FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sunday, October 26th, 2014
NOTES & QUOTES FROM NBC’S “FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA” – WEEK 8
“It’s obvious that Geno Smith is not the answer for the Jets. I don’t know if Michael Vick is, but you have to make the switch.” – Tony Dungy
“Bears fans keep asking me what’s wrong with their team. I tell them, everything is wrong with the team.” – Rodney Harrison
“These are clearly two of the best that have ever played the game.” – Cris Collinsworth on Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers
STAMFORD, Conn. – October 26, 2014 – Following are highlights from NBC’s Football Night in America, the most-watched studio show in sports. Bob Costas opened the show live from inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, La. Costas was joined on site by Sunday Night Football analyst Cris Collinsworth, sideline reporter Michele Tafoya, NBC NFL analyst Hines Ward, and NBC Sports’ Josh Elliott.
Dan Patrick co-hosted Football Night from NBC Sports Group’s Studio 1. He was joined by Super Bowl-winning head coach Tony Dungy; two-time Super Bowl winner Rodney Harrison, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk on NBCSports.com, and NFL Insider Peter King. Kathryn Tappen reported from University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., on the Eagles-Cardinals game. Rebecca Lowe, host of NBC Sports Group’s coverage of the Premier League, briefly joined Patrick, Dungy, and Harrison to review the Atlanta Falcons – Detroit Lions game, which was played at Wembley Stadium in London, England.
In addition, Costas interviewed New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees, while Elliott talked with Green Bay Packers WR Jordy Nelson.
Following are highlights from Football Night in America:
ON PATRIOTS
Harrison: “Tom Brady was great today, and so was Rob Gronkowski. Each week Gronkowski looks like he’s getting healthier and getting better.”
Dungy on Tom Brady: “Four weeks ago we said ‘What’s wrong with Tom Brady?’ The Patriots got it fixed. Today I saw protection and receivers getting open. That was it. Brady is playing great.”
ON JETS
Dungy: “It’s obvious that Geno Smith is not the answer for the Jets. I don’t know if Michael Vick is, but you have to make the switch and see if you can get a spark.”
Patrick: “Jets… say hello to turnovers. Turnovers… say hello to the Jets.”
Patrick: “You can hear it in Rex Ryan’s voice and see it in his eyes. He’s a dead man walking.”
ON BEARS
Harrison: “Bears fans keep asking me what’s wrong with their team. I tell them, everything is wrong with the team.”
Harrison: “I’m just looking at the Bears and how bad they played. No sense of urgency. It was very disappointing to me.”
ON SEAHAWKS
Dungy: “I would be a little concerned because they’re still not hitting on all cylinders. They won today, but it wasn’t a great performance.”
Dungy on Russell Wilson: “Russell Wilson wasn’t as sharp as he normally is. He didn’t get the job done today on some of the easy plays. What I do love about him, no matter how the game is going, he delivers the big plays when they need it.”
Harrison: “I’m concerned about the defense. In particular, the secondary. They haven’t made the big plays that I’m used to seeing them make.”
King on Marshawn Lynch: “Count me among those who believe that this is Marshawn Lynch’s last year with Seattle. I don’t think the Seahawks are going to pay him $6.5 million next year, at age 29. I also don’t think they’re going to trade Marshawn Lynch by Tuesday’s trade deadline. Right now, he’s just too valuable.”
ON FALCONS
Rebecca Lowe on a Premier League loss similar to the Falcons’ loss today: “It would be similar to being up 3-nil at halftime… and then losing 4-3. It would be gutting, chaps.”
Click here: http://www.nbcsports.com/football/nfl/rebecca-lowe-joins-football-night-america
Harrison: “When I look at the Falcons, it’s the same mistakes each and every week. You see the penalties and the missed assignments.”
Harrison: “It’s the coach’s responsibility to mentally prepare the team, but it’s also the players’ responsibility not to make senseless mistakes. Matt Ryan can’t make the same mistakes.”
ON LIONS
Dungy: “Last year I said ‘same old Lions’, because they were losing games they should win. This is the second week in a row that they won a game that they should have lost.”
ON CARDINALS
Harrison on Larry Fitzgerald: “The old man can still run.”
ON PACKERS
Ward on Jordy Nelson: “He’s capitalized on his opportunity this year. That’s why he’s playing at a Pro Bowl level. Any time Aaron Rodgers looks out and sees one-on-one coverage, he has all the trust Jordy Nelson will win, because Nelson has really developed into an all-around wide receiver. He’s a great route runner who can beat you over the top. He can also take the short pass, and take it the distance. He’s a good wide receiver, but Aaron Rodgers makes him great.”
ON SAINTS
Collinsworth on Brees and Rodgers: “These are clearly two of the best that have ever played the game. They are on the same stage tonight, in perfect conditions. It really should be a lot of fun.”
ON TRADE PROSPECTS
Florio: “One name that reportedly is available, Doug Martin of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He injured an ankle today, so his status is unknown. That could affect his trade availability.”
King on cornerbacks: “I’ve scoured the league. I just don’t think there are many, if any, available. You might be able to get Tony Carter from the Broncos, if you’re desperate for a corner, but no one is offering good corners right now.”
Florio: “The Eagles are scouring the league for another safety. They’d like to pair someone else with Malcolm Jenkins, an upgrade over Nate Allen. We’ll see if they can find anyone.”
Note: On tonight’s Week 8 edition of NBC’s Football Night in America, the most-watched studio show in sports, Bob Costas interviewed New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees. In addition, Josh Elliott spoke with Green Bay Packers WR Jordy Nelson.
DREW BREES WITH BOB COSTAS
Brees on Saints’ loss last week in Detroit, where he threw an interception late in the game: “I’m fine with taking responsibility and accountability…that’s one of the five worst feelings I’ve had after a football game. The other thing you have to have as a veteran quarterback, is the ability to flip the switch and move on to the next opportunity.”
Brees on QB Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense: “He’s playing as well as you can play the position…there’s a tremendous amount of respect for him and that offense. It makes you feel like we have to be as sharp as we can possibly be.”
Brees on his comments during training camp about playing until he’s 45 years old: “I understand that there’s a lot that goes into that. As the season begins, it becomes all about that season, this team, and about what we’re setting out to accomplish. At this point, now sitting at 2-4, it becomes about what we’re going to need to overcome.”
Costas: “Drug testing in the NFL is entirely random. After you said that you could play until you are 45, you were drug tested two days in a row. Were they testing for PEDs or for hallucinogens? (laughing)”
Brees: “Probably both. I threw that out there to be funny, but it was the truth. Supposedly they’re random, but I guess you’ve got to watch what you say (laughing).”
JORDY NELSON WITH JOSH ELLIOTT
Nelson on growing up in a small farming community in Manhattan, Kansas: “It was a lot of hard work and very time consuming. If it wasn’t school or sports, it was farming…it was a huge part of our life. It was how we made a living, and everyone pitched in.”
Nelson on how Green Bay is a great fit for him and his wife: “Coming from an extremely small hometown, growing up in the country, Green Bay is a rather large city for us. It’s not the case for many people who play in the NFL. It’s just perfect.”
Nelson on Aaron Rodgers’ ‘R-E-L-A-X’ comments: “We were relaxed. Offensively we didn’t do anything. We were calm. We just knew we needed to execute.”
Nelson on his fan interactions regarding fantasy football: “I’m asked daily, especially with social media. Mainly it comes down to scoring a touchdown…. if your owner is happy with you or not. They might trade you, then the next week you’ll have a good game and they’ll be mad that they traded you. It’s pretty entertaining.”
–FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA–
