Hines Ward

Everybody was ready to put Denver and Indianapolis in the championship game. We're the same team that went 15-1 last year and made it to the championship game. We're coming from a different perspective now, being on the road playing two tough road games. We all believed in one another, even if no one else did.

We've put ourselves behind the 8-ball as far as the playoffs go. I think we've got to win all four of our games left.

Last year, going 15-1, everyone's patting you on the back telling you what a good job you did, it kind of got overwhelming. It can get overwhelming even for veteran guys.

I just hate to see that I'm getting put into that same category because I think our situations are totally different,

He's a big kid at heart.

He threw a hell of a ball.

You always know when he's really angry. He says, 'I'm mad as hell and I'm not gonna take it anymore.

He throws a hell of a ball. I'm glad I caught it.

He's been through some wars. He's earned that right. Last year, he was a part of the team. He was a reason why we had a lot of success. He brought the best out of me. I hope I brought the best out of him.

He laid it on the line. He's lying there hurt on the ground, and he said to me, 'At least we're in field goal range.

Jerome has inspired each individual on this team in some form or way. He kind of inspires us to go out and play hard so we can get him that Super Bowl ring and end on a great note.

I've never done anything like it before, ... I've never had a hamstring injury before, so I've been asking guys how to handle it.

Those guys made spectacular catches in the Super Bowl. I wanted to be compared to those guys. I never thought I belonged on the list because they had Super bowl rings. You can put me on the list now.

We thought we could take some shots in the air. We're an experienced team and we took our chances.

I thought it was over when we had the ball at the 2-yard line. Didn't you Of course, I thought it was over. Everyone did. Then a guy who very rarely fumbles fumbled, and Ben did a heck of a job to tackle the guy. He saved our year. It was a great play. When you're in your goal-line offense, you have all big guys out there and the only guy with any speed is the quarterback.

I thought he was going to be here, but obviously he's not. It's sad. I don't think it had to come to this. ... I've got to prepare like we're going into the season right now without Plax we don't know what is going to happen.

He didn't say, 'Hines, I'm about to pitch it,' ... He saw me and I looked at him. I thought he was going to get out of (the tackler's grip) and I was going to try to block. The ball hit me in the hands, so I needed to catch it, I guess. I take responsibility for that.

The play-calling was aggressive. They thought all we can do is run the ball. We can pass the ball, too.

They called a great play at the right time.

Ben might not have the numbers of Peyton Manning, but it's time that he started being mentioned as one of the great quarterbacks in the game.

Can we win three road games We can't look that far down the line. We just have to take it one game at a time.

Every time coach puts on the highlight tape, Casey is a force to be reckoned with.

A day ago, nobody wanted to give us a chance. We came out and we did what we had to do. We knew it would be tough to come into Indianapolis, and they beat us pretty good the last time. This is kind of redemption for us.

Only in football, as I say, you can get (from) that all-time high to that all-time low back to that all-time high.

It went from an all-time high to an all-time low back to an all-time high.