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By The Times-Picayune


Mireya Grisales, a reporter with Telemundo Sports Network interviews Sedrick Ellis during Super Bowl XLIV media day Tuesday in Miami.
Provided by the NFL, here is a transcript of New Orleans Saints defender Sedrick Ellis' Super Bowl XLIV press conference Thursday in Miami.
On how to defend Colts QB Peyton Manning: “The most important thing is to understand what kind of player Peyton Manning is. Even if you get back there scott free, instead of taking a sack, he’ll go down himself. There are a lot of different factors to consider when trying to take down a quarterback. From the outside looking in, sacks are the most important thing or the most important stat in disrupting a quarterback, but there are a lot of other factors that go in it too, like batting balls, reads, not letting him get two or three reads and being able to put the ball where he wants it. All that factors in to being a good defense.”

On getting a fast start against the Colts: “I think it is very important to start fast. I think down the line it will be just as important. I think when we get late in the third, late in the fourth, I think that’s when it will be more important to stay on top of that guy. He’s shown that he gets better as the game goes on. Just like our team, we play our best ball as the game goes on.”

On playing against a Hall of Fame quarterback: “Just as much as he’s been in this league, he’s human just like everybody else. He makes mistakes just like everyone else, he gets hit, it hurts just like everybody else. We played two Hall of Fame quarterbacks in this playoff stretch. That was my first time on the field with Brett Favre and after the first two minutes of the ‘Wow, I’m playing against Brett Favre,’ it kind of goes away. It’s a motivation factor. If I could sack Brett Favre or Peyton Manning, or Kurt Warner, those are the things you wish your whole life.”

On making it to the Super Bowl during Ellis’s second season: “A lot of guys go their whole career and never make it. I’m really lucky. We have so many older guys on this team that have played, 10, 12, 13 years in this league and this is their first time getting to the Super Bowl. I’m definitely privileged. You look at these older guys, they don’t let you forget that you may not get back here. We have a coach, Joe Vitt, he’s been a coach in this league for 30-something years and this is his first time going to the Super Bowl. You understand that? When you look at it from that perspective, when you’re a young player, it’s about looking at it from this point. They are not going to have another chance. I may, or I may not, but a lot of these guys will never have another chance.”

On Colts offensive line protecting Manning: “I really don’t think it’s what makes the Colts offensive line special as I do what makes Peyton Manning special. He’s definitely the difference. When there have been situations when the defense has broken down the o-line, Peyton Manning makes up for it with his brain. He gets the ball out before you can get to him. There are times that you see this o-line get beat, but they are still not getting sacked because Peyton Manning is getting the ball out of hand in less than two seconds. To be a quarterback that can do that consistently, for a reason, much less a career, I think you have to give that some credit.”

New Orleans Saints' Sedrick Ellis' press conference transcript for Feb. 4 | Super Bowl Central - - NOLA.com