and I know they're looking forward to it. They're probably feeling like, 'we just let the Texans beat us.' Well you did and we did it."
Houston Texans SS Bernard Pollard
(on the performance of the defense) "The defense played pretty good. We gave up some big plays, but luckily it was at the end of the game when we had a big enough lead. But still we have to fix those if we are going to be the team that we want to be."
(on the forced fumble on Colts WR Austin Collie in the 2nd half) "(QB) Peyton (Manning) backed up and I saw him standing on one side of the field, so I felt like I could come over a little bit. When I saw (Collie) catch the ball, I thought I had to get to him and you've got to do what you've got to do. We showed that we were going to hit you today. Like I said, we still have to pick up on some things. I know I gave up a touchdown pass and I hate that."
(on rookie CB Kareem Jackson's performance) "You know what, he was okay. I thought Kareem played a great game. We knew that there were going to be times when (QB) Peyton (Manning) attacked him, but I think a lot of people question what our cornerbacks are going to be able to do. I think we came out here and showed them that we're going to play a physical game. I thought that (CB) Brice (McCain) played a great game. Like I said, there are some things that we need to fix up on, but we're going to fix those. This is just an exciting time, but we have to understand that there are 15 more games. We expect to win. We expect to make this run to the playoffs."
(on fighting back against the Colts in spite of the team's record against them) "As a man, when you're getting punched as many times as we have lost, they have punched us and we have not punched back. We have put up a good fight, but I think today we stepped up and knocked them in the chin. We have to continue to do that. I'm confident with our team that we have. That's what football is about; being a confident player and stepping out there and going toe to toe with a team like that. They were in the Super Bowl last year. We expect to win. We expect to come out here and we expect to play with every team."
(on keeping the win in perspective, considering it came at home against a team that was injured) "As far as injuries, this is the game of football. If (QB) Matt Schaub would have been out, if we would have lost this game, what would everyone have said? I don't care who's injured. They make a lot of money to play the game of football. I don't care who's out there. When its our time to step up, we are going to step up. We are a confident bunch and we're not going to let anybody take that away from us."
(on the importance of DE Antonio Smith) "Like I said, Antonio (Smith) gets overlooked a lot. He is a dominant player. He takes double teams and dominates the man in front of him and a lot of that goes unseen. A lot of people see 90 (DE Mario Williams) and they rave 90. And that's fine. I think Antonio has done a great job. He's one of our captains. We respect him and his game is just dominant. We want him to continue playing like that."
(on whether or not the team made a statement today) "I think we did make a statement. I think from all three phases we played a really good game. On the defensive side of the ball, when you play 18 (Colts QB Peyton Manning), the guy is a great quarterback. He is going to go down as one of the best quarterbacks to play this game. You have to hold looks, you have to do certain things, and he caught us. I think at the end of the game, we broke down. We let a big play go. We've just got to get better. But from this standpoint, we have to understand that we have to play 60 minutes. We can't play 35 minutes. We can't play 45 minutes. We have to play 60."
(on whether the rest of the league should take note of the Texans) "We could care less what the rest of the league has to say. We really don't care. They're entitled to their own opinion. If you don't respect us, we're going to take your respect."
Houston Texans CB Glover Quin(on his near interception in the 4th quarter) "(Indianapolis Colts WR Pierre) Garcon made a great play, he hit the ball at the perfect time. As soon as I caught it and went to tuck, he hit all ball. It was clean."
(on what the defense did to get in Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning's head) "We were trying to give him a bunch of different looks. We were running the same coverage but we were giving him different looks. He's a smart guy, so it's not like we're going to confuse him that much. We just tried to get him to hesitate a little bit and the defensive line was getting good pressure so we were able to get some big stops."
Houston Texans K Neil Rackers
(on kicking at Reliant Stadium for the first time in a regular season game) "Beautiful. It's a great place to be and I went out and had a little fun."
Houston Texans LB DeMeco Ryans
(on the offensive performance of the Texans) "It's just amazing as a defense to be able to sit there and watch the offense grind it out and watch them dominate. Watching them run the ball right down their throat and our O-line coming off the ball and dominating people, that's real football."
(on beating the Colts for a big win) "It feels good. I'm most excited about the way our offense dominated. We're fresh as a defense coming out and we're rolling. That's how we expect to be and that's how we want to be every week."
(on getting pressure on Colts QB Peyton Manning) "I know we got a lot of big hits on him and that definitely affected him."
(on the record crowd at Reliant Stadium) "The crowd was amazing. The crowd noise was excellent. If we can have that every time we're at home, that's a huge advantage for us. We just encourage our fans to keep the crowd noise as loud as possible."
Houston Texans QB Matt Schaub
(on if this is the best he has felt on opening day as a Houston Texan) "You know, it is. Especially to come out here week one against a division opponent of that caliber. It's a great win for us. It's a great way to start our season off. We did a lot of things we talked about doing, going back to the last game of last year. It's just a great win for us. It's one. We just have to move on to week two here and get ready to go to Washington."
(on if the effectiveness of RB Arian Foster relieves him of pressure) "Well it did, especially today. That offensive line, they were doing a heck of a job. The tight ends, receivers down field blocking. We want to be a more physical team and we were able to do that. Arian did his part. (FB) Vonta (Leach) did a great job leading him through. Can't say enough about those guys, especially when we're backed up there after that turnover. To go six plays, ninety something yards the ball being run, to be able to close it that way is just huge. And then the other one there, after we got the onside kick to go in and get another touchdown. That just says about the direction our team is going."
(on why he thinks the Texans were able to be so physical in today's game) "Well it's just executing our scheme. We had a good plan going in and we know what type of defense they are. We are the type of team that they know us, we know them. That's the type of game it was. It was who was going to beat the other to the punch. Our offensive line really controlled the line of scrimmage, got up to the linebackers who are very fast and it flowed pretty quick. They did a good job opening up the holes and (FB) Arian (Foster) was patient and let (FB) Vonta (Leach) do his thing in front of him. Our receivers were downfield blocking on those safeties; they don't get enough credit for what they do to help get him to the next level."
(on caring more about the win than only having 17 pass attempts) "I'll take it every single week if that's the outcome."
(on if he thinks they had worn the Colts out by the middle of the third quarter) "That's possible. I don't know if that's the case. The first drive we went down there and obviously wanted a touchdown. We had a couple opportunities and just missed it, but we were able to get points early and get up, with two field goals, six to nothing. We got the touchdown on the third series, which was big for us. We'd like to have one back, the turnover, but the defense went out and they were playing tremendously in the first half and throughout the second half, so it was a total team effort, but obviously the run game was huge for us today controlling the ball, controlling the clock. We came out of the gates in the third quarter and had a fifteen play drive and only threw twice I think which, that's just a heck of a job by the offensive line."
(on if knowing the tendencies of Redskins (offensive coordinator) Kyle Shanahan will help the Texans defensively next game against Washington) "Well I hope so. I hope knowing that Kyle is up there in the offense that we ran here is being played there. Obviously we still have to line up to win and go and beat the guy across from you. Execute your plan whether it be defensively or offensively. It's a tough place to play on the road but we were a decent road team last year and we have to continue that. We need to play, execute our game plan and let the chips fall where they may."
(on how big the crowd was to help get the win) "They were awesome. They really helped us out. They made it tough on their offense, making their checks and creating various penalties by their offense. They made it tough for them to communicate and we need that for seven more weeks here at home in the regular season and then beyond from there."
Houston Texans DE Antonio Smith
(on making a statement to the rest of the NFL) "I think we made a statement to ourselves. Now people know on this team that we can get it done. We can be winners and we can be champions. You've got to expect to be a winner."
(on being overlooked on the defense) "I like to dwell in the place that I dwell. I like being in the mix of things, causing disruption and for my brothers around me to make plays. That's my game. I can't change it, don't want to change it and I just want to be who I am."
Houston Texans WR Kevin Walter
(on RB Arian Foster's performance) "It was awesome. He did a heck of job today. The offensive line did a heck of a job. We played well on offense. This whole team played well. We've got to continue to do that."
(on what does RB Arian Foster's maturity means to the Texans) "Last year, when he got the opportunity, he performed. This year, he's been telling us to block for him and we believe in him and the coaches believe in him. He's a heck of a player and we hope he continue to do that."
Houston Texans DE Mario Williams
(on if this is the best he's felt on opening day as Texan) "I mean, it's a W, so definitely. We didn't finish like I felt like we needed to finish with that last touchdown. Other than that, we played pretty good, obviously, with (QB) Peyton (Manning) back there, trying to get him off his mark. Obviously, the running game was phenomenal. That definitely helps. We did what we had to do to get a W and we came out with it."
(on how their different defensive looks may have confused QB Peyton Manning) "We had great preparation this week. We just studied film and looked at ourselves and just figured stuff out for ourselves and how we do things. It was pretty much on the go. Some of the things we did out there was, 'Hey, you do this. I'm going to do that.' I know it's unorthodox, but it worked. We just kept it going."
(on what he thinks of the national attention this team is going to get after today) "I'm not worried about it. It's just one game. We've got a lot more to go. We'll enjoy this one tonight, but tomorrow we've got to look to the next opponent."
(on what the differences were between the first and second half) "It's all about being consistent. We talk about it and preach it all the time. We talk about being consistent and being held accountable. So if we do something in the first half, we got on each other, one person at a time, 'Lets' do it again.' Fortunately, that's what we managed to do and we came away with a W."
(on how much DE Connor Barwin's injury hurts the team) "It's huge. We're already short in some positions and then to lose Connor, he's definitely on been on the way up. My prayers are with him and his family and it sucks. It definitely sucks."
(on the atmosphere of the stadium) "The crowd was just phenomenal as well. We were saying at a banquet a few weeks ago that it was very important for the crowd to get into it, and they definitely got into it. Every time we were out there, when our hands were in the dirt, the crowd was yelling. We just need it every week and we'll take care of business."
Houston Texans FS Eugene Wilson
(on DE Connor Barwin's injury) "His foot was kind of just hanging there. I didn't see what happened before that. I saw them go pick it up and move it, but it was hanging pretty loosely."
(on how big a win over the Indianapolis Colts is for the fans and the organization) "It's real big. With us being 1-15, we got number two. It's a start. We know we can beat the Colts now so we're going to look to do it a lot more."
Houston Texans T Eric Winston
(on being a part of a big win) "I think everybody knew that we were going to be in a dogfight unitl the end and against them more than anybody else you have to play sixty minutes and that's something that we've learned the hard way around here."
(on being able to finally hold off the Colts from coming back)"A lot of maturing has gone on in this locker room the last couple years and I think that really helped."
Indianapolis Head Coach Jim Caldwell(on keeping up in the first half) "In the first half, I thought we hung in there fairly well. I thought the guys did a decent job of converting some stop early. In the end of the first half, we might have given up 150 yards probably. In the second half, everybody came out to control the line of scrimmage. We have some things we need to work out, no question about that. "
(On Colts performance) "We're going to have to take a look at the film to see. We can't always determine what the situation was and what happened. One thing we do know is that they controlled that line of scrimmage. That's for certain."
(On Texans defense) "I have to give a lot of credit to them. Obviously, they did a very good job. They certainly were in command of the line of scrimmage. They had opportunities on both sides of the ball when they put a little pressure on QB Peyton (Manning). Hitting him one time is too many, but they got through to him a few times. It's pretty obvious what happens to our defense just in terms of up front. Those are the areas that we have to make certain we can control, that line of scrimmage and we certainly did not do a very good job. A lot of credit goes towards them."
(on S Bob Sanders' injury) "I'm not quite certain the extent of it yet. We'll have a sense of it later on."
(on if it was the same injured elbow) "My understanding is no."
(on Texans being a potential threat to the division) "I think it was a little bit of everything. They did a very good job of mixing it up. They gave us power; they gave us speed around the end. You name it. They had very decent coverage of that line. That's probably an understatement."
(on schematic of the game) "We don't think its schematic. Obviously, in coaching, you've got to look at everything. I think the same thing happened to us a few years back when we played Jacksonville down there. It was not a pretty scene either. We were able to hang in there and just do what we do a little bit better. That's all we have to do. We have a system in place that's proven and we just have to make certain we play better."
(on Texans victory) "Not anything we didn't anticipate; let's put it that way. They're a good team up front; a good solid group with veteran players. We had our chances on a couple runs here and there but just didn't get loosed up. Then we got to the point that we were behind where we had to obviously throw just to catch up. So that changes things dramatically."
(on Texans being an improving franchise) "It's been a steady progress in terms of their organization. They've got better each and every year but every year we've grown. Certainly, it fits. No matter how you shake it up, you look at the history of the two teams. The battle has gone down right to the wire where we had to come from behind and win. They're getting better all the time, just like everybody else in this league."
(on reality of first game lost) "It's 1-of-16. It's a marathon, not a sprint. We just have to look at the film and make the corrections we need to make. Lick our wounds a little bit and get back to work."
(on WR Pierre Garcon being frequently open against Texans CB Kareem Jackson) "We sprinted around pretty liberally. In most cases, (QB) Peyton (Manning) throws to the open guy and I think he was able to find some seams and some openings. But not nearly enough."
Indianapolis Colts RB Joseph Addai(on the loss to the Texans) "We're definitely going to go back and watch the film and learn from mistakes. It's the same thing when anybody loses. You have to move on from this."
(on offensive line injuries affecting the running game for Indy) "You want everybody healthy. Everybody's expected to play, so we go in to the game with the same game plan. Hopefully we can get everybody back."
(on throwing the ball 50 times) "It's whatever they give us. We fell behind so we had to go with the passing game more."
(on balancing emotions of an opening game) "You have to understand where you're at as a team and what you're doing wrong. The good thing is that the thing that needs to be fixed is fixable."
(on where the Colts are after the loss) "We made a lot of mistakes and we just have to go back and watch the film."
Indianapolis Colts LB Gary Brackett
(on how frustrating it was to not be able to stop the run in the 2nd half) "It was tough. I think we did a pretty good job in the first half. In the second half, they did a good job of cutting us off on the back side. They broke some long runs and we just have to get better."
(on the Texans being known as a passing team but running the ball for the majority of the game today) "I think (RB) Arian Foster did a great job. He is a physical back who is tough to tackle. We just have to get better."
(on them not being in the situation of losing their first game of the season very often) "It's never that good when you win and it's never that bad when you lose. We are just going to evaluate it and see where we can get better and continue to grow."
(on if it was frustrating knowing they had to make a play to get off the field in the 2nd half but couldn't) "I don't know what our third down percentage was but I know it wasn't good. We were on the field a long time. We just have to come up with a play."
(on if it was frustrating knowing a team is going to run the ball until they stop it) "That is tough. We didn't do a good job of stopping the run. It's up to us to man up and make a stop in that situation."
(on why it was tough to bring (RB) Arian Foster down) "He just did a good job of moving the pile. He had good vision and he ran hard."
(on if he felt that Houston was playing like they were desperate to beat them) "It is what it is. We were dying to get one too. They had no added motivation to beat us. We had the same motivation. They just out executed us today."
Indianapolis Colts DB Melvin Bullitt
(on how he thought the defense played) "You can probably say that we have a lot of things to work on, but it's better now than later. It's a marathon, not a sprint. We have a lot of time. We definitely need to get in there and see what is going on, because we had a lot of confusion. Maybe it wasn't confusion. Maybe we just didn't play as well as we are capable of, but we know the kind of defense and players we have. It's unfortunate that that is the way we played our game today."
(on if he is ready if (DB) Bob Sanders gets hurt again) "I just pray that (DB) Bob Sander can get healthy. It's an unfortunate situation and you never want to look forward to getting on the field in a situation like that. All of my prayers go out to him. I told him that I appreciate the way he came back, and the way he fought in training camp. It made me want to be a better player. Hopefully he can get back and get healthy."
(on how frustrating it was to get run on the way they did) "It's frustrating to lose not matter what the situation is. It's just frustrating all together."
Indianapolis Colts TE Dallas Clark
(on if he was frustrated on get dominated on both sides of the ball) "There were a lot of areas where we just didn't execute. Give credit to them. They played well and didn't make many mistakes. There were too many uncharacteristically mistakes that we made that we usually don't make. There are things that are correctable, so that is a positive, but this is a hard way to start the year."
(on if he felt that the Texans were playing as a desperate team) "They are definitely a team that has a lot to fight for and has a lot of pride for their team and organization. That is definitely not the reason they won the game. They just out executed us."
(on if this is where the team wants to be after the first game of the season) "This is definitely not where we want to be. We have a lot of work to do, but it is early. There are things that we need to correct and change. We have to give them the credit right now and we have to improve."
(on QB Peyton Manning getting knocked to the ground more than normal) "There are a lot of phases of the game that we have to improve on. Everyone has to be critical on themselves when they watch the film and be honest with themselves and do what we need to do to make the corrections. If everyone takes that mindset, we'll be alright."
Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning
(on what went wrong in today's game) "There are a lot of things. We obviously didn't make enough plays on any phase of our game plan - offense, defense, and special teams. Houston made more plays and therefore they won. I can't really give you a lot of answers until we see the game film. It's obviously very disappointing and you always want to get the season started off on the right foot and we didn't do that today. We put ourselves in a hole a little bit and we have a lot to work on. We have a tough game next week so we'll learn from it. We obviously just didn't play well enough today to win. That's the bottom line."
(on how today's game compared to previous games against Texans) "Certainly we've had some crazy games here in the past where we've been down by a number of points and we've been able to come back. This wasn't totally unfamiliar territory but people are going to point to a certain play here or there. For me it's a 60-minute game. It's a 60-minute loss and I don't think the offense picked up the defense. The defense didn't pick up the special teams and special teams didn't pick up the offense. We didn't do enough as a group to help each other out when one unit was struggling, and that's something we've done in the past and it's something that we're going to need to do starting next week. So we'll work on it and I think we will improve on it."
(on how OL Charlie Johnson played being back from injury) "That's hard for me to answer. We'll see film tomorrow and coaches will make corrections and what not. (OL) Charlie (Johnson) went through a tough injury. I know he was in a lot of pain this week in practice, and it just shows his toughness to be out there battling, I appreciate his effort out there. 57 attempts is a lot of attempts. Certainly when the score got to a certain point, Houston knew how to play us sort of one sided, so somewhere in there we've got to find some more balance."
(on if they threw more to TE Dallas Clark because Texans LB Brian Cushing was out) "Not necessarily. (TE) Dallas (Clark) is a guy that will be featured in our offense no matter who's guarding him, whether they're playing zone or man. They were playing zone majority of the game today. Dallas is always going to be somewhere in our game plan, it's more about just trying to get the ball to your playmakers."
(on his feeling about losing the season opener) "It is what it is. It's one game, and it's disappointing. You put a lot of emphasis in to this first game to get the season started off right. We have won more opening season games than lost since I've been here, but it's not a fun plane ride. It's not a fun week of practice, but it's a fact. I think in practice this week we have to improve. We have a tough game coming up next Sunday night, so it's important to improve quickly."
(on WR Pierre Garcon's performance) "I don't think (WR) Pierre (Garcon) is ever going to have a confidence problem. He made a couple of big catches, a couple of one handed catches down the sideline. Certainly there are some plays we'd like to have back. Some plays that just didn't go in our favor and sort of went the other way. Those are plays we usually make. We have high standards and those are the plays we expect to make, so hopefully we can get those fixed. I think all of the mistakes that we made today are correctable, which is encouraging, but it's important for us to be a little more sound. I certainly give Houston full credit. Houston made some great plays, but I think we did some things that hurt ourselves."
(on if Houston caused them to force throws and rush on offense) "I'm always trying to play fast, trying to make fast, quick decisions. I play an up-tempo game trying to get the ball into our playmaker's hands. Houston really sat back and played a lot of zone coverage, keeping things in front. The short throws were what were going to be there today. I thought the runs after the catch was a place we could have improved on. I thought we could have gotten a few more yards. Our goal was to try and get 7 yards, and a couple of times we had the 2nd and 10 and 3rd and 2's. We'd like to go ahead and make those into first downs. There were a couple of 3rd and 2's we didn't convert. That was frustrating. We had that one series down in the red zone where we had good field position and then we had a penalty and ended up punting, which was disappointing. I thought we were surely getting points there. It's our job to stay in phase and stay out of those 3rd and longs. When we get 3rd downs, we've got to convert them. I don't think we converted enough of them today."
(on Houston being a threat in the AFC South) "I can't tell. Certainly they were the better team today. They beat us and that's really kind of the fact. At this point, we won't think about Houston until we play them in November back in Indy. I think we've got to think about the Colts these next two and a half days and how we can improve and then start our preparation on the Giants on Wednesday."
Indianapolis Colts DB Jerraud Powers(on giving up most rushing yards to one runner in Colts history) "He was reading his holes. The offensive line did a tremendous job for him, giving him the seams to run. We made a few mistakes on our end, but we're going to tip our hat to him. He got the best of us today. They did a tremendous job on offense."
(on importance of opening day loss) "Obviously we've got things we have to work on. Our main thing is stopping the run and obviously we didn't do that today. We need to go back to the drawing board and fix whatever we need to fix. Like a couple of vets say it's a marathon and not a sprint. We're going to prepare for next week's game and look to get better each week. This is where we're at now, but next week we should be a lot better."
Indianapolis Colts LB Clint Session(on loss to the Texans) "I thought we were prepared for them. We've been having good weeks of practice. That's a good team over there. They've been building a good team with free agency and drafting. Their athletes came out and played harder than we played today. We'll take this and build from it. It's the first game of the season so if you're going to lose a game you better lose the first game so we can get it out of the way. We don't like the taste of it. I've never lost to Houston."
(on not stopping the running game) "Football is a game of momentum and it was on their side. We couldn't rise to the occasion. We failed to rise to the occasion which we don't normally do. We normally get out of these kinds of games but we couldn't do it."
(on importance of stopping the run) "Running is like stabbing you in the heart. That's the biggest part of football. Running the ball and making a team one dimensional."
