Panthers Coach Ron Rivera

RE: Rivera’s comments to Gano after missed extra point

"It’s funny because everybody is missing extra points, but guys are making kicks still. I had a lot of confidence in Graham Gano. It’s just one of those things where you just know that a kid like him was just fearless. I promise you he wasn’t even thinking about that. He was thinking about making it."

RE: Secondary’s play

"I think Kurt Coleman played a very big-time game. He did. He made a lot of plays out there for us and he was around the football. We gave up a couple throws that again you wish you had those back because we gave him a lot of time. Again, we got to rush the passer a couple times and we gave him too much time to find receivers. Again, we have to come up with better answers as we get to games later on because we are going to come up against some pretty good quarterbacks starting with next week."

RE: Roman Harper and Charles Tillman

"I thought the two veteran guys made some plays. They tried to go at Charles Tillman a couple times and he was in position to knock the ball down. I thought Roman Harper was all over the place. I thought he did some really good things and helped create some of the takeaways."

RE: Rain’s effects on play

"I think early on it took our edge running game out of play. So we came out in the second half and started driving up the middle. Unfortunately, we fumbled on the goal line. I thought what Mike Shula and the offense decided to do coming out in the third quarter was excellent because we went right at them. Unfortunately, we fumbled on the quarterback/center exchange and it gave them an opportunity."

RE: Andrew Norwell injury

"His hamstring tightened up in that first drive, that first field goal attempt. His leg started to get tight, so we had to pull him."

 

Panthers QB Cam Newton

RE: If he ever had a doubt during the game

"Never a doubt. Never a doubt. As long as we have Captain America, Luke August Kuechly on our team, I like our odds."

RE: What is was like to see Graham Gano make the field goal to win the game

"Well, me and Gano, we always tease each other. Anytime coach gives us the opportunity to try to distract the field goal kicker during practice, we have it at least once or twice during camp. I whisper in his ear right before he goes out there and I say, 'Just a little bit of pressure.' That’s it and I still keep it up. You know, every time he gets something going up through the upright, I whisper in his ear, 'A little bit of pressure,' so this time he kicked it up right. He came and whispered in my ear, 'A little bit of pressure,' so it is pretty much nothing man. It is just great to see a team win. It wasn’t pretty. We know that. We know we have to be better but at the end of the day we are one of the lucky few to be 7-0."

RE: What went through his mind when the ball went through Ted Ginn’s hands

"It’s football. It is all about reacting and trying to make due to conditions that you have. You know, we can’t sulk, sit up and complain about different things that we can’t control and the play was over with. But nine times out of ten, well hell, ten out of ten times, I’m throwing it back to him. It was times that Ted caught the ball in worse conditions. Today, when it was pouring down raining, so you can’t fault him. After speaking to him, he said the ball got caught in the lights. For a guy like that, for a team like tonight on both sides, we’ve got guys battling man. Mistakes are going to happen; you just have to find ways to get the job done. Nobody wants to hear the excuses. Just find a way."

 

Panthers TE Greg Olsen

Re: If the crowd impacted the game

"Yeah, it did. For them to stick through that, it was rough conditions there for a while, and to hear them have our back when we were struggling a little bit trying to close that game out, I think it means a lot. This city right now is abuzz with Panther mania. They’re excited, and we’re happy they’re enjoying it. They deserve it, and we’re happy to share this with them here at home."

 

Panthers LB Luke Kuechly

Re: The overtime interception

"It was great. That play is really a result of the defensive line and Roman. Honestly, if you guys go back and look at it, they got a push. Roman made a great play and it really just popped right to me and all I had to do was catch it, and that time I was like, ‘Alright, just catch it this time.’ It was a great play by those guys up front; I was just in the right spot."

 

Colts Coach Chuck Pagano

RE: Is there any truth to Andrew Luck playing with fractured ribs earlier this season?

"Our guys have issued a statement. You guys have the same one that I have."

RE: When does Andrew Luck’s performance become a mental issue?

"It is tough, the National Football League. It is for grown men, whether you are playing or whether you are coaching. Andrew is as tough a competitor as I have ever been around. He is going through a stretch right now; we are all going through a stretch right now. We win as team and we lose as a team. I am not worried about Andrew Luck. Together we will get this thing fixed."

 

Colts QB Andrew Luck

Re: What did you see on the final interception?

"I went through the progression. I tried to hit Coby (Fleener). Waited too long to hit him. Should have moved on. Guy made a nice play, tipped it up. They got the ball and won the game."

Re: Turnover problem hurting the team?

"Yeah, no, it’s my problem. And it’s hurting the team. And I’ve got to fix it or else it’s tough to win doing it. Disappointed in myself."

Re: Have you suffered any broken ribs this season?

"I’m not going to get into that right now."