Called the Superdome home for eight seasons
“There’s something about that place, especially the later in the afternoon, the later at night it gets, the more primetime – the fans are more into it. They’ve had longer to drink and party and they get juiced up.”
On Carolina’s streak-starting visit to New Orleans last December
“This is the game that got us rolling, so why wouldn’t they want to do the same to us?”
One of the few who didn’t feel like reminiscing this week
“I don’t even know why we’re still having talks about last year because, hell, it’s 365 days from that point. Now it’s all about a new season, a new team, a new process each and every week.”
Not scoreboard watching
“Seriously, I don’t necessarily look at all of those things. I look at the fact we’ve got to take care of our own business. It’s crazy, but if you focus on the wrong things you’re going to miss the target.”
On Carolina’s 15-game regular-season win streak
“I think the more you can win, and the more often you can win, I think the more you get used to that feeling and you get used to what that’s like and how to finish out games. You kind of remove some of the doubt inside your locker room.”
Giver of good perspective
“We’ve won more so as a team than probably in any other place I’ve been … I think that’s a little bit of a reason why people can’t quite figure us out at times. They’re so used to, ‘here’s the reason,’ every week. It’s not with us. It’s the whole team doing it, pulling the whole share of the load. And I think because of that, guys come here each week and they won’t let their teammate down.”
Started 13-0 in 2009
“We knew each week especially as we got to 6-0, 7-0, 8-0 that every team that we played, regardless of their record we were going to get their best shot. So, I think it just became, you know what, this is something that we can do. It became kind of an extra challenge, but obviously it’s difficult because you know you are going to get everybody’s best shot.”
On owner Jerry Richardson’s desire for sustained success
“We know that it’s big for him to have a team that is successful. Being the Big Cat, it’s a special moment. We hope he’s enjoying every minute of it.”
On Panthers LB Luke Kuechly
“If you line up in the same formations against him, he’s going to call out the play before your quarterback does, so you’ve got to be real sharp with your splits. You’ve got to be real sharp with the backs’ depth. You’ve got to be sharp with any indicators that might tell him run or pass or which directions. So it really forces you to self-scout closely and make sure that at least any tendencies you may have, that you can offset with something that looks the same that’s different.”
What the proud papa said when his son made the most memorable play of the NFL season
“‘That’s what I’m talking about!’ Very loudly.”