Here are some notable quotes from Fox NFL Sunday and Football Night in America from Week 3.
First, Fox NFL Sunday:
Following a feature on the Cardinals’ 2-0 start led by veteran quarterback Kurt Warner, co-host Terry Bradshaw talks about the frustration with the other QB in Arizona: “I’m most disappointed in Matt Leinart. believe he should be starting but he has acted like a quarterback diva. He’s acting like he’s the star, like he earned that right. He got beat out and I’m disappointed in him for getting beat out. think the Cardinals are sending him a message. Get in that study room and be the professional we expect you to be or I think Arizona will move on and get another new quarterback.”
Analyst Jimmy Johnson added: “Terry, it’s simple. He’s not starting because he’s not as good as Kurt Warner.”
Co-host Terry Bradshaw ranks his top-five QB’s under the age of 30: “My top-five youngsters all have the following in common: poise, leadership, game-presence, football intelligence and when they are in, it ain’t over until it’s over.”
No. 5 Jay Cutler (Age 25) “This kid is showing me something. I love his physical skills and that arm. Playing last season while not knowing he had diabetes and losing all of that weight, well that’s impressive. Cutler could be No.1 in a couple of years.”
No. 4 Philip Rivers (Age 26) “I’ve loved this kid for a while. I watched him back at North Carolina State when he started all four years. He has that funky delivery but he can make all of the throws. He took his team to the AFC Championship last year and I think he’ll bring the Chargers back from their rocky start.”
No. 3 Tony Romo (Age 28) “This Dallas star is the most electric of the bunch. Romo runs one of the most loaded offenses and the ‘Boys play hard for him. What I love is that nothing seems to faze him. He messes up, no big deal. He’ll come right back with a TD to T.O. He still needs to be the man in the big game, but for 16 games, no one is better.”
No. 2 Eli Manning (Age 27) “The first three guys are all Riverboat Gamblers, but Eli loves to stay within the design of the offense. In crunch time he has a special rapport with Plaxico Burress. This time last year, Eli would not have made my list but as I’ve said, winning is what counts and Eli won when it counted. And then when it really counted, he performed in stunning fashion.”
No. 1 Ben Roethlisberger (Age 26) “Like Eli, Ben can keep the gameplan going no matter what happens. He can make all of the throws and keeps every play alive. Right now he is playing hurt and it’s no big deal. His record is 41-16, has won five of his seven playoff games and won a ring. At one month shy of 24, Ben became the youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl. He’s my No. 1 and he just so happens to play in my No. 1 town.”
Analyst Jimmy Johnson gave his take on Bradshaw’s list: “Drew Brees should be on there and Jay Cutler should be No. 1. He’s the best in the league. He will win.”
Analyst Michael Strahan challenged Johnson’s reasoning for picking Cutler No.1: “If you want to say ‘will win’, it’s Tony Romo. Romo is the best quarterback during the regular season. So if you want to say ‘will win’, Romo is the one you want. “
NFL Insider Jay Glazer reported on Vikings player reaction to learning that Tarvaris Jackson was benched for Gus Frerotte at quarterback. “There was a lot of relief. The problem, according to a lot of players, is that Tarvaris has lost his confidence. It started with the preseason and carried over to the regular season.”
Co-Host Terry Bradshaw, who last week called for Jackson to be benched, on the switch: “I think Brad Childress and the Vikings had a bad draft when he took Jackson. I don’t think he’s anywhere near Donovan McNabb [Childress was McNabb’s quarterbacks coach in Philadelphia the year the Eagles drafted him]. We knew coming out of Syracuse that Donovan McNabb could throw from the pocket and had a great arm. Someone like Jackson will take a while t
o develop but he’s a coach killer right now.”
FOX NFL SUNDAY analyst Michael Strahan feels referee Ed Hochuli should face consequences similar to players for his incorrect call in last week’s San Diego-Denver game: “I’ve been poked in the eye. I’ve had officials apologize to me for screwing up. As a player, if you mess up, they cut you and get rid of you. They don’t mess around and say, ‘Maybe next week you’ll get it right.’ I think with Ed, it was a big screw up and Norv Turner’s job is in jeopardy because of it. It may be time to go. He’s a great official but you don’t want to hear that human error cost you a game as a player.”
Co-host Bradshaw also weighed-in on Hochuli: “He should be suspended and fined just like all of the players and the coaches are. Suspend him one game and fine him and do not let me see him do a playoff game. He screwed it up and it cost Norv. That’s a bad deal.”
Now, Football Night in America on NBC.
CRIS COLLINSWORTH ON DOLPHINS' UPSET OVER PATRIOTS: "We knew it was going to be over early, we just didn't know the Dolphins were going to be the ones on top."
TIKI BARBER ON THE RAIDERS: "The story of this game is the Oakland Raiders. Obviously, there's a lot of turmoil going on within this organization – Lane Kiffin talking about how he's going to be fired in the coming weeks – obviously, he's on a separate page than Rob Ryan who's the defensive coordinator. They had this game won against the Buffalo Bills and down the stretch the defense was playing in a deep, very deep backed off zone that allowed Trent Edwards to just pick them apart and get in position and win the game."
KEITH OLBERMANN ON THE BENGALS: "Not to say things are bad in Bengal land, but earlier today Cris [Collinsworth] was claiming he spent his entire career with the Tampa Bay Bandits."
CRIS COLLINSWORTH ON DOLPHINS-PATRIOTS GAME & MATT CASSEL: "Credit the Dolphins [for the win], but Matt Cassel has to show more."
DAN PATRICK ON BRADY: "Could Brady win the MVP with not even playing the rest of this season?"
COLLINSWORTH'S RESPONSE: "It's a good question, because clearly now watching this offense without him [Brady], there is a major difference, and I think defenses now are starting to scheme for what Matt Cassel is doing – that little dinky/dunky kind of passing game."
JEROME BETTIS ON IF THE BROWNS SHOULD PLAY BRADY QUINN: "I think you have to look at that situation, and if they don't call for him I know other teams are definitely looking at him, so they've got to make a tough decision. They paid Derek Anderson this off season, so can you make the switch right now? You're 0-3. You need to do something to mix that team up."
TIKI BARBER ON SCOTT LINEHAN: "I said last week he had three weeks – two weeks and I'm calling Jim Fassel. He's out. It's ugly."
COLLINSWORTH ON THE UNPREDICTABLE AFC: "The Matt Cassel-led Patriots – they don't feel like the champions; the Colts offense can't get it going; San Diego hasn't won a game; Jacksonville finally won one today, and oh, by the way, Buffalo, Denver, Baltimore and Tennessee – all undefeated. We might be flexing a bit this year if we keep going down this road."
BOB COSTAS TO COLLINSWORTH ABOUT THE BENGALS: "The Bengals, by the way, in contrast, are 0-3."
ANDREA KREMER'S INTERVIEW WITH AARON RODGERS:
RODGERS ON LEARNING FROM BRETT FAVRE: "Brett gave me an image of what greatness looks like, firsthand, up close. I was in his hip pocket for three years listening to the things he said, watching the way he practiced, watching the way he prepared, and just taking out all the great things that he did and trying to incorporate them in my own preparation, my own performance, in the way I practice, and way I interact with the guys."
That’s it.
