FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sunday, December 1st, 2019

FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA – WEEK 13 NOTES & QUOTES

“As crazy as it sounds, they’ve got to try to stop the Patriots from running the ball and force Tom Brady to throw to win this game.” – Tony Dungy on the Texans

“I’m going to tell you why Stephon Gilmore is the best cornerback in the league, and it’s because he’s very patient at the line of scrimmage.” – Rodney Harrison

“Lamar Jackson was just phenomenal. Bad weather, but dominated the game with his ability to run, and of course showed that he’s the full, complete quarterback by throwing within the pocket.” – Chris Simms

“Chargers fans have seen that movie many, many times.” – Mike Tirico on the Chargers’ last-second loss to the Broncos

STAMFORD, Conn. – Dec. 1, 2019 – Mike Tirico hosted the Week 13 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 New England Patriots and Houston Texans. 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 an outdoor set outside NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. He was joined by SNF analyst Cris Collinsworth, with Al Michaels and Michele Tafoya also reporting from inside the stadium. McHugh interviewed Texans QB Deshaun Watson, while Tafoya interviewed injured Texans DE J.J. Watt.

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

Following are highlights from Football Night in America on NBC:

ON TEXANS

Michaels: “When you look at the assistant coaches off the Bill Belichick tree, Bill O’Brien would be the most successful. And much like Belichick, he has a lot of control over the personnel that surrounds this organization…He has done a masterful job…In my mind, Bill O’Brien is a little overlooked as far as coaches are concerned because he over the last year and two-thirds is now 18-9. But the big question is, can he finally beat his mentor?”

Dungy on WR Will Fuller: “I think he’s going to be huge (tonight). Bill Belichick always wants to take away the number one threat (DeAndre Hopkins). Fuller’s got to step up for them tonight.”

Simms on Fuller: “If they want to be real in the AFC playoff picture, he has to stay healthy because he has to be that other weapon for (Deshaun) Watson down field…Very dangerous when his hamstrings hold up.”

Dungy on how to beat the Patriots: “As crazy as it sounds, they’ve got to try to stop the Patriots from running the ball and force Tom Brady to throw to win this game.”

J.J. Watt to Tafoya on potential of returning from injury if Texans make the playoffs and progress of his rehab: “I do what the doctor tells me, I’ll say that – I do what the doctor tells me. We’ve always been wanting to make sure we do everything we possibly can to get back out there with the guys. If the doctor gives me the green light at some point here in the near future, I will take the green light gladly, and get back out there with my guys, because there’s nothing more that I want to do than be out there with my guys and in front of these fans…(the rehab) is going extremely well. I feel unbelievable. The doctors, the rehab guys are taking great care of me. I feel really, really good. They’re kind of holding me back every day because that’s just the way things go…”

Tafoya: “Holding back because you want to move on?”

Watt: “Of course, but that’s how it goes. They’re really good about that, and they know my personality and I know them, so we know exactly how hard to push and how hard not to push. Hopefully we have some fun down the road.”

Watt comparing this rehab to previous injury rehabs: “This is cake. I can run, I can work out legs, I can do core workouts, I can do my upper body. Compared to previous rehabs, this is a walk in the park.”

ON PATRIOTS

Collinsworth on the offense: “They’re much more of an inside-out kind of offense, and I think that’s part of the reason they miss (Rob) Gronkowski so much. Think of it as a boxing match. This team is much more jab, jab, jab, and an occasional hook – take the shot down the field. Flip it over to Deshaun Watson and what they’re doing in Houston, and that is much more just the opposite. That’s hook, hook, hook, go for the knockout, and occasional jab.”

Harrison on CB Stephon Gilmore: “I’m going to tell you why Stephon Gilmore is the best cornerback in the league, and it’s because he’s very patient at the line of scrimmage…He keeps his shoulders square as long as possible.”

ON RAVENS

Simms: “Lamar Jackson was just phenomenal. Bad weather, but dominated the game with his ability to run, and of course showed that he’s the full, complete quarterback by throwing within the pocket.”

Dungy on Jackson: “The poise that he has. San Francisco tried to play zone and take away the big play. He picked that zone apart and was just fantastic.”

Harrison on Ravens’ success running the football: “Lamar Jackson is great, but no one really talks about a big part of why he’s having success. The tight ends, the wide receivers, the running backs are 15-20 yards down the field blocking – very unselfish.”

ON 49ERS

Simms: “Let’s not forget about the 49ers. They’re still one of the best teams in football. I think the weather conditions hurt them more than Baltimore…As far as the NFC playoff picture is concerned, it’s not the last we’ll hear from San Francisco.”

Tirico: “They could be legit. They’re going to be a very tough out. They also could be the No. 5 seed by the time we go to bed tomorrow night.”

ON STEELERS

Harrison on WR James Washington: “He’s becoming that No. 1 receiving threat down the field. Every week we seem to see more big plays by this young man.”

Harrison: “Big plays in the passing game, but if they want to go far in the playoffs, they’re going to have to run the ball behind that big offensive line.”

Tirico on Steelers’ resilience: “Everybody they’ve asked – with all of the injuries and all of the changes – have showed up for the Steelers.”

ON RAMS

Dungy: “Sean McVay did a great job getting Jared Goff going, and a lot of it was off play action.”

ON CHARGERS

Dungy on pass interference with seconds remaining: “First of all, I do not understand this defense. How you get into this position on the last play of the game, it baffles me.”

Tirico on Chargers’ last-second loss to Broncos: “Chargers fans have seen that movie many, many times.”

ON REDSKINS

Simms on RB Derrius Guice: “He definitely (looked good). This is the future as far as the Washington Redskins are concerned. And since Bill Callahan has taken over as the head coach, it’s been about the run game.”

ON GIANTS

Florio on head coach Pat Shurmur: “He seems to sense what is coming. We’re hearing the whispers around the league that change is in the air. Consider this – Ben McAdoo was fired after his 28th regular-season game a couple of years ago. He was 13-15, and he had gone to the playoffs his first year. This was Game 28 for Pat Shurmur. He’s 7-21. It’s not looking good for Pat Shurmur, and it’s not looking good for the Giants.”

ON DOLPHINS

Tirico on their win vs. Eagles: “Full credit to Miami. They were supposedly tanking for whomever? Not at all.”

ON BENGALS

Harrison on Bengals’ first win after starting season 0-11: “I’ve played on a 1-15 team. Getting that first victory is huge. It’s like winning a playoff game.”

ON JUNIOR SEAU

Harrison on Junior Seau, who was named to the front seven on the NFL 100 team: “He taught me how to be a pro…He was the hardest-working player I’ve ever been around. He would drive me crazy because we’d be in ‘one’ coverage and Junior would end up anywhere he wanted.”

Dungy: “You think it drove you crazy? How about us trying to play against him…We knew where he’d line up, but we had no idea where he was going to go.”

FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA