FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sunday, December 20th, 2020
NOTES & QUOTES FROM WEEK 15 EDITION OF FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA ON NBC
“He wasn’t ready to play today…He was rusty, probably not totally 100% healthy.” – Chris Simms on Drew Brees
“That is what you call roughing the tackler.” – Tony Dungy on Derrick Henry stiff arming a defender
“No one plays harder than this guy, always gives 100%.” – Rodney Harrison on Jamal Adams
“Jets win. Jets fans not happy about it.” – Liam McHugh
STAMFORD, Conn. – Dec. 20, 2020 – NBC Sports’ presentation of Week 15 of the 2020 NFL season began tonight from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., with Football Night in America leading into coverage of Browns-Giants on Sunday Night Football on NBC.
Liam McHugh hosted FNIA from NBC Sports Group’s Studio 1 in Stamford, Conn., and was joined by Pro Football Hall of Fame head coach Tony Dungy, two-time Super Bowl-winner Rodney Harrison and former NFL quarterback Chris Simms. NFL Insider Mike Florio joined Football Night remotely from his home studio. Jac Collinsworth co-hosted the show on-site from MetLife Stadium and was joined by his father and Sunday Night Football analyst Cris Collinsworth.
Steve Kornacki, NBC News’ celebrated political correspondent, returned to FNIA to analyze NFL Playoff probabilities. He will also appear at halftime of tonight’s game. For more information about Kornacki, click here.
In addition, Jac Collinsworth interviewed Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski during pre-game.
Mike Tirico (play-by-play), Collinsworth (analyst), Michele Tafoya (sideline reporter) and Terry McAulay (rules analyst) are calling tonight’s game. Al Michaels was not cleared to work the game in accordance with NBCUniversal COVID-19 safety protocols.
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Following are highlights from tonight’s edition of Football Night in America on NBC:
ON BROWNS
Cris Collinsworth on QB Baker Mayfield: “The offensive line has been such a difference (this season). He’s had a clean pocket to throw…you give him time to throw and good things are going to happen, and good things are happening right now for the Cleveland Browns.”
Harrison on head coach Kevin Stefanski: “The most impressive thing is there’s not a lot of drama there. He’s done a good job of limiting distractions and having his football team 100% focused on football.”
Dungy on Stefanski: “He’s brought a mentality to this team of being physical…he’s got everybody buying in.”
ON GIANTS
Dungy on head coach Joe Judge: “He’s brought the same thing as Kevin Stefanski (in Cleveland). ‘We’ve got a plan in place, we’re going to be physical, we’re going to be tough.’ And there’s no nonsense, no drama.”
Cris Collinsworth on Colt McCoy playing for injured Daniel Jones at QB: “Don’t forget that they went up to Seattle with Colt McCoy not too long ago, just a couple of weeks ago, and pulled off one of the biggest upsets in the entire season.”
Jac Collinsworth on McCoy: “He was about one of 30 quarterbacks that never quite panned out there in Cleveland.”
ON CHIEFS
Simms: “The Chiefs are the most fun, frustrating team I’ve ever seen.”
Simms on QB Patrick Mahomes’ touchdown pass to TE Travis Kelce: “Was that a chest pass? Was that Magic Johnson or Steph Curry or was that Patrick Mahomes? Every week they find crazy stuff to do.”
ON SAINTS
Simms on QB Drew Brees: “He wasn’t ready to play today…he was rusty, probably not totally 100% healthy…and it just looked like he was indecisive and inaccurate…it’s very rare that we see him this flustered.”
Dungy: “He wasn’t ready to play, but I understand as a coach, you’ve got to play your ace in these types of games. Even if you’re not sure he’s ready, he comes to you and says, ‘I need to be in there,’ you’ve got to do it. You’re not going to turn your ace down.”
ON TITANS
Harrison: “Corey Davis is probably the most underrated receiver in the National Football League.”
Dungy on a stiff arm from RB Derrick Henry: “That is what you call roughing the tackler.” (laughter)
Dungy on Henry: “He reminds me of Earl Campbell because you’re afraid to hit him, but then he has the speed to outrun you.”
ON COLTS
Simms: “They’ve been a different offense and Philip Rivers has been a different quarterback since T.Y. Hilton’s been back healthy.”
Dungy on end zone fumble recovery: “Colts defense wasn’t great, but they hustled and played until the final whistle. This last play won the game for them.”
ON DOLPHINS
Dungy: “The Dolphins are hot, and it starts with Brian Flores. They are adopting his mentality — toughness. He made a bold move eight weeks ago going with Tua Tagovailoa (as starting QB). They are 6-2 since that move.”
Simms on head coach Brian Flores: “I think what jumps out is the attitude that Brian Flores has brought to the Miami Dolphins. Running the football, defense. You have a young, rookie quarterback, so you have to manage him and get him ready for playoff football.”
ON RAVENS
McHugh: “Christmas came early for the Ravens. They got to play the Jaguars today.”
Dungy on WR Dez Bryant’s TD reception: “A week ago, Dez Bryant was talking about retiring. They talked him out of it. Welcome back, Dez!”
ON SEAHAWKS
Harrison on S Jamal Adams: “No matter where he lines up, if he lines up on the line of scrimmage, you have to treat him like a defensive end…No one plays harder than this guy, always gives 100%.”
ON BUCCANEERS
Simms on QB Tom Brady and Buccaneers second-half comeback: “Maybe the best half of football Tom Brady’s played as a Buccaneer. Impressive today.”
Cris Collinsworth: “I’m watching the game, get to halftime, and all I think about is, is it over for the Bucs? Over for (Tom) Brady? Would he possibly retire? This is just not happening this year. 320 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions later, Tom Brady is back and so is the entire cast of characters. You see him not only hitting (Mike) Evans, (Chris) Godwin, but Antonio Brown now being a part of the mix. You go, ‘is that who we’re going to see?’ … we have seen flashes of brilliance with the Bucs, but we have also seen flashes of ‘what is that?’ What are you going to get in the playoffs? I don’t know.”
Cris Collinsworth on Antonio Brown: “Whether it is quarterbacks or receivers, you want playoff experience and you want playoff greatness. Antonio Brown, come playoff time, is a guy who knows how to get it done.”
ON CARDINALS
Dungy: “What I’m excited about if I’m an Arizona fan, I’ve got a defense that can put some pressure on the quarterback.”
ON EAGLES
Simms on QB Jalen Hurts: “He is dangerous…he’s much faster than I thought he was, I can’t lie. He’s been very impressive turning the corner and making plays with his legs…looks at the first read and if he doesn’t like it, he goes to what he does best, which is running the football.”
Harrison: “This is a different team with Hurts at quarterback. They play with a lot more passion.”
ON BEARS
Florio: “The Bears were done and now the Bears aren’t done.”
Simms: “Where was this offense the first 14 weeks of the year? Run the ball.”
Dungy: “Run the ball, please.”
Harrison: “It’s not just running the ball. It’s a mindset.”
Simms: “They’re a different offense in the last three weeks.”
ON RAMS
Simms: “The same thing has scared me about them all year. We know they can play defense, but when they cannot run the ball and use the bootleg game, which Jared Goff and Sean McVay made so famous, their drop-back pass game cannot carry them.”
ON JETS
Dungy on Jets scoring TD on fourth-and-goal: “I love this call from Adam Gase. Go for the jugular on fourth down.”
McHugh: “Jets win. Jets fans not happy about it.”
–FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA–
