Indy Sports Coverage - Week 5

Each week, Coltzilla brings you highlights from local sports coverage of the Colts with an emphasis on player interviews. Pre-game interviews go up Sunday mornings. Post-game interviews are posted shortly after the game. Hope you enjoy! It's Week 5 of the 2010 season, and the 2-2 Colts welcome the 3-0 Kansas City Chiefs to Lucas Oil Stadium. UPDATED with Post-Game Interviews

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Post-Game: Colts win with good defense on a day the offense couldn't seem to find its rhythm. In pre-game interviews, the Colts listed stopping the run, limiting big plays, and eliminating mental mistakes as key to a victory. How'd they do? Remember the onside kick in the SB? Apparently, Tyjuan Hagler doesn't. That's him backpedalling prior to the kick while rookies Blair White and Pat Angerer hold their ground. Oh! Nice shoes, Pat.

Pre-Game Objectives:

1. Stop the Run: How'd the defense do? Kansas City ran 27 times for 113 yards (an average of 4.2 YPC). 113 and 4.2 are higher than we'd like, but when it mattered, such as on third-down and in the red zone, the defense held. Grade: B
2. Limit Big Plays: This falls squarely on the defense and special teams. But how do you define 'big plays'; total yards gained? Maybe. But isn't a one-yard run which gains a first-down and prolongs a drive also a big play? Sunday, the Colts D contained both. The Chiefs' (a known running team) longest run was 14 yards, they managed only two passes of 20+ yards, and their return game averaged a modest 22.5 yards. But the real key? Holding Kansas City to 1 for 10 on third downs and putting the Colts offense back on the field. Grade: A-
3. Eliminate Mental Mistakes: Five total penalties resulting in 45 penalty yards. Not bad considering we've seen games where Ryan Diem had that many false starts! Still, there was that major gaffe by Kelvin Hayden at the end of the first half leading to a field goal, several poor decisions by wide receivers running routes, and that ugly interception where it almost seemed Peyton was targeting the Chiefs' linebacker. Grade: C

Too high? Too low? What grades would you give them? Mike Hart talks about preparing to be the next man up, Peyton recounts Hart's up-and-down week, and Coach Caldwell discusses what it's like to tell a player he's being cut.

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Pre-Game: In these Week 5 pre-game interviews, Coach Jim Caldwell, Dallas Clark, Peyton Manning, Dwight Freeney, Antoine Bethea, and other Colts players discuss what it will take to succeed in today's contest against the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs. To paraphrase:

1. Stop the run
2. Limit big plays
3. Eliminate mental mistakes

Seems like we've heard this before. We'll know later today if they're up to the task. Also, we'll meet new Colts safety DaJuan Morgan who was brought in as a potential replacement for the injured Melvin Bullitt. UPDATE: Morgan was released just prior to game time on Sunday. He was replaced with former Colt linebacker Tyjuan Hagler.

Colts president Bill Polian discusses the team's upcoming opponent, the Kansas City Chief. We also hear from second year offensive guard Jaimie Thomas.

Bonus Pre-Game Coverage: Huddle Up Indy is a new show from WISH-TV channel 8. This week's guests are Colts wide receivers Blair White and Pierre Garçon.

Be sure to check back later for post-game interviews.