FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sunday, September 18th, 2022
NOTES & QUOTES FROM WEEK 2 EDITION OF FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA ON NBC AND PEACOCK
“You can feel the history of this place just pulling into the parking lot.” — Jac Collinsworth on Lambeau Field
“The offense that was set up for Trey (Lance), that’s on the shelf for a year, and now they’re going to go back to their old offense (with Jimmy Garoppolo), and they know how to run that offense well. They’re going to be fine.” – Tony Dungy on the 49ers QB situation
“Coop was a free agent with us out of Central Michigan. From minute one, low blood pressure, poised – we saw all of that today.” – Jason Garrett on Cowboys QB Cooper Rush
“I don’t know how the Bengals can survive with this type of play from the offensive line not protecting their franchise in Joe Burrow.” – Chris Simms on the Bengals
Peacock Sunday Night Football Final Streams EXCLUSIVELY on Peacock Following Bears-Packers and Every Sunday Night Football Game During 2022 Season
STAMFORD, Conn. – Sept. 18, 2022 – NBC Sports’ presentation of Week 2 of the 2022 NFL season began tonight from Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis., with Football Night in America leading into coverage of Bears-Packers on Sunday Night Football on NBC and Peacock.
Maria Taylor hosted FNIA from NBC Sports’ Studio 1 in Stamford, Conn. She was joined by Hall of Fame head coach Tony Dungy, former NFL quarterback Chris Simms, former NFL head coach Jason Garrett, and fantasy sports industry pioneer Matthew Berry. Two-time Super Bowl winner Rodney Harrison joined co-host Jac Collinsworth at the site of the game. NFL Insider Mike Florio provided reports from his home studio.
Mike Tirico (play-by-play), Cris Collinsworth (analyst), Melissa Stark (sideline reporter) and Terry McAulay (rules analyst) are calling tonight’s game. Tirico also reported from the field during FNIA.
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Following are highlights from tonight’s edition of Football Night in America on NBC and Peacock:
ON BEARS
Garrett on Bears head coach Matt Eberflus: “Matt was on our staff in Dallas for seven years. The Saturday night defensive meeting was can’t-miss. (He) would go into demonstrations of how you tackle, pictures of 1910 football players, hamstring tackles, how to punch the ball out. He believes in fundamentals – it’s the DNA that comes from you, Coach Dungy – with that Tampa 2 defense years ago. That’s how this defense plays.”
Dungy on Eberflus: “Their mentality is we’re not going to fool you, but we’re going to outhit you and outhustle you, and his players are starting to believe.”
Harrison on Eberflus: “He’s a no-nonsense guy. He’s a great communicator. What I love about him most is he holds his players accountable. We saw that offensively last week, just how physical (the Bears) played…and defensively, they played with a lot of discipline.”
ON PACKERS
Jac Collinsworth on Lambeau Field: “You can feel the history of this place just pulling into the parking lot.”
Simms on QB Aaron Rodgers’ struggles in Week 1 loss: “We know Rodgers is still super talented. He’s got one of the best arms in the game, but one of the things I do worry about is a lack of aggressiveness at times.”
Harrison on the Packers’ defensive struggles: “I look at the defensive coordinator, Joe Barry. He’s got one of the most talented teams that the Packers have had in the last 10 years and he’s playing so conservative…(He needs to) allow these guys to play and get after it.”
ON 49ERS
Dungy on 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo taking back the starting job: “I think the big thing for the 49ers is Kyle Shanahan knows this quarterback. This isn’t a new guy that you’re hoping to see what he can do. He knows exactly what he likes, what he’s good at, and he’ll be able to tailor that offense to him…The offense that was set up for Trey (Lance), that’s on the shelf for a year, and now they’re going to go back to their old offense (with Jimmy Garoppolo), and they know how to run that offense well. They’re going to be fine.”
ON BUCCANEERS
Dungy on the Buccaneers’ win over the Saints: “When I spoke to Todd Bowles last week, he told me, ‘We are not going to beat this team just throwing it up and down the field. We’ve got to make some plays on defense. We’ve got to be more physical.’ They kept giving the ball to Leonard Fournette, and eventually (Tom) Brady made the critical throw to win it, but it was physicality.”
ON BENGALS
Simms on 0-2 start: “Some of the issues we saw last year are rearing their ugly head once again here and in fact I don’t know if they don’t look worse. The offensive line is supposed to be better this year…it didn’t matter. They had no answer for the Cowboys pass rush throughout the game…(On Cowboys’ six QB sacks) If it weren’t for Joe Burrow and how slippery he is, it would have been double-digit sacks. I don’t know how the Bengals can survive with this type of play from the offensive line not protecting their franchise in Joe Burrow.”
Dungy on the Bengals’ 0-2 start: “It’s the way they’re losing to me — offensive line issues, Joe Burrow getting hit a lot, and today the defense let them down against Dallas.”
ON COWBOYS
Garrett, who was head coach of the Cowboys for 10 seasons, on his former player Cowboys QB Cooper Rush: “Coop was a free agent with us out of Central Michigan. From minute one, low blood pressure, poised – we saw all of that today.”
ON DOLPHINS
Simms on Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa’s performance in the Dolphins’ comeback win over the Ravens: “Tua was nice. His composure was great. We had a lot of questions about him being able to push the ball down the field. He did that today to Tyreek Hill and (Jaylen) Waddle. They’re a fast football team.”
ON STEELERS
Taylor: “You heard head coach Mike Tomlin say after the game that they are looking for some more splash plays. They have not found their offensive rhythm yet.”
Dungy: “They haven’t, and I hate to disagree with Coach Tomlin, I don’t think they need splash, I think they need physicality upfront, get that running game going.”
Garrett: “Think about how the Steelers have played for 40 or 50 years – physical, tough defense, and they’ve gotten away from that a little bit.”
Simms: “They can’t run the football. Their O-line has been overpowered in both games…It’s not time for a quarterback change, let’s just pump the breaks.”
ON GIANTS
Garrett: “How about Daniel Jones? Give him some credit. The number one trait for Daniel Jones is mental toughness and it showed up today. Some big throws for first downs in critical moments, and then he used his feet at the end of the game to seal the deal.”
ON JAGUARS
Simms on the Jaguars after their Week 2 victory over the Colts: “They’ve got talent at receiver, we know their quarterback is coming of age, they got some running backs, and the draft and free agency additions they’ve added through this offseason have just been phenomenal. Jacksonville, watch out for them.”
Garrett: “They look the part, they’re physical, they’re tough. This front seven dominated the game. Matt Ryan was uncomfortable from play one. He had white shirts all around him and they were dominant.”
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Peacock Sunday Night Football Final, an NFL post-game show produced by NBC Sports, streams exclusively on Peacock following every Sunday Night Football game during the 2022 season. The show is hosted by NBC Sports commentators Kathryn Tappen and Chris Simms, who will provide instant reactions to each Sunday game along with highlights and interviews. Football Night in America commentators Jac Collinsworth and Harrison will also provide recaps and insights into the day’s biggest moments from the site of each week’s SNF game, and Mike Florio will provide injury and news updates. Matthew Berry will also join the show to provide advice and an early look at the fantasy waiver wire.
— Football Night in America —
