FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sunday, September 29th, 2019

FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA – WEEK 4 NOTES & QUOTES

“They’re going to be great, it’s just going to take some time.” – Tony Dungy on the Cleveland Browns

“He’s been one of the best defensive players I’ve seen, if not the best, this year.” – Rodney Harrison on Buccaneers LB Shaq Barrett

 “He can be gone this week, next week, the week after. It’s starting to feel like it’s an inevitability that it’ll happen at some point this year.” – Mike Florio on Jay Gruden’s Job Security

“He’s 31 years old. He’s doing a great job…So here he is and I’m thinking he’s almost on the same career path as Sean McVay.” – Al Michaels on Cowboys Offensive Coordinator Kellen Moore

STAMFORD, Conn. – Sept. 29, 2019 – Mike Tirico hosted the Week 4 edition of Football Night in America tonight from NBC Sports’ International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Conn., in advance of the Sunday Night Football matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and the New Orleans Saints. Tirico was joined on the set by analysts Tony Dungy, Rodney Harrison, and Chris Simms, as well as NFL Insider Mike Florio.

Liam McHugh co-hosted Football Night in America from a new set outside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. He was joined by SNF analyst Cris Collinsworth, with Al Michaels and Michele Tafoya also reporting from inside the stadium.

McHugh interviewed New Orleans Pelicans’ rookie Zion Williamson, the number one overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, who also narrated a taped piece about New Orleans.

FNIA also included highlights, analysis, and news from around the league.

Following are highlights from Football Night in America on NBC:

ON COWBOYS

Michaels on development of offensive coordinator Kellen Moore: “He’s 31 years old. He’s doing a great job…So here he is and I’m thinking he’s almost on the same career path as Sean McVay. McVay getting the Rams job when he was 31 years old.”

Collinsworth on Dallas’ offensive line: “There is good protection and then there is the Dallas Cowboy protection that we’ve seen so far. It has been simply unbelievable…It’s almost like silly, comical kind of pockets because there’s no one close.”

Dungy on Dallas’ offense: “It’s a great formula. Just what those old Cowboy teams had – the threat of the run and the pass. Kellen Moore has done a great job of giving Dak Prescott the freedom of utilizing those two guys (Ezekiel Elliott and Amari Cooper).”

Tirico on Prescott, Elliott and Cooper: “If they can keep them together for a while, I don’t know if they’re going to have the success of the original ‘Triplets,’ but it’ll be a sequel worth watching.”

ON SAINTS

Collinsworth on the city of New Orleans: “It’s unbelievable. It’s always a party here, right? When the Saints are playing, it’s a bigger party, but when the Saints are playing the Cowboys? Then you get this [around the new outdoor set].”

Collinsworth on Kamara: “Without Drew Brees you lose a little bit of that big-play element. But with Alvin Kamara it still exists. This guy has become the human joystick…If they’re going to win it, he has to be the guy.”

Simms: “Kamara is so important to that short passing game. The linebackers of the Cowboys are some of the best in football…That really will be something to watch.”

Harrison on Taysom Hill: “You don’t know where he’s going to line up – tight end, in the slot, as a wide receiver, as a running back. But he’s big, he’s physical and he embraces contact.”

Tafoya on Brees: “Before he underwent any procedure, Brees called a number of athletes who have been through the same injury and one of those is Angels centerfielder Mike Trout, baseball’s two-time MVP.”

ZION WILLIAMSON TO LIAM MCHUGH

On his relationship with Drew Brees: “As a 19-year-old kid to see the king of the city give me a signed jersey, it meant a lot. We have a great relationship. He says if I need anything, to holler. And he gives the best advice.”

On New Orleans: “It’s incredible, man. When I first got here, Drew (Brees) told me if I love the city, it’ll love me right back, and it’s held true. The city shows a lot of love.”

ON BEARS

Dungy: “The best thing I’ve seen this weekend is that Chicago defense. Khalil Mack and those guys lose their starting quarterback, it doesn’t matter. They totally shut down Minnesota.”

ON BUCCANEERS

Harrison on Shaq Barrett: “He is unbelievable…He’s just doing a little bit of everything. He’s been one of the best defensive players I’ve seen, if not the best, this year.”

Simms on Jameis Winston: “This is what’s crazy about Jameis Winston. This is the second week in a row he’s on fire. I just hope we don’t go back to head-scratching Jameis Winston, and next week’s a disaster.”

ON RAMS

Harrison: “Two things I know that scare Jared Goff is bad weather and pressure. [You] get him moving and get him uncomfortable in the pocket, he is not the same quarterback.”

Simms on the Rams defense: “Definitely a poor effort. Usually their pass rush can ruin a football game, and that just wasn’t the case today.”

ON REDSKINS

Florio on Jay Gruden’s job security: “We’re keeping an eye now on coach Jay Gruden. He can be gone this week, next week, the week after. It’s starting to feel like it’s an inevitability that it’ll happen at some point this year.”

ON BROWNS

Tirico: “Look who’s in first place for the first time since late in 2014? Cleveland at 2-2.”

Harrison: “All week we heard criticism about the head coach, the quarterback. They’re in first place. Not bad for a team trying to establish their identity.”

Simms: “They got back to the running game in Cleveland. They’re not great at pass protecting, but this is a good run-game offensive line…Smash mouth football, pulling guards underneath the center. In Cleveland this week, they had to be pumped they’re getting back to this style of football.”

Dungy: “Browns fans, get used to this. This is a very talented team, but they are going to be up and down because they haven’t played together long enough. They’re going to be great, it’s just going to take some time.”

ON RAVENS

Harrison: “The Baltimore Ravens just couldn’t get over last week’s loss. They came out with absolutely no energy, and they just couldn’t tackle. They completely forgot how to tackle.”

ON CHARGERS

Harrison: “I know Melvin Gordon is back, but Austin Ekeler, he’s earned the right to playing time. This guy’s been tremendous.”

ON RAIDERS

Simms on Tyrell Williams: “He’s the go-to guy now that there’s no Antonio Brown. They’ve got to continue to find ways to get him the ball.”

Florio on Vontaze Burfict: “Even though he was ejected, that doesn’t necessarily insulate him from further discipline such as a potential suspension. His history will be a big factor. Last year alone, he had (fines) over $165,000 for three on-field violations. He could end up being suspended as soon as tomorrow.”

ON GIANTS

Tirico on Daniel Jones: “First start at home, he’s not in the Hall of Fame yet but some good stuff today.”

Simms on Jones: “This is what Daniel Jones does. Not only aggressive decision-making and throwing the ball down the field, but able to break a tackle on third-and-13 and get the first down.”

ON JAGUARS

Simms on Leonard Fournette: “We’ve always been saying, ‘What’s up with Leonard Fournette? Where’s he at? Where’s the Jaguars run game?’ Well, he showed you where it was at today.”

Harrison on Fournette: “He looked like the old guy from LSU.”

ON LIONS

Simms on Matthew Stafford: “I give (Matthew) Stafford a lot of credit for playing through an injury, and really played well throughout the day.”

Harrison on Stafford: “He’s tough as nails.”

–FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA–