Time for the NFL Sunday pregame quotage posts. They’re a bit late, but later is better than never.
We begin with NFL Network’s stuff.
News & Sound Bites From Week 12 Editions of NFL Network’s NFL GAMEDAY FIRST & NFL GAMEDAY MORNING
Quick Quotes from NFL GameDay First & NFL GameDay Morning
– “[Robert Griffin III] met with Mike Shanahan to clear the air and the word I get from inside the building is they are working together.” – Ian Rapoport on Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III and head coach Mike Shanahan
– “At Baylor, they didn’t put [Robert Griffin III’s] bad plays up on the board in the meeting rooms; sources familiar with the situation say he has asked the Redskins to do the same. They have refused to this point.” – Mike Silver on Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III
– “Wes Welker’s knowledge of the Patriots is going to trump Bill Belichick’s knowledge of Peyton Manning.” – Marshall Faulk on Denver Broncos wide receiver Wes Welker
– “That Panther team that I saw Monday night, if that team shows up the rest of this season…the Panthers will win this division.” – Michael Irvin on the Carolina Panthers
– “I’m going with the Cleveland Browns because of the defense. The corner [Joe Hayden] can shut you down and the linebackers can play.” – Jerry Glanville on who will take the final playoff spot in the AFC
– “He is not the problem; he’s doing just what he need to do. He’s keeping them in some games and he needs some help.” – Michael Irvin on New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith
***For complete quotes from ‘NFL GameDay First’ & ‘NFL GameDay Morning,’ see below***
Quotes from NFL GameDay First
Every Sunday morning at 7:00 AM ET, NFL Network is first on the field with NFL GameDay First. Host Melissa Stark, co-host/analyst Sterling Sharpe, and analyst Shaun O’Hara provide the first analysis of the day’s games, while NFL Network reporters stationed across the league report from stadiums with the first on-location reports of the day. This week, former NFL head coach Jerry Glanville joined as a guest analyst.
– “The Green Bay Packers have set themselves up but it’s a must-win for them today against the Minnesota Vikings.” – Sterling Sharpe on the NFC Wild Card outlook
– “If you can’t stop the run this time of year when the wind is blowing and the weather is bad, forget about being a playoff contender… They have to stop the run; they have been awful the last few weeks.” – Sterling Sharpe on the Chicago Bears
– “I’m going with the Cleveland Browns because of the defense. The corner [Joe Hayden] can shut you down and the linebackers can play.” – Jerry Glanville on who will take the final playoff spot in the AFC
– “They cannot afford to have him standing on the sideline like what happened to Green Bay Packers and Aaron Rodgers.” – Sterling Sharpe on why San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick is not scrambling as much this season as he did last year
– “It doesn’t matter. I’ll take either one. They can both get it done.” – Jerry Glanville on which quarterback he would rather have, Peyton Manning or Tom Brady
Quotes from NFL GameDay Morning
NFL GameDay Morning is the most comprehensive pregame show on Sunday morning, airing at 9:00 AM ET for four hours on NFL Network and taking viewers straight up to kickoff. Host Rich Eisen joins analysts Steve Mariucci, Marshall Faulk, Kurt Warner, Warren Sapp and Michael Irvin to bring fans the latest news, injury reports, pregame analysis and game previews. Additionally, NFL Media Insiders Ian Rapoport and Mike Silver provide the latest inside information from around the league.
– “Wes Welker’s knowledge of the Patriots is going to trump Bill Belichick’s knowledge of Peyton Manning. He’s going to be the pawn in this chess match to help the Denver Broncos win today.” – Marshall Faulk on Denver Broncos wide receiver Wes Welker
– “That Panther team that I saw Monday night, if that team shows up the rest of this season…the Panthers will win this division. That’s a hard team to stop.” – Michael Irvin on the Carolina Panthers
– “There is no more important down in football than third down and that’s where Cam Newton has been truly special; 127 quarterback rating over the six week span, 73 percent completion – better than anybody in the National Football League. That to me is where he’s made his money and he’s allowed this team to win six straight.” – Kurt Warner on Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton
– “As well as Josh has played – and he might be able to manage games better than Jay – I still think Jay gives them a better chance long-term; gives them a better chance to get into the playoffs by making big plays with that big arm.” – Kurt Warner on if the Chicago Bears are better on offense with Josh McCown at quarterback than Jay Cutler
– “What they’re doing so well is they’re finding ways to get the ball out of [Ben Roethlisberger’s] hands quickly…He’s doing a good job of getting the ball into the playmakers’ hands.” – Kurt Warner on quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have won four of their last six games
– “When you want to leave a place, you have to make sure that the next place you go to, they understand you’re not damaged goods. That’s what Ben is doing. This is out now, so if I go somewhere, you’re not going to ask me to come as discount Ben – I’m coming as two-time Super Bowl champ Ben.” – Marshall Faulk on Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger
– “He is not the problem; he’s doing just what he needs to do. He’s keeping them in some games and he needs some help. He needs better receivers.” – Michael Irvin on New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith
– “This team will not make the playoffs – will not make any noise – with an offense as boring and stagnant as this.” – Kurt Warner on the Dallas Cowboys
– “I get frustrated looking at the Detroit Lions defense…Do they want to control this division? And if they want to take it, it’s going to take that defense and the leaders on that defense to play way more consistent than they’ve been doing the last six ballgames.” – Warren Sapp on the Detroit Lions defense
– “I don’t believe in either one of these guys.” – Marshall Faulk on New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning and Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo
NFL Media Insiders Ian Rapoport & Mike Silver
On Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III and head coach Mike Shanahan:
Ian Rapoport: “What I am told is that [Robert Griffin III] met with Mike Shanahan to clear the air and the word I get from inside building is they are working together. There is an air of positivity, essentially because there is no other choice. Kirk Cousins is not an option, has never been an option, but when you talk to players, you get a guy like Santana Moss who grew up in the Bill Parcells world where the quarterback takes blame for everything, RGIII hasn’t done that and that’s rankled some guys.”Mike Silver: “There is a lot of air to be cleared. This is real. RGIII has expressed to teammates his dissatisfaction with Mike Shanahan and this could be coming to a head. Inside the building, when you talk to people familiar with this situation they perceive RGIII as kind of insecure, specifically about Kirk Cousins, which may be one reason he was so eager to rush back. At Baylor, they didn’t put RGIII’s bad plays up on the board in the meeting rooms; sources familiar with the situation say he has asked the Redskins to do the same. They have refused to this point but keep an eye on this situation.”
On Seahawks cornerback Walter Thurmond:
Rapoport: “What I am told from several sources familiar with this situation that Walter Thurmond, the starting nickel corner, is facing a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s Policy [for] Substances of Abuse. I am told he is appealing; he is set to drop that appeal early this week. Take into consideration that Brandon Browner is also out four-to-six weeks, a difficult schedule ahead for the Seahawks – they face the 49ers, they face the Saints – they’re going to have to get by without Walter Thurmond.”On referees:
Rapoport: “I am told referees were reminded this week they need to give an explanation on the microphone when they have a play like [the final play of the Patriots-Panthers game] at the end of the game. And also supervisors, when coaches don’t get an explanation, must head into the locker room now and tell coaches what happened.”On NFL.com the following video clips from NFL GameDay First & NFL GameDay Morning are available for viewing:
– Week 12 Bold Predictions – The NFL GameDay Morning crew provides their Bold Predictions for Week 12:
http://on.nfl.com/18hnTL2– Week 12 Sunday Statements – The NFL GameDay Morning team talks about their top storylines from the Week 12 action ahead:
http://on.nfl.com/Idnqhf– Peyton Manning – Tom Brady: The Rivals – Some of the greatest rivals in sports history tell why having rivalries is so essential to sports and explain what makes the Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady rivalry so special:
http://on.nfl.com/1aQGcEg– Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady: Round 14 – The NFL GameDay First crew debate which quarterback they would rather have, Peyton Manning or Tom Brady:
http://on.nfl.com/1914vMQ– Washington Redskins Quarterback Robert Griffin III, Head Coach Mike Shanahan “Clear the Air” – NFL Media Insiders Ian Rapoport and Mike Silver report Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III and head coach Mike Shanahan met earlier this week to “clear the air”:
http://on.nfl.com/18029NR– Contenders or Pretenders: AFC Wild Card – Sterling Sharpe, Shaun O’Hara and Jerry Glanville try to figure out which team will claim the final AFC Wild Card spot:
http://on.nfl.com/1cgwOJI– Who Needs the Game More: New York Giants or Dallas Cowboys? – The NFL GameDay First crew debates which team is in more need of the win, the New York Giants or Dallas Cowboys:
http://on.nfl.com/1aJc1zZ– Lights, Cam, Action – The NFL GameDay Morning crew explains what’s been most impressive about Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton during the team’s six-game winning streak:
http://on.nfl.com/1aJeo5R– Quarterback Controversy in Chicago? – As Chicago Bears backup quarterback Josh McCown continues to play well, are the Bears better off with McCown under center or does Jay Cutler give the team the best shot to win?:
http://on.nfl.com/17SlLbX– Praise for Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger – As the Pittsburgh Steelers have fought their way back in the AFC playoff picture, is quarterback Ben Roethlisberger the reason for the team’s resurgence?:
http://on.nfl.com/1i64pgi– Clearing Up the Murky AFC Playoff Picture – The NFL GameDay Morning crew debates which team will lay claim to the final AFC playoff spot:
http://on.nfl.com/18zevjW– Will Geno Smith Cost the New York Jets a Playoff Spot? – The NFL GameDay Morning crew debates whether New York Jets rookie quarterback Geno Smith can lead the team to the playoffs or will ultimately cost the team a playoff spot:
http://on.nfl.com/1jycshk– Ian Rapoport: Denver Broncos Tight End Julius Thomas ‘Not Looking Good’ to Play – NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport gives the latest injury updates on big names:
http://on.nfl.com/1dtvU1p– Hall of Famers Only: Who Deserves to go in Next? – NFL GameDay Morning’s Hall of Famers Michael Irvin, Marshall Faulk and Warren Sapp debate which of the semi-finalists deserve to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014:http://on.nfl.com/1919kpr
And that does it for this post.
