Sports Radio Interviews

Gary Brackett: “We need one more week at home and then take the party on the road.”

The Colts beat the Ravens last week after a first round bye to advance to the AFC Championship game. There they are going to meet a familiar foe, the New York Jets. The Jets beat the Colts in week 16 and ended Indianapolis’ bid for an undefeated season. Everybody was all up in arms and questioned whether Peyton and Co. should have gone for the perfect season, but I think they did the right thing because once you clinch homefield advantage the regular season doesn’t matter. It is what happens in the postseason that is more important. All of that is in the past and now it is the Colts’ time to prove they would have won that game had they played their starters.

The Colts offense sputtered a little last Saturday but it was their defense that stepped it up. They played with intensity that went unmatched as they clamped down on the running and passing game of the Ravens. This Colts defense has got to man up against the Jets offense whose two-headed running game led the NFL in rushing this season. If the Colts can stop the run and force Mark Sanchez to beat them with his arm, this game should be a breeze for them but it won’t be that simple. Just ask the Chargers who shut the Jets out through three quarters and somehow lost the game. The Jets have won two playoff games in the same year for the first time since 1982. I am afraid that is going to be it for them. I expect the Colts to win by a touchdown.

Gary Brackett joined 1070 The Fan in Indianapolis to talk about whether hearing about how good the Jets defense is all week long will work in their favor as a team, what part of the Jets concerns him most, and whether the team has a chip on their shoulder to prove that the first meeting with the Jets would have been different had the starters played the whole game.

Whether hearing about how good the Jets defense is all week long will work in their favor as a team:

“I don’t know if it works in our favor. I think we will see who has the best defense on Sunday night after the game. I think we go unnoticed a lot because of our offense and how great they are. They have been top three, top two probably for the last six or seven years but I think we have a pretty good defense. I think after the game on Sunday we will get some respect.”

What part of the Jets concerns you the most?

“I think they are a physical football team. I think they have the best offensive line in football. One, they are healthy. I don’t think they have lost a starter on the offensive line this year so those guys have got some continuity from playing with each other. I think they are a physical bunch of guys. If you watch those two playoff games that they have had thus far they are probably averaging forty runs a game. Anytime someone is going to run the football it just becomes a game of who wants it more.”

Whether the team has a chip on their shoulder to prove that the first meeting with the Jets would have been different had the starters played the whole game:

“We are going to see on Sunday… When something is on the line and as we are playing our guys, who is going to be the better team. There are a tough team. They are playing with a lot of momentum right now but I like our chances come Sunday.”

Whether he was shocked that the Jets beat the Chargers on Sunday:

“I absolutely wasn’t. I think the Jets have to win the… Play good defense and run the ball effectively. I think you look at Pittsburgh, the year that they won the Super Bowl, I think they took a page out of their book. I think they were doing well and that is what put those guys over the top. Anytime you limit teams to seven points, they actually scored another touchdown late in the game, but I think they Jets defense did a great job of getting the ball back to Sanchez, getting some good field position, San Diego made two real costly penalties. ..Really uncalled for with some of those plays but the Jets took advantage of them.”

On what he thought about the fans at Lucas Oil Stadium last Saturday:

“Man, United We Stand. That is what the signs were saying all over Lucas Oil Stadium. I think I didn’t see a person that didn’t have a sign. That place was rocking. It was loud. I think our fans came out and supported us. So we need one more week at home and then take the party on the road.”

Gary Brackett on 1070 the Fan in Indy with Kravitz and Eddie

Tags: AFC Championship Game, Colts defense, Gary Brackett, Indianapolis Colts, Indy, Jets. vs. Colts, Lucas Oil Stadium, New York Jets, NFL, Peyton Manning