Q:How important were Devin McCourty's two interceptions on Sunday and how has he continued to develop in his third year?
MP:I think it's like I said last week; Every week we're trying to go out and improve overall as a defense and improve on our weekly performance. It starts with all of us from coaching, to playing, to studying the film and just kind of going through our week just trying to improve. I think Devin has tried to improve from week to week. [He] made some good plays in the game and we're going to try to build on that.
Q:What are your thoughts on Tavon Wilson's early season performance?
MP:I think Tavon is definitely trying to improve himself every week and learn the defense. He has a really strong work ethic and he comes in and tries to understand every concept that we're doing and tries to grow. I definitely think he is progressing in that manner and learning every week a little bit more of the intricacies of the defense and really trying to improve himself. I definitely think he's working hard to do that.
Q:He had another interception at the end of the Bills game—which may or may not have simply been a result of being in the right place at the right time—but would you say that he has a knack for finding the ball?
MP:I think everyone tries to put themselves in the right position and hopefully as defenders we're all going to be around the ball at all times. So when things like that come up, opportunities come up, to get the ball, we're in a good position to make the proper play. I think it starts with everyone first and foremost just doing their job, being in the right place, understanding their assignment and role and executing that assignment. Whether it's hustling to the ball from another position or whether you're the target area of the offense on that particular play and you're in position to make the play, that's what we're trying to do. We've been able to get that done a couple of times.
Q:How does the Denver version of Peyton Manning look to you?
MP:Good question. Obviously Peyton Manning is doing everything that he does. He is obviously a tremendous player and is really driving that offense right now and doing all of the things that he does that make him Peyton Manning. He is certainly a very difficult and challenging quarterback to face and one that really seems like he has a good rhythm going. They have tremendous players over there between [Demaryius] Thomas and [Eric] Decker and [Brandon] Stokley at the skill positions, along with the running backs all the way through, starting with [Willis] McGahee, who obviously had a huge game, and to the tight ends with [Jacob] Tamme and [Joel] Dreessen really coming through for them to make that offense go. He's really done a phenomenal job out there. He looks great.
Q:Is the formula still the same to try to beat Manning?
MP:Well I think that anytime you're trying to play Peyton Manning you're always trying to figure out what the best thing to do is and how to go up and challenge it and figure out how to beat him. He's an extremely smart and intelligent football player. He has a good idea of what you're trying to do at all times which certainly makes it challenging.
Q:Have you seen any issues with Manning's arm strength?
MP:I just see a guy who is making extremely good decisions and is doing a great job of getting the ball to the receivers that are open. I haven't seen any issues with that whatsoever. He looks like he's throwing the ball extremely well, extremely confident and getting it into some really tight locations and I just think it's building every week. I think he's just doing a tremendous job out there. So no…
Q:From your perspective have the Broncos adopted the Colts offensive scheme now that they have Peyton Manning, or have they integrated him into their scheme?
MP:I think obviously whenever you have Peyton Manning there is going to be a strong influence for that. I think if you look at them as compared to last year they're obviously going to have a different look. I think it's a system right now that's working really well for them. Peyton is doing a good job of running things that they're asking him to run and some of it happens to be real familiar with the stuff that he did previously. I think there's a good mix of the Denver offense and a lot of that has to do with Peyton Manning and the quarterback, but also like I said, the skill players really fit into a good role for him in what they're trying to do both in the run game and throwing the ball too. But there are definitely some things there that look just like Peyton Manning.
