Mike Minter Quotes (59 Quotes)

These Panthers will be very, very dangerous. We've got four games to make it all happen and we're going to try to make it all happen.

When you go through something like that and you come out of there, you appreciate everything you have at that point, because of the simple fact you had to work. We had to go through some troubled times. But I believe that's when you build character. That's what happened with this team. The core guys who went through that, that's why we're so strong today.

He was young. and it showed, ... But he'll get better, he'll learn from that. I think that was the biggest thing, just inexperience, the first time being in a real live game, the first time somebody game plans for you. That's a different feeling.

We're a dangerous football team, and a lot of people understand that. What we've got to do is stay calm, stay cool and come in and play football.

I believe we can beat anybody in the playoffs. Yeah, I know we've been up and down, especially the last six weeks. But this is a team that plays best with its back against the wall. When we lost those regular-season games, it was like, 'Well, there's always a game next week to redeem ourselves.' Now, one loss and we're eliminated. That's the scary part. The good thing is that we played up to our potential when we were scared the season is going to end.

It feels good we can come in this locker room and talk about a victory instead of talking about another loss to Mike Vick. This is one time. We have to see him again. So you can bet he'll put that cape back on again.

I had to catch him, ... I had to. At one point I thought I wasn't going to and then I got close and I started getting closer and I thought, I got a chance.

To be honest with you, I still think about it all the time,

I've been on the other side of that. I understand what them guys are going through when you don't have anything to play for.

We were staring 0-2 in the face it had to be different. Everybody stepped up to make it different. That's what it's all about.

We felt comfortable, it's a little scary sometimes when you have a downhill putt. We felt good about it, we had a rough go in the districts, but I felt good about today.

We had a great opportunity laid out in front of us by Tampa Bay losing. We knew we had to take care of business and we did.

I think he got so used to coming out late because he hasn't been practicing with us,

Does it surprise me that he still makes plays Absolutely not, because I see what he does in the weight room in March, April and May. The guy is an inspiration to everyone in this locker room.

It's an opportunity to prove that two years ago, when we went to the Super Bowl, it was not a fluke. We've got that type of team.

It's better to be on that side than the other side. I've done been on 1-15, seen all them bad records we set that year. To be on this side, man, and to see the guys smiling. These young guys don't understand how fortunate they are. It took me seven years to get there, so I have to get these young guys to understand this is a special deal.

He is going to make a play. He is going to make a big play sooner or later.

Pressure, man, is like it's in the fourth quarter and they're driving and they're at the 1-yard line and you've got to stop them four times. That's some pressure right there. But this one, coming in, that's no pressure. If we go out and execute, we won't have to get in that situation.

Ken Lucas definitely brought an attitude to our football team.

Every time you see those highlights, and they're always showing it, it's definitely on your mind.

Once the game starts, the speed of the game. The game seems like it's an hour long. It goes so fast. Every play counts. It means something. In the regular season, every play doesn't mean something. In the playoffs, it does.

Look at a guy like Sam. He didn't speak all the time, but when he spoke, it meant something.

It looks like their offense has a little more spark with him because he's a guy they trust and open up the offense for. So I know we're going to see more than two tight ends and running the ball.

Any time you give that man (Favre) life he will make plays. You definitely don't want to be in that situation with Brett Favre. ... Once he got back into his rhythm, Brett Favre began to be Brett Favre.

Ten is a good number, but he'll beat that. He's being modest. I'm not. I know what he can do, and I've seen what he can do, and I've seen what those types of players like him can do. He's going to eat that sack record up.

If I didn't catch him from behind, we wouldn't have had an opportunity to win, ... That definitely ranks up there for me with the big plays I've made.

You can't solve this guy. He's too good to solve. He's like Michael Jordan. He'll have a bad day, then drop 60 on you the next time out.

It comes straight from the heart. You might hear some things you might not want to hear. Guys get emotional. Guys say it like they see it. And I think that's what makes it so touching, because it's from the heart.

It wasn't scripted, but it kind of fit the plan.

Where that comes in is in the locker room, in the meetings,

We were focused. We understood that we had the defending Super Bowl Champions coming to our house and it was going to be tough. We had to play great football to beat them and that's what we did today.

They were exploiting us in the running game. The middle was wide open, so it was tough. But the running game takes all 11 guys.

This is the loudest, happiest locker room we've had in a while. Guys are loose and confident, and that's usually when we're on our game. Our foot is in the door. Now we have to go out and kick the door down, and this team is capable of doing it.

It's going to be tough he's been playing safety, and safety was tough for him. Now, moving him up, it's tougher to learn. He's got about three weeks to figure it out before the opening game. But my thing is, he's a football player. If he knows where to line up, he can go make plays.

Oh, he'll be back. He's a gamer. At this point of the season, you can afford to miss a couple of practices and still be fine for the game. You've played enough football that rust is not going to set in at this point.

I'd try to get a hit man out to get Steve Smith, make him not show up. That's the only way you're going to stop him ... because we move him around to so many different places. ... It's so difficult to contain him.

There's no pain, that's a great sign. I went full speed and I was able to break on the ball and do things I normally do. So I feel like I will play.

We have the character of two years ago. We have the determination of two years ago. But we're a whole lot more talented now.

They just killed us on third downs. That's what we've been stressing all off-season is third down. That's what killed us last year and it killed us again. We've got to make plays on third downs and we're not doing it.

Their offensive line doesn't get enough credit. They played a heck of a game in the Super Bowl. They work well as a unit. The strength of our defense is our front four. That's going to be a great matchup.

When our backs are against the wall, somehow we always come out swinging and play a great football game. So our backs are against the wall the rest of the season, so that's a good thing. It's a playoff run from here on out and we understand that. We have two big ones coming up.

When you make it to the NFC Championship game, you've had a good season. But we felt we had the team to go all the way. That's what's so disappointing.

Because he's honest. He tells it like it is. That's all you can ask for from a coach. Even if it's not what you want to hear, it's better to be honest about it. At least you know where he's coming from.

It gave us another chance and I knew that if our defense got another chance, we'd stop them and make them kick a field goal.

It pumps you up when you feel like everybody is against you. It's something to prove. You want to go in and shut up 70- or 80,000 people. You know what - if the odds are against you and shut the crowd up and you win, that's something you're proud of.

I think the lesson we can take from two years ago is that we come in confident that we can get it done because we've already been there before. A lot of these guys were on that team. We've won on the road before in places everybody said we couldn't win.

When I see (numbers) 17 and 89 doing their thing early, I feel real good about our chances, and I think it's going to be a good night. But when we let a team score early on us, I worry that it might be a long night for us. They went down and scored first, and that was tough.

If you ain't got it by now, you ain't getting it. You can afford at this point in time to miss a couple of practices. He's played enough. He isn't going to get rusty just from a few days off.

That was so huge. Right there, that changed the tone of the game. Momentum is a monster, and if you get it on your side, you ride it, baby. And we rode it.

I hate being on the sideline. If we're out there playing, I want to be out there playing. I don't want to be over there watching. That's the worst feeling in the world. Even in practice, I hate that.