Colts Players Not Focusing on Deflategate

There are questions among Colts fans and media about head coach Chuck Pagano about just how good of a coach he actually is.  There's little doubt, however, that he's doing a great job at coaching them on what to say when it comes to deflategate, as all of his players have done an excellent job of not biting on the issue.

One of the most debated topics in the sports world recently, it makes perfect sense that a number of Colts players would be asked about the team that could easily be considered their biggest rival.  But just as Pagano said that "we've moved on" when asked about it last week, his players are following his lead.

Tight end Dwayne Allen was asked whether the integrity of the game was hurt by deflategate.  "I can't say," Allen said.  "I can't say.  I believe we have a great process in place to handle those situations.  Whatever they did or didn't do will be brought to the forefront and I believe whatever judgement is passed is just."

Cornerback Darius Butler was asked whether Tom Brady is a cheater.  "Tom Brady is a great quarterback," Butler said, "one of the all-time best.  I played with him.  He's a former teammate.  I know him to be a great guy.  One of the most competitive people I've ever played with.  That's all I've got to say is great things about him."

Outside linebacker Trent Cole was also asked for his thoughts on deflategate.  "I'm not worried about that," Cole said.  "I guess we'll see him when he comes back.  I think he's a great quarterback.  I think Brady is a great quarterback.  Like I said, we're more focused on what we've got to do here.  We know what we've got to do.  We know what kind of team we got.  We know what we want.  Everybody is participating in this offseason program and everything.  It's just something that we're not worried about."

Wide receiver T.Y. Hilton was asked whether deflategate is a distraction for the Colts.  "Oh no, not at all," Hilton said.  "That's got something to do with New England, not us."  When asked whether he considers Tom Brady a cheater, Hilton simply said, "no."

Cornerback Greg Toler was also asked for his thoughts on the situation.  "We're past that game," Toler said.  "It's unfortunate.  We wished it wouldn't have happened, but we've just got to move on."

Safety Mike Adams noted, as ESPN's Mike Wells said, that "It's over.  We don't have to deal with it anymore. [The Patriots] have to deal with it.  I'm more worried that we got our asses beat than deflated footballs."

Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck called the situation "historic" and "huge" but wouldn't offer up anything about the Patriots, only about the situation as a whole.  And for Hasselbeck, it's a significant deal because he's a part of the NFLPA's executive committee - which will likely be called upon to help defend Tom Brady (and per the Indianapolis Star's Stephen Holder, so is Adam Vinatieri).

So while the Patriots have beaten the Colts pretty handily in each of their last four meetings and the whole deflategate incident was sparked by the Colts' complaint to the league before and during the AFC Championship game, the Colts aren't commenting on the situation.  They know that they have no right to talk right now as they've lost to the Patriots, and their sole focus is on the football field instead of on the big deflategate debate.