“If you do something like that to someone in the streets, you’re going to jail. He deserves to be suspended one game.” – Rodney Harrison on Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski’s hit on Bills DB Tre’Davious White
“If a defensive coordinator could play quarterback, he would play it just about the way that Case Keenum plays the game. It is one of the really tremendous stories that has been happening this year.” – Cris Collinsworth
“This is not a Corvette. This is a dump truck. This is all they have got. Ugly, but they are winning.” – Tony Dungy on the Titans
“We have questioned their heart, we have questioned their passion, their effort, and now we are questioning their discipline.” – Harrison on the Chiefs
STAMFORD, Conn. – Dec. 3, 2017 – Following are highlights from Football Night in America, which aired prior to tonight’s Week 13 Sunday Night Football matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and Seattle Seahawks on NBC. Mike Tirico opened the show live from inside CenturyLink Field in Seattle, Wash. He was joined on site by the Sunday Night Football team of Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Michele Tafoya.
Dan Patrick co-hosted Football Night, the most-watched studio show in sports, from NBC Sports Group’s Studio 1 in Stamford, Conn. He was joined by Super Bowl-winning head coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Dungy; two-time Super Bowl winner Rodney Harrison; and NFL Insider Mike Florio of NBC Sports’ Pro Football Talk. Paul Burmeister reported from the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, La., on the Panthers-Saints game. Football Night also included Tirico’s interview with Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll.
In addition, Football Night featured an interview with actor and Seahawks fan Chris Pratt, who will star in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, as a well as a teaser for the film which will be released next summer.
Following are highlights from Football Night in America on NBC:
ON EAGLES
Michaels: “Everything is working. The offense is great, the defense is great, special teams is great. I think a lot of honors may be headed their way, and one of them might be Coach of the Year. Doug Pederson has done a magnificent job in Philadelphia.”
Collinsworth: “We want to talk about Carson Wentz and all of the things they’ve done in the passing game, but at their core, the Philadelphia Eagles run the ball and stop the run, and it’s why they’re 10-1.”
ON SEAHAWKS
Michaels: “Russell Wilson is having a phenomenal year. He’s accounted for all but one of their offensive touchdowns. Obviously he’s their passing game, but he’s also their running game…when it comes to the MVP vote, Carson Wentz right now might be the guy, but Wilson is in the mix – and there’s some guy named Brady.”
ON PATRIOTS
Harrison on TE Rob Gronkowski following hit on Bills DB Tre’Davious White: “He’s not a dirty player, but if you do something like that to someone in the streets, you’re going to jail. As disappointed as I am in Rob Gronkowski, I do believe that he deserves to be suspended one game. It’s just unnecessary, for a guy to be down there, he’s unprotected, and for you to purposely jump 270 pounds on him and drive your forearm to the back of his head is just unnecessary…he is a great kid, but he made a huge mistake.”
Florio on potential suspension: “Discipline most likely will be imposed. Consider that White was on the ground, he didn’t see it coming, the play was over, and that blow to the head – there could be significant discipline coming, possibly even a suspension.”
ON CHIEFS
Harrison: “It is just not about X’s and O’s. We have questioned their heart, we have questioned their passion, their effort, and now we are questioning their discipline. Andy Reid has so much work to do within this locker room to get these guys just to focus, just to play hard.”
Dungy: “You said it last week – attitude. I kind of disagreed with you, but today you see it. This was just undisciplined football in the defensive part (of the game). The offense finally gets going, scores 31 points…I do not think Kansas City recovers from this.”
ON VIKINGS
Collinsworth on QB Case Keenum: “Tony Dungy would appreciate this more than anyone – if a defensive coordinator could play quarterback, he would play it just about the way that Case Keenum plays the game…‘don’t screw it up, don’t screw it up for my defense because they are simply that good.’…I am not going to compare him to Hall of Famer Kurt Warner, but it was that same sort of feel. ‘Is the season over for the Minnesota Vikings? They are on their third quarterback, the poor Vikings.’…it is one of the really tremendous stories that has been happening this year.”
Dungy: “They go on the road to Atlanta, make a statement, (play) great defense, and shut down Julio Jones. Case Keenum is playing well for them and what they are saying is, ‘Hey, we can win anywhere. We have got the formula.”’
ON SAINTS
Harrison on Saints’ 31-21 win vs. Panthers: “(I’m impressed) because of the way they lost last week (to the Rams). They come back and completely just physically dominate the Carolina Panthers. I did not think that they could do that.”
Patrick on RB Alvin Kamara: “He’s the third rookie in NFL history with at least 100 scrimmage yards and a touchdown in five straight games. The other two players – Eric Dickerson and Franco Harris – big-time stuff there.”
ON TITANS
Dungy: “This is not a Corvette. This is a dump truck. This is all they have got. Ugly, but they are winning.”
Harrison: “They benefit from an easy schedule. They are in first place so we have to show some level of respect…one and done in the playoffs?”
Dungy: “Let’s hope that they get to the playoffs.”
ON PACKERS
Collinsworth on impact of Aaron Rodgers’ potential return to the lineup: “We have that X-factor sitting out there. They get Cleveland next week, and then Aaron Rodgers is back. If they are within striking distance, it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
Harrison: “They can beat Cleveland and then Aaron Rodgers comes back, but he has to face two of the best defenses in the league – Carolina and Minnesota.”
ON CHARGERS
Dungy on Los Angeles’ playoff chances: “They have the pass rushers and they have the best quarterback play in this division. I think that the Chargers are going to win (the AFC West).”
ON REDSKINS
Florio on QB Kirk Cousins’ contract situation: “His camp has no idea what Washington is going to do when the season ends. Decisions have to be made. Franchise tag, $34.5 million? Transition tag, let him walk away as a free agent, try to sign him to a long term deal?…for now, Cousins’ people have no idea what Washington is going to do.”
Florio on head coach Jay Gruden: “In the offseason, Jay Gruden got an extension, but it was kind of vague as to how much security it really provides. Four seasons and three years with no playoff appearances – what do you do with Jay Gruden? Does it make it easier to turn the page on the quarterback if you do bring a new head coach? So it could be that those two ultimately are tied together.”
ON 49ERS
Harrison on QB Jimmy Garoppolo: “The quickest way to get your teammates’ respect is to show how tough you are. He stood in that pocket time and time again, he got hit in the mouth and he showed that toughness.”
Dungy on Garoppolo: “I only have one question – why was he not in the lineup before today?”
ON DOLPHINS
Dungy on onside kick attempt up 33-9 in the fourth quarter: “I don’t think I would do that as a coach.”
Harrison: “It’s the pros. Be ready for anything.”
MIKE TIRICO WITH PETE CARROLL
Full interview: http://www.nbcsports.com/video/losing-legion-boom-hasnt-distracted-seattle-seahawks
Carroll on missing key members of Legion of Boom: “It’s not as big a distraction. We wish we had those guys. To have that level and depth of communication that we developed over the years working together, that’s really an extraordinary characteristic to have on your team. You can’t recapture that for a while. It takes a while to get that done. Fortunately, they’ve kind of set in motion a style and a way to play and a way to approach the game that they’ve also spread to the younger guys, the guys who are coming up now. So we still feel similar, but it’s not the same.”
Carroll on Russell Wilson’s play this season: “It is what it is. We’re going to keep riding it. We’re always looking to improve. We’re always looking to find better ways to do things but right now that’s kind of what the ball game is.”
Carroll on Wilson’s scramble and pass to WR Doug Baldwin against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 10: “I started to get excited because I know something good is going to happen out of that now. He’s created so much magic out of that stuff. When Doug (Baldwin) took off, he just looked like he was shot out of a cannon. Then to see the result, him flying down the sideline, that was a remarkable play.”
Carroll on what he sees in the Philadelphia Eagles: “I think they’re a championship club right now. They’re playing like it. They’ve got to finish it too now, everyone has to finish it. We’ll see how they do. They look to have all the magic happening. The quarterback is getting it done, the head coach is getting it done, and the defense is getting it done. They’re doing a lot of great things. It’s a great challenge for us.”
Tirico: “Does it remind you of a Seattle team?”
Carroll: “I would like to think so. These guys are playing great ball and they’re on it. Like I said, you have to finish.”
–FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA–