FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sunday, November 3rd, 2013

BOB COSTAS INTERVIEWS J.J. WATT AND CHUCK PAGANO

Football Night in America Preview – Week 9

We’ve been playing bad football.” – J.J. Watt

“He’s a linebacker, mentality wise, playing quarterback.” – Chuck Pagano on Andrew Luck

NEW YORK – November 3, 2013 – Bob Costas interviewed Houston Texans DE J.J. Watt and Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano for tonight’s Week 9 edition of Football Night in America, which will preview Colts-Texans, and include highlights, analysis and reaction to earlier Week 9 games.

Football Night, the most-watched pre-game show in sports, airs each Sunday at 7 p.m. ET on NBC with Costas hosting the program live from inside the stadium. He will be joined on site by Sunday Night Football commentators Al Michaels (play-by-play) and Cris Collinsworth (analyst), as well as NBC NFL analyst Hines Ward, for reaction to the afternoon games and to preview tonight’s match-up.

Dan Patrick co-hosts Football Night from famous Studio 8H at NBC’s 30 Rockefeller Plaza studios in New York City. He is joined by Super Bowl-winning head coach Tony Dungy; two-time Super Bowl winner Rodney Harrison; Peter King of Sports Illustrated; Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk on NBCSports.com and NBC Sports Network; and Scott Pioli, the former NFL Executive of the Year who is new to the NBC NFL team this season. Carolyn Manno will report from Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., on the Steelers-Patriots game.

INTERVIEW: Below are excerpts from Costas’ interviews with Watt and Pagano. If used, please note the mandatory credit: “In an exclusive interview airing tonight on Football Night in America.”

J.J. WATT WITH BOB COSTAS

On his explanation for the team’s poor play: “We’ve been playing bad football. That’s the explanation. On defense, we need to get takeaways. That comes along with winning because as you win, you put other teams in passing situations. They have to throw the ball more. You can get sacks. You can get interceptions. We just need to get the ball rolling again.”

On his relationship with the late Bum Phillips: “It was neat. When I first got drafted here, I had a chance just to do some research. I wanted to learn about Houston, learn about the city, and one of the first things that comes up is ‘Luv Ya Blue.’ It all came back to one man, Bum. And when I got a chance to meet him, and the way that he was around me and some of the words he said to me, and just seeing who he was, was a big deal to me.”

On Bum’s memorial service: “It was a special deal. I don’t know if it’s weird to say this about a memorial, but it was really cool. It’s so neat to see the way Bum handled his life and to see how many people he affected, and that’s what we all hope for. We all hope that someday, when our time comes, that people want to rally around and want to celebrate our life because we affected so many lives.”

On Halloween at his house: “A little bit crazy. It’s just me by myself handing out trick or treats. I loved that time as a kid and it’s so fun to see the kids’ faces light up and the smiles. It’s the best.”

CHUCK PAGANO WITH BOB COSTAS

On Reggie Wayne: “You just can’t replace a Reggie Wayne. His leadership is going to be missed. Obviously what you see on game day, what the public sees, is one thing. But what you don’t see is Monday through Saturday is just; it’s a huge hit for all of us.”

On Andrew Luck being unique (size, athleticism, intelligence): “Absolutely. Everything that you just said makes him very, very special. He’s a linebacker, mentality wise, playing quarterback. He gets a little bit jittery. In college, he would always go out a little bit early in the game and take off running on purpose (to get hit) just to get the cobwebs out or whatever. And now we’ve kind of said, look, we really can’t afford to have you doing that at this level, Andrew. So, (joking) if you need me to slap you around before the game or start head butting somebody on the sideline, why don’t we try that.”

On younger brother and Chargers defensive coordinator John Pagano: “Before the game is really the only time, shake hands, give a hug here or there. My record is not very good vs. my little brother. I think I’m 1-8 now. He doesn’t rub it in. We’re good about that. I did it the one win that I got.”

FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA