We finish our Sunday NFL pregame quotage with Football Night in America and the things that were said on the show by Bob Costas, Dan Patrick, Cris Collinsworth, Al Michaels, Tony Dungy and Rodney Harrison.
Of course, we add Peter King, Mike Florio and Alex Flanagan to the mix.
“FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA” NOTES & QUOTES – WEEK 13“There have been a lot of things that have been outlawed and you have to adjust.” – “Football Night’s” Tony Dungy on players adjusting to new NFL directives on hits“This guy could be the defensive MVP of this league. He’s too good of a player to have this reputation.” – “Football Night’s” Rodney Harrison on James Harrison“He is the most frustrated guy in America right now.” – “Football Night’s” Tony Dungy on Peyton Manning“Take that LeBron!” – “Football Night’s” Dan Patrick on Cleveland’s game-winning field goal over MiamiNEW YORK – December 5, 2010 – Following are highlights from NBC Sports’ “Football Night in America.” Bob Costas hosted the show live from M&T Bank Stadium and was joined on site for commentary by Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth. Co-host Dan Patrick, analysts Tony Dungy and Rodney Harrison, and reporters Peter King and Mike Florio covered the news of the NFL’s 13th week live from NBC’s 30 Rockefeller Plaza studios. Alex Flanagan reported from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on the Cowboys-Colts game.ON HITSFlorio on public comments by members of Steelers against new NFL directives: “Ray Anderson said that the league would prefer that these things be handled privately because publicly it can lead to misunderstanding and confusion among the people that hear what Art Rooney and Mike Tomlin have to say. Keep this in mind that although the Steelers haven’t gotten to this point yet, the same policy that applies to criticism of officiating by coaches could apply here as well. At some point, there could be a fine if the Steelers cross that line. We just don’t know where that line is.”Patrick on players being fined for hard hits but not suspended: “There’s a lot of speeding tickets being handed out but nobody is losing their license.”Florio: “Nobody knows because there is no formula, and that’s part of the problem here. Nobody knows which hit will send James Harrison into a suspension. The sense is that he is a repeat offender. At some point, there will be a suspension. We just don’t know when. I asked Ray Anderson would a suspension be imposed during the playoff push? He said, ‘It doesn’t matter when.’ I said, ‘What about Week 17? Would there be a suspension imposed for the post-season?’ Ray Anderson says, ‘We would suspend for the post-season if there is a hit that requires it in Week 17.’”Dungy: “Mike, I don’t want to shoot the messenger. I do not believe that there is going to be a suspension in the playoffs. They don’t suspend guys in the regular season. The league’s history has been not to suspend. They don’t want to tip the balance of competitiveness. We had a situation when I was in Indianapolis, there was a play, last game of the season, John Lynch had a hit on Dallas Clark and we thought Dallas Clark was going to miss the playoff game. We wanted John Lynch suspended. They said, ‘There is no way.’”Harrison on James Harrison: “I said it over a month ago, you should suspend this guy if he continues with these infractions.”Dungy: “Everybody adjusts and it’s happened for years. There was a time in the National Football League that you could tackle by the facemask. The rule came in you couldn’t. The players had to adjust. You used to be able to have chop blocks, head slaps. There have been a lot of things that have been outlawed and you have to adjust, all players have, James Harrison will eventually, too.”Harrison: “I was stubborn just like James Harrison. I was very prideful and I said, ‘You know what, I’m not going to change my style of play.’ He’s comes out, he’s said that, but he has to change his style of play. You cannot continue to do that. I developed a bad reputation to the point that when I would enter the field, all the officials would say, ‘Hey Harrison, we’re watching you. We got you Harrison.’ James Harrison is too good of a player. This guy could be the defensive MVP of this league. He’s too good of a player to have this reputation.”Collinsworth: “The defensive players are about to lose their minds over not only what is the foul, but these fines are driving them crazy.”ON COLTSDungy on Peyton Manning: “He is the most frustrated guy in America right now. He is not used to making mistakes that cost his team games. What is happening is he’s pressing too much. His offensive line is not quite in sync and he doesn’t have the running game.”Harrison: “He’s pressing too much. He’s trying to make the big play.”Patrick: “You have to start wondering here, are they playoff worthy?”Dungy: “They are. I still think they are going to win the last four. We’ll see what happens, but Jacksonville’s got the edge now. Uncharacteristic mistakes, Reggie Wayne dropped the ball in overtime before this that could have got them going. The leverage penalty, just mistakes you are not used to seeing from the Colts.”ON COWBOYSHarrison: “These are the games that the Cowboys would normally lose. Now you see a smart Cowboys team, a team that’s very confident, a resilient team. Now they are starting to win these games.”Patrick: “Give credit to Jon Kitna. He’s done a nice job there.”Cowboys LB Sean Lee to Alex Flanagan: “The first one (INT), I read his eyes and made a pretty good break on the ball. I don’t think he saw me. The second one, I got lucky. Mike Jenkins made a great play. That ball bounced to me. I was lucky to catch it.”ON FALCONSHarrison: “They are serious. They finally got over that middle hurdle of them going on the road and being able to win. I talked about two weeks ago their struggles in the red zone. They scored three touchdowns (today).”ON BUCCANEERSDungy: “Tampa is going to build off this. Raheem Morris is going to tell his guys, ‘This is probably the best team in the NFC. We played them twice. We should have beaten them twice and we’re right there. We just have to finish these games.’ Tampa has got a young team that you’re going to have to watch out for in the future.”ON VIKINGSKing: “I talked to Leslie Frazier, the Minnesota coach, after the game and he said, ‘Hey, I expected Favre to come back into the game.’ I asked him about this coming week, and he said, ‘Listen, I’ve seen Favre for 18 to 20 years, just like you have. I expect that he is going to be ready to play. He is our starting quarterback, regardless. If he is ready to play, he goes.’ We will find out Tuesday or Wednesday how he’s doing.”King on Jenn Sterger investigation: “What I believe is that Favre is likely to avoid a suspension in this case. And, once more, because of the inordinately long time. Remember, this case was supposed to be cleared up by the end of October. Enough doubt has been cast on Favre’s involvement in the graphic photos that I believe that there’s a good chance he won’t be fined either.”Patrick on Sidney Rice’s acrobatic touchdown catch: “That’s as good a catch as you will see all year.”ON TITANSDungy on Randy Moss: “Where’s Tom Brady when I need him?”Dungy on Titans effort: “It was hard to look at.”Harrison: “They gave up.”Dungy: “They did.”Patrick: “I think they licked a stamp, put it on the envelope and mailed it in.”ON JAGUARSDungy: “I still don’t think they’re a great team.”ON CHARGERSHarrison: “They got physically dominated.”ON BEARSHarrison: “If I’m the Bears, I’m concerned with the sacks that the offense line is giving up. I’m concerned about that pass defense. And if you look at their schedule the next month, I believe they will lose three of their next four games.”ON CHIEFSPatrick on coach Todd Haley’s postgame press conference: “After the game, coach Haley issued a Hallmark greeting card.”ON REDSKINSHarrison: “They are consistently bad at all three phases of the game: offense, defense, and special teams. Offensively, they’re turning the ball over: interceptions, fumbles. Defensively, they’re scared, they’re soft, and they don’t want to tackle anybody. Special teams wise, they’re giving up blocked punts. Just terrible…(on lack of effort) (guys are) planning vacations and saying, ‘Hey, I don’t want to play anymore. I want to protect myself for next year.”ON BROWNSPatrick on game-winning field goal over Dolphins: “Take that LeBron!”ON SEAHAWKSPatrick: “The Pete Carroll Seahawks are now bowl eligible at 6-6.”ON LIONSDungy on the fourth and one: “I really didn’t like the call…Run it up in there. Pound it in there. Make a first down on fourth and a foot.”ON JON GRUDENKing on if Gruden flirted with the University of Miami: “Oh, he flirted. There was a flirtation…I do believe that he would listen to one of two jobs. One of those is the San Francisco job…(The second job) I think that’s a guy (Gruden) who Mike Holmgren would be very interested in looking at.”ON STEELERS-RAVENSMichaels: “In a physical sport, these two teams get after each other unlike any two teams I can think of in the last decade.”
That is it. I might have one more press release post later tonight. If not, good night.
