TV types talk NFL; I type their talk
Most Sundays this fall I have been covering NFL games in person and thus unable to watch the network pregame shows.
This Sunday I did not cover an NFL game in person but was I unable to watch the network pregame shows because I was busy selecting my annual carving pumpkin and eating my annual cider doughnuts.
Here is some of what I missed, courtesy of the networks' hard-working p.r. staffs:
From CBS:
(On meeting on Capitol Hill involving Congress, NFL and NFLPA concerning implementing HGH testing)
(On Denver’s Tim Tebow becoming a legitimate NFL quarterback as a starter)
Click to view report: http://www.cbssports.com/video/player/play/nfl_today/TNY1KTVQPgK6AbiMYNhq0d8mDMviXh_5
Click to view report: http://www.cbssports.com/video/player/play/nfl_today/dtC_l3OuJWHgw59_CmNbVivCD5oRyuYw
Click to view report: http://www.cbssports.com/video/player/play/nfl_today/tZ4pqKGuBm_b2gvVNGHGAhV_CnzZg_fi
THE NFL TODAY’s Dan Marino sits down with New York Giants Head Coach Tom Coughlin, quarterback Eli Manning, wide receiver Hakeem Nicks and other key Giants' players as they get ready to take on the surprising 4-1 Buffalo Bills. Jeff St. Arromand is the producer.
To view the feature, click: http://www.cbssports.com/video/player/play/nfl_today/DQJR34f5UBZIhMO8NUdgSUlhlc5If8Tp
From NBC:
NEW YORK – October 16, 2011 – Following are highlights from Football Night in America. Bob Costas hosted the show live from the Soldier Field in Chicago and was joined on site for commentary by Sunday Night Football commentators Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth. Co-host Dan Patrick and commentators Tony Dungy, Rodney Harrison, Peter King and Mike Florio covered the news of the NFL’s sixth week live from Studio 8G at NBC’s 30 Rockefeller Plaza studios in New York. Alex Flanagan reported from Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass., on the Cowboys-Patriots game.
Patrick: “Tragic news out of the racing world today where IndyCar driver Dan Wheldon was killed in a crash at the Las Vegas Indy 300, the final race of the season. The wreck involved 15 cars. Wheldon won his second Indy 500 earlier this year. He was a member of the NBC Sports family, working with us as an analyst. He was a native of England, resided in Florida, married with two young sons. It was the first fatality in the IndyCar circuit since 2006. Dan Wheldon was 33.”
King: “This, when the NFL investigates, is going to turn into a he said-he said situation.”
Florio: “The NFL will start investigating starting tomorrow and lead spokesman Greg Aiello told me the key issue will be whether, or to what extent, there was physical contact. So, any shoving by either coach, any type of contact, could get that coach in trouble.”
Dungy: “I didn’t think it was that big of a deal. Jim Schwartz should have just let that go…I’ve had some handshakes with some coaches that I didn’t appreciate. When you lose, you just have to go to the locker room.”
Harrison: “Jim Schwartz has to understand that Jim Harbaugh is coming from a college atmosphere; the guy gets excited. He didn’t purposely try to do that…I played with the guy (Harbaugh). He’s a good guy. He’s not that type of person.”
Dungy: “They are renewed. They have a different energy and it starts with their head coach Jim Harbaugh. He may need to work on his postgame handshake, but he has these guys playing.”
Dungy on Harbaugh: “(He’s) the difference between last year’s 49ers and this year’s 49ers. They’re doing the same thing, they are running the ball, they’re playing good defense trying to protect Alex Smith. But they believe in this guy, this coach, Jim Harbaugh. He has changed the culture there.”
Dungy: “My big winner is those San Francisco 49ers and Jim Harbaugh. They have gone eight years and only won three games in the East Coast time zone. They have won three in a row (this year) and they are in first place in the West, and they are making the playoffs.”
Dungy comparing Nate Burleson’s touchdown today with Calvin Johnson’s from last year: “He's out of bounds before he loses the ball. Calvin Johnson last year: same situation. He goes up high, makes a great catch, gets both feet down, loses the ball at the end. What is the difference? When you look at them simultaneously, what is the difference?”
Harrison: “Looks like a catch to me.”
Dungy: “They're both touchdowns. The guys catch the ball, they've got two feet down in the end zone, they should both be touchdowns.”
Harrison: “Four straight losses, divisional win, on the road, huge. I believe…they will win the division.”
Dungy on safety Kurt Coleman’s one career INT prior to today: “He probably hasn't played against Rex Grossman enough.”
Patrick: “Do you still believe they are going to win the division?”
Harrison: “Yes.”
King: “We could be looking at a quarterback shake-up in Washington. The Redskins benched Rex Grossman. He was All-World for a while. He threw four interceptions, was subbed for in the third quarter by John Beck. Mike Shanahan, the coach of the team, was non-committal after the game, but I can tell you this: Mike Shanahan and his son Kyle, the offensive coordinator, they love them some John Beck. I think they’re going with Beck.”
Collinsworth: “This is the only team that we’re seeing right now that truly looks dominant. You can look around at the other teams that are not bad, but if you are looking for a dominant team, it is only the Packers at this point.”
Patrick: “If there's a football version of batting practice, it looked like it was batting practice for Aaron Rodgers today.”
Dungy on Mike Tomlin: “He is not happy. They got Rashard Mendenhall going today, but that wasn’t his type of football. I think that test he is referring to could be the Cincinnati Bengals in a couple weeks. They’re playing good football.”
Dungy: “Today, the Giants defensive line stepped up when they needed it. They were after him (Ryan Fitzpatrick) all day and got to him several times.”
Flanagan: “Jerry Jones did tell me today that he has taken some calls regarding a trade for Tashard Choice, the running back. He will, in fact, consider that, if the right opportunity is available.”
Dungy on Ray Rice: “He was the best player on the field today...Ray Rice energizes them. He runs, he catches the ball, he breaks tackles, he gives them energy. This guy, he was the best player on the field.”
Harrison: “They played hard, but simply they were out manned. When you lose Andre Johnson, you lose explosive plays down the field. When you lose a guy like Mario Williams, although his impact wasn’t really felt today because they managed to put pressure on Joe Flacco, but those two main guys; if you want to compete with the big boys of the league, you need your big weapons.”
Patrick: “Is Atlanta going to make the playoffs?”
Harrison: “No… I don’t believe in them.”
Dungy on critical fourth-and-two play: “I really don’t like the call. We had it opening night in our [NFL Kickoff opener] game and I didn’t like it then…Tampa had seen this.”
Harrison: “Why did you go out and draft Mark Ingram? Why did you go pay Pierre Thomas, if you are not going to run these guys?”
Harrison: “Tampa’s defensive line, they played well against Indy; they played well against Atlanta; and maybe that is the reason because they were putting pressure and they forced Drew Brees into three interceptions today.”
URLACHER: I was mad after the game. I’m always mad after games. It felt like we played bad, but going back and watching the film, we didn’t play that bad. Big plays are killing us.
URLACHER: My daughter asked me the same thing. She said, ‘Why are you and Uncle Lance fighting on the sideline?’ I said, ‘What are you talking about?’ She said, ‘You were yelling at Lance.’ I said, ‘I wasn’t yelling.’ … I think it was right after a touchdown, I’m sure, one of the long ones. We were just trying to figure out what happened on the play. Lance and I don’t bicker on the sidelines, we bicker during the game. (laughs) We fight during the game or after a play’s over. We don’t fight on the sideline. We usually talk and try to figure out what happened and then go on to the next play.
URLACHER: I feel bad for him. Jay’s tough. I think everyone’s seen how tough he is. He takes hits, he doesn’t say anything. He keeps coming back for more. He doesn’t complain. He just goes out there. He played great on Monday night. We got to play better on defense and give them some better opportunities to score.
URLACHER: Bill George is the first one. Just to be mentioned in…is an honor for me. It’s a great city to play football in, especially defense and middle linebacker. It’s definitely an honor.
URLACHER: For sure. I feel like I have something to prove every day. I think you have to have that at this level…just to try and get better every day. I know Lance does it. I think there were 12 guys drafted in front of him. That motivates him. I’m the same way.
MCNABB: Teams usually don’t lose a lead, if you don’t turn the ball over, so we have to be able to close games, and we’ve all discussed that over the weeks and understand exactly what we have to do.
PETERSON: You don’t want to throw (Walter) Payton in there?
PETERSON: He was pretty fast…But I agree with those guys.
From Fox:
From ESPN
NFL GameDay Morning is the FIRST pregame show on the air Sunday morning at 9:00 AM ET, taking viewers straight up to kickoff. Host Rich Eisen joins analysts Michael Irvin, Warren Sapp, Marshall Faulk, Steve Mariucci and new analyst Kurt Warner to bring fans the latest news, injury reports, pregame analysis and game previews.
This Sunday, Faulk will join Eisen and Mariucci on NFL GameDay Highlights at 7:30 PM ET, replacing Deion Sanders who is in Atlanta to receive his Hall of Fame ring at halftime of the Falcons 1:00 PM ET matchup vs. Carolina.
‘Sunday Sit-Down: Michael Irvin 1-on-1 with Patriots WR Wes Welker
Michael Irvinsits down with Patriots WR Wes Welker to discuss his journey from being an undrafted free agent who was cut by San Diego to one the league’s most prolific wide receivers:
“The mind can be a powerful thing. I think just believing in yourself and if you go out there every single play with that mindset of hey, I’m going to make a play here, if I don’t make it, nobody is going to make it, I think ultimately that’s the most key thing about being a receiver.”– Wes Welker on how he is able to have success, despite his size
“I was pretty devastated after that and really didn’t know what was going to happen. I was kind of lost and next thing you know, I was on a plane to Miami. I was going to be on the practice squad at first there and then ended up getting bumped up.”– Wes Welker getting cut by the Chargers and going to Miami
“No, not at all. I thought I was going to return kicks and punts my whole career. I didn’t know that it could become this. At the time, I was just trying to keep a job. I was thinking the more receiver I can play, then they’ll see I can do that and help out there and they’ll keep me around longer.”– Wes Welker on if he thought he matched Jerry Rice’s record-breaking paces
“It’s definitely pressure, but at the same time I love it. I love being that guy and having that attitude that I have to get this done for us and make sure that I’m making the plays necessary for us to win. You know, having No. 12 back there doesn’t hurt either and once you get that first play, it kind of takes the pressure off everybody.” – Wes Welker on the pressure of being the target on the field
“Keep on encouraging him and keep on bringing him along, talking about different routes and telling him at some point, you’re going to have to have a breakout game for us to win. We have all the confidence in the world that’s going to happen.”– Wes Welker on how he encourages fellow wide receiver Chad Ochocinco
To view Irvin’s interview with Patriots WR Wes Welker, please visit:
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-player-interviews/09000d5d823214f0/Sunday-Sitdown-Wes-Welker
Quotes from NFL GameDay Morning:
“He’s playing as well as he ever has. I know everyone looks at the offensive line and he’s running around, getting hit, but in the midst of all that, he’s playing good football.”– Kurt Warner on Eagles QB Michael Vick
“It’s impressive what Jim Harbaugh has these guys doing. Their offense is only ranked 27th, their defense is sitting at (number) 13, but somehow they’ve found ways to win football games.”– Marshall Faulk on the San Francisco 49ers
“The biggest question for Atlanta from me is ‘where’s the defense?’ You have this explosive, high-powered offense that wants to go up and down the field; well, give them the ball. Go out and shut people down, get them off the field, get the ball back to your offense and let them go out and attack people.”– Warren Sapp on the Atlanta Falcons
“Matty Ice, he’s great, he’s fine, but not yet Kurt Warner. He’s not yet in charge of ‘The Greatest Show on Turf.’ He still has a running team that can throw the ball.”– Michael Irvin on QB Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons
“By the definition of what a receiver’s job is – catching passes, first downs, touchdowns – absolutely, without a doubt.”– Michael Irvin on if Patriots WR Wes Welker is the best receiver in the league
“This quarterback, the way that he is playing, he will not lead this team to a Super Bowl… Unless he becomes the facilitator that he is and not the playmaker that he wants to be. Quarterbacks facilitate. Playmakers make plays. When you try to do both, you become a double agent in this business.”– Marshall Faulk on if Cowboys QB Tony Romo will ever lead Dallas to the Super Bowl
“You just continue to run the football because this defense, they’re a collection of talent that is not playing well together as a team.”– Marshall Faulk on how the Redskins should attack the Philadelphia
“This guy is playing football like I’ve never seen before. I thought I knew who Alex Smith was coming into this season. Now, I’m starting to think that maybe I was wrong.”– Kurt Warner on 49ers QB Alex Smith
“They’re going to ask this defense to win this game because Tony Romo cannot. The ball cannot be in his hands at the end of this football game.”– Marshall Faulk on the Dallas Cowboys game plan vs. New England
“The [Detroit] Tigers are eliminated, so it’s all about the Lions.”– Steve Mariucci on the Detroit Lions
“Tony Romo is a great quarterback…But he needs more. It’s not a one-man game; he can’t take them by himself, he won’t win it by himself. This defense has to show up.” – Warren Sapp on if QB Tony Romo will ever win a Super Bowl with the Cowboys
Bold Predictions:
Steve Mariucci: Cowboys QB Tony Romo will have his best game of the season vs. New England
Marshall Faulk: Patriots will rush for 100+ yards on the Cowboys No. 1-ranked rush defense
Kurt Warner: For the first time in NFL history, there will be 12 100-yard rushers this weekend
Warren Sapp: Week 5 bye teams (Baltimore, Cleveland, Dallas, Miami, St. Louis, Washington) will not win today
Michael Irvin: Panthers QB Cam Newton throws for 400 yards vs. Atlanta and Panthers win.
Michael Lombardi’s ‘Front Office View’
On the Aaron Curry trade from Seattle to Oakland:
Right now they’re relying on Hugh Jackson. This trade was in the works before Mr. Davis passed away. They needed a linebacker. They play linebackers that are big, physical, but cannot play in space which is one of the reasons you can run the ball on the perimeter of the Raider defense. So this trade was in the works; they got Seattle to pay off most of the contract, which fits the structure of the Raiders salary cap and the trade was made. Essentially, Hugh Jackson is really running the operation right now.
On Carson Palmer trade rumors:
I reported on Friday in my [NFL.com] column that Carson Palmer has been in contact, phone contact with Mike Brown, but every time they have a conversation, the gap widens. Mike Brown is not going to trade Palmer. This has been a dead issue going back to the summer, it will continue to be a dead issue once the trading deadline passes on Tuesday.
On Brandon Lloyd trade rumors:
I think they have to trade Brandon Lloyd. They knew going in when you put Tim Tebow under center, Brandon Lloyd’s effectiveness within the offense is not going to be there. Plus, his contract is expiring at the end of the season, he won’t be in Denver. I look for the St. Louis Rams, the Tennessee Titans to make a strong play for him. I really believe he’ll be traded by the deadline on Tuesday.
On Brandon Marshall trade rumors:
[The Dolphins] have invested two No. 2 picks into Brandon Marshall along with a huge contract. To me, it seems unlikely they could recoup that and bring the value back to the Miami Dolphins. The Dolphins are short a playmaker. They need Brandon Marshall more than they can get rid of Brandon Marshall.
On Reggie Bush trade rumors:
Reggie Bush has been a disappointment in Miami, partly because they anticipated him to have more of an impact with they’re daily offense. I think if someone made the right phone call they would do something with Reggie Bush. Remember Miami, 0-4, they have to use their assets to put themselves in a better position for next season. Reggie Bush is essentially seen as an asset, I’m not sure he’s a full-time asset.
On Kyle Orton trade rumors:
I think certainly Kyle Orton could be had at the right price, for any price. But who’s going to pick up a quarterback with such a high salary cap number, such a high paragraph five and then he comes into your team and he won’t know what to do to run that offense. I think it would be unlikely he would get dealt at this point of the season.
On the Philadelphia Eagles rumored to bring in a defensive consultant:
They’re not talking about a consultant. There’s this rumor that Eric Mangini was supposed to be involved with this decision, coming in to help them out, but the reality is Eric Mangini is not. Mangini talked to this team back in January and February, they still had not hired Juan Castillo, as potentially being the defensive coordinator. For whatever reason, they did not go in the Eric Mangini direction, but right now this is Juan Castillo’s baby. He went third person on us this week and talked about how in 10 weeks, we’re going to come back and say that he did have a plan. But here is the key component; there is a lot of doubt in that Philadelphia locker room with their players about whether they can actually have the right coaching to turn this thing around.
On NFL.com the following video clips from NFL GameDay Morning are available for viewing:
Bold Predictions – Week 6 – The NFL GameDay Morning crew discusses their outrageous predictions for week 6 of NFL action.
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/09000d5d82327228/Week-6-bold-predictions
Prime Time Pride – Episode 6 of The NFL Season heads to The Motor City to see how Detroit’s unwavering love from the Lions is finally paying off.
http://www.nfl.com/features/the-season-2011/episode-6
Does Romo have what it takes? – Will Tony Romo ever win a Super Bowl with the Dallas Cowboys? The NFL GameDay Morning crew discusses whether or not the star quarterback is championship worthy.
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/09000d5d82327683/Does-Romo-have-what-it-takes
Are the Eagles done? – The star-studded Philadelphia Eagles are off to a slow start. Is their season over or can Michael Vick lead this team back to playoff contention?
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/09000d5d823277b5/Are-the-Eagles-done
Surprise team of the season – Which team is more of a surprise this season, the Detroit Lions or the San Francisco 49ers?
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/09000d5d82327061/Surprise-team-of-the-season
Season of spectacular catches – The 2011 NFL season has been filled with acrobatic receptions. Take a deeper look at how receivers perfect the art of a one-handed catch.
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/09000d5d82326ed5/Season-of-spectacular-catches
What will we learn? – What will we learn after week 6 of NFL action? Steve Mariucci discusses trends and topics to watch out for in this week's games.
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/09000d5d82326e8c/What-will-we-learn
Most dangerous 3-2 team – Which 3-2 team will be the most successful this season? The NFL GameDay Morning crew discusses which team will thrive by the end of the season.
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/09000d5d82326db3/Most-dangerous-3-2-team
Fantasy greats for Sunday – Need to make any last minute changes to your fantasy team? Michael Fabiano and Warren Sapp reveal which players will be fantasy greats this Sunday.
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/09000d5d82326cb9/Fantasy-greats-for-Sunday
Rams to upset the Packers? – Will the St. Louis Rams defeat the Green Bay Packers? The NFL GameDay Morning crew discusses how the Rams may be able to upset the Super Bowl champs.
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/09000d5d82326c1d/Rams-to-upset-the-Packers
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