HEAD COACH JEFF FISHER
(on if the Titans' turnaround is a credit to QB-Vince Young)
"There's a lot more to it. The first three games, at the start of the season, I really felt could have gone either way. Then we had the next three that didn't go well. I think we took real good advantage of the bye week. We got people back. We worked on some things, and we got away. We just came back and basically started over and tried to put it as far behind us as we possibly could. Vince, of course, has played outstanding, our offensive line has been playing well, and C.J. (RB-Chris Johnson), as you can tell, is off to a great start. Getting DB-Cortland (Finnegan) back has helped. Getting DB-Vincent Fuller back has certainly helped. I think it's settled the defense down. It's just been a combination of things. Like anybody else, you stay close at the end and you have a chance to win, and we've done so in the past couple of weeks."
(on how good QB-Vince Young has been)
"I think the numbers kind of reflect (how good he's been). I think more importantly, he's having fun, he's making good decisions, and he's able to take advantage of some of the things people are doing to try and shut down C.J. He's been able to take advantage of that downfield."
(on decision to start QB-Vince Young)
"Real simply, it wasn't a difficult decision, at all. I didn't feel like the 0-6 season was attributed to the quarterback position, in particular. Basically, I feel like we have two starters. We are very fortunate to have two starters on the roster. So, when you start off the way we did, it just made sense to make a change. I believe the experience last season, preparing to back up QB-Kerry (Collins) week-after-week-after-week, the offseason experience, the fact that he's in his second year with (Offensive Coordinator) Mike (Heimerdinger), I think those are all contributing factors."
(on RB-Chris Johnson)
"He's getting help around him. The tight ends, the fullbacks, the receivers, the offensive line, they're creating opportunities for him. He's got that dynamic speed and vision and change of direction, the combination of those three that allow him to make those plays. Every defense is different. There are different challenges week-after-week, but somehow, someway, he's found a way to make a play. He's been a big part of our recent success."
(on how the Colts' defended RB-Chris Johnson last game)
"The Colts are unique in that they have tremendous speed. So, when you match speed against speed, then you have the opportunity to eliminate the big plays, and that's what they did."
(on what has impressed him most about RB-Chris Johnson in these past weeks)
"I just think it's the consistency. You can say all you want about the long touchdown runs, but he's had some really outstanding, four-, six-, eight-yard runs that have been very impressive."
(on if he's talking to his team about their playoff chances)
"No, we're not. We're just having fun. We don't have anything to lose. We let things slip away. We're coming back. We'll play a game, put it on our shelf, and go on to the next one."
(on the Colts)
"Their defense, obviously, is playing well. I think they've done a terrific job, in personnel areas, replacing injured players. They all seem to be getting better. Their special teams are very, very solid. On offense, we all know what they are capable of doing. It's a very well-coached team. It's a talented team with great speed that is equipped to win every game, as we've found out."
(on if this is another MVP type season for QB-Peyton Manning)
"That's not up for me to vote. He's clearly at the top of his game. He's playing as well as I think he's ever played, but there's other players in the league that are playing well. I think some of the throws he's making and decisions he's making and the things that he's doing, they never cease to amaze me."
* (on QB-Vince Young's field awareness during the game-winning drive against Arizona last Sunday)*
"With the experience now, he's able to quickly move through the progression. His pocket presence was excellent on that drive. He trusted that he would have a pocket, he did. He was able to make decisions and make accurate throws. He's won a lot of games. I expected the outcome. I expected that because we had two timeouts left and the two-minute warning. I just expected him to do that, and I think he did, too. I just think it was a great drive for Vince."
(on younger players stepping up for his team)
"We got some contributions out of the younger players, which is good. WR-Lavelle Hawkins, WR-Kenny Britt, obviously, and TE-Jared Cook all made plays on that drive (to beat Arizona). I've been asked numerous times in the past couple of days, 'How come C.J. didn't touch the ball?' Well, he didn't touch the ball because they didn't want him to touch the ball. When you take somebody away, like C.J. out of the backfield, other players have to make plays."
(on if the Colts' success in the two-minute offense this season influences teams' decisions towards the end of the first half and end of the game)
"Obviously, it does at the end of the game. For us, yes, you don't want to leave any time on the clock at the end of the half because he's going to put points on the board, and you're going to go to the locker room with your tail between your legs. That's what he does. That's the same approach people took with QB-Joe Montana before the end of the half, or QB-Brett Favre when it was really rolling up in Green Bay. If there is time on the clock, he's going to make plays and get points."
(on his approach to resting players once you have your playoff seed locked up)
"I think there is a difference between resting a healthy player and trying to get a less-than-healthy player back. I think that's where the fine line is. Players like to play. At the same time, I think they benefit from the rest. You'll see that after the Thursday night games this year. The teams come back, and it's almost an additional bye week for them. They come back and they're rested and they're recharged and they go."
(on the Colts only allowing 17 points in the third quarter this season)
"It's very impressive. They regroup and they come out and they come out with a great deal of emotion, regardless of whether they're at home or on the road. They're creating three-and-outs or turnovers."
(on if you risk momentum by resting your players)
"I don't think it's a consideration. Some teams get benefits from the bye week, and they take off and they go and they win the world championship. Other teams, probably more teams that are wild card teams and teams on the road, those kind of things, they are able to get in and maintain momentum. I think it really deals with that each club is different. If you're asking specifically about the Colts, despite the fact that they're somewhat of a younger team defensively, they have tremendous energy and they have tremendous leadership and experience. I just think a team like the Colts is not going to forget how to play just because they had a week or two off, where they didn't participate fully or in an entire game."
