“I think he’s having as good a year as he’s ever had in his career, it rivals that of his MVP season.” – Chris Simms on Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes
“It’s hard to put a winning program in the NFL together. He’s done it consistently since he’s been there…They just got to keep believing in who they are and they’re going to be there at the end of the season.” – Jason Garrett on Mike Vrabel and the Titans
“Tua is playing some of the best quarterback in the NFL.” – Tony Dungy on Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa
“I thought the Jets’ defense was outstanding…Sauce Gardner continues to prove why he’s one of the best young playmakers in all of football.” – Rodney Harrison
“This is special. This is Michael Vick, this is Lamar Jackson, this is like only four or five quarterbacks in the history of football could do this.” – Simms on Bears QB Justin Fields’ 61-yard touchdown run
Peacock Sunday Night Football Final Streams EXCLUSIVELY on Peacock Following Every Sunday Night Football Game During 2022 Season
STAMFORD, Conn. – Nov. 6, 2022 – NBC Sports’ presentation of Week 9 of the 2022 NFL season began tonight from GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., with Football Night in America leading into coverage of Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs facing Derrick Henry and the Tennessee Titans on Sunday Night Football on NBC, Peacock and Universo.
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 head coach Jason Garrett, former NFL quarterback Chris Simms, and fantasy sports industry pioneer Matthew Berry. Two-time Super Bowl winner Rodney Harrison joined co-host Kathryn Tappen at the site of the game. NFL Insider Mike Florio provided reports from his home studio.
In advance of tonight’s game, Titans RB Derrick Henry spoke to Maria Taylor about playing for head coach Mike Vrabel, the anatomy of a strong stiff arm, and more. See below for a link to the entire interview and transcribed highlights.
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 CHIEFS-TITANS
Garrett on the Chiefs’ and Titans’ styles of play: “Talk about opposite ends of the spectrum. Two really successful teams who do it completely differently. Kansas City, wide open, cutting edge; Tennessee, old school, smash mouth. What I love about both of these teams is they have conviction. They don’t apologize for who they are. It’s a reflection of their coaches. It’s served both teams very well.”
ON CHIEFS
Simms on QB Patrick Mahomes: “I think he’s having as good a year as he’s ever had in his career, it rivals that of his MVP season with the 50 touchdown passes. He’s playing smart, he’s playing in the pocket, and the good thing is the Kansas City offense has evolved.”
Garrett on Mahomes learning from last year’s 27-3 loss to the Titans: “This game was huge for them because he always made the big plays, but now he’s making the big plays and when they’re not there, he’s checking the ball down. They’re more efficient and he’s playing a lot better, and it’s served those guys well.”
Harrison on the Chiefs’ offense: “The biggest difference in this offense has been the wide receivers stepping up and that starts with JuJu Smith-Schuster in the slot, and he’s back to dominating in the slot, using that 6’2”, 225-pound frame to make big plays. But also, Mecole Hardman – Andy Reid is doing a great job of using him on jet sweeps and using his speed to intimidate the defense. I would like to see him use Marquez Valdes-Scantling a little bit more in the deep part of the field, but I think these receivers have done a great job.”
Dungy on Reid’s success coming out of bye weeks: “Two weeks to come up with new plays, new motions, new things, and he’s got a new toy, Kadarius Toney, a receiver that is going to make some big plays for them.”
Harrison on Reid: “A bunch of players all tell me the same thing. Number one, he’s a good dude. He’s very honest and he always puts his players in positions to have success. They love ‘Big Red.’”
ON TITANS
Garrett on the Titans’ success under Mike Vrabel: “I admire Tennessee’s program and their coach, Mike Vrabel. It’s hard to put a winning program in the NFL together. He’s done it consistently since he’s been there. He always gives his team a chance at the end of the season. They just got to keep believing in who they are and they’re going to be there at the end of the season.”
Vrabel to Harrison, his former teammate on the Patriots, on Tennessee’s recent success vs. the Chiefs: “Every game is obviously different, but the turnovers that we’ve been able to take away from them, taking care of the football, being able to control the game. The more that you have it, the less the offense has it.”
Harrison on Vrabel as a player and teammate: “He was so smart. He would always challenge his teammates. He would challenge his coaches. What I loved about him was, as a player, he always came prepared, he worked hard, and he put his team first.”
Harrison on defending against RB Derrick Henry: “You have to stay patient and understand that he’s a great player and he’s going to make plays, but the key is you don’t want him to make those big plays in the run game…and it comes down to tackling. You have to make sure you have all your guys getting low, wrapping his knees up and when he gets in the open field, you have to have multiple guys get to him.”
Taylor on speaking with Henry: “When I handed him the iPad with Earl Campbell highlights, he was like, ‘I could watch this all day.’ He’s a guy who, although he’s young, he loves film. He likes to watch old NFL films and he pulls from old running backs because he watches different ways that they were able to control the game and that’s what he puts into his game.”
Harrison on DT Jeffery Simmons: “Jeffery Simmons is a 6’4, 310-pound version of Aaron Donald. You see the speed, you see the explosion…He hustles. Nobody plays harder than No. 98 on a football field. He’s a fabulous player.”
Simms on the Titans’ loss of WR A.J. Brown: “The last few years, you load the box and it was ‘Uh oh, here comes A.J. Brown with a play action pass.’ Who is that going to be right now for the Tennessee Titans? That’s the one thing I worry about for them going forward.”
ON DOLPHINS
Simms on the Dolphins’ offense: “It’s the ‘Greatest Show on Grass’ right now…Weapons everywhere. (Tua Tagovailoa) is like a point guard out there. He has a quick release, he’s real aggressive.”
Garrett: “As I’m watching them, it feels like that old Rams team. So fast and they make so many plays, and Tua is dynamic.”
Dungy on Tagovailoa: “They’re doing what suits his makeup and what he does well, and it’s awesome to see. They’ve got a lot of weapons, but he is playing great football, making good throws, and putting the ball where it needs to be…Tua is playing some of the best quarterback in the NFL. Incredible.”
Simms: “They’ve got answers for everything, and like Coach said, it fits Tua’s skillset. He’s quick release, he’s smart, he’s accurate, these guys catch the ball on the run, he’s a good athlete.”
Florio on RB Jeff Wilson Jr.’s first game as a Dolphin after being traded from the 49ers: “He walks into a place where he already knows the offense since head coach Mike McDaniel of the Dolphins was offensive coordinator of the 49ers. I was told it was just a few changes made to the terminology and it was easy for Wilson to pick it up.”
ON VIKINGS
Garrett on the Vikings: “It’s been interesting to see Kevin O’Connell go there and relate to the quarterback, Kirk Cousins. I think he’s instilling confidence. Kirk seems calm at the end of these games. They’ve been one-score games, but Minnesota has consistently been making the plays, and Kirk Cousins has made the plays.”
Dungy: “This has been Minnesota’s defense in the fourth quarter all year, making big plays…They’re playing with great attitude, clutch plays. It’s not always been pretty, but clutch plays in the fourth quarter.”
Simms: “They’ve got a run game, (Cousins) throws a nice deep ball, and then they make some plays on defense…I don’t know how they are 7-1, but they are. They’re unbelievable.”
Florio on Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson after his first game as a Viking: “This is the fourth offense that T.J. Hockenson has had to learn during his time in the NFL…I asked him, ‘How comfortable are you now with everything that has gone on this week?’ He said, ‘On a scale of one to ten, 9.5, and it’s only not a ten because he’s still living in a hotel.’”
ON JETS
Harrison on the Jets’ defense vs. the Bills: “I thought the Jets’ defense was outstanding. Five sacks today and Sauce Gardner continues to prove why he’s one of the best young playmakers in all of football.”
Garrett: “They made Josh Allen’s life miserable, and they made the critical plays when they needed to. A huge win for the Jets.”
Dungy: “The Jets defense made things happen. They really confused Allen in the second half…Big plays by the Jets secondary all day.”
ON BILLS
Garrett on QB Josh Allen: “He looked out of sync, he looked uncomfortable. (The Jets) create an uncomfortable environment for you, but as a quarterback you have to take care of the football. He just looked out of sorts all day. Give the Jets credit.”
ON BEARS
Simms on QB Justin Fields’ 61-yard touchdown run vs. the Dolphins: “I mean, words can’t -- this is special. This is Michael Vick, this is Lamar Jackson, this is like only four or five quarterbacks in the history of football could do this right here. Justin Fields playing really good football right now.”
ON BUCCANEERS
Garrett on the Buccaneers: “It can’t get uglier for Tampa, right? As bad a start as it was, all of a sudden they’re 4-5 and on top of the NFC South with a lot of football to be played…Don’t count them out yet.”
ON RAMS
Simms on the Rams’ offensive struggles: “Matthew Stafford, there’s no protection for him. They can’t run the ball and when they do get people open, they somehow seem to mess it up…Issues across the offensive line for the Rams. It’s hard to be good when you can’t block anybody.”
Dungy on the Rams defense allowing the game-winning touchdown drive: “There’s 44 seconds left, they need 60 yards. You’ve got to take away the deep pass and the sideline…I can’t believe it.”
ON BENGALS
Garrett on RB Joe Mixon: “How about Joe Mixon? It’s hard to score one touchdown in the NFL, he scored five of them and let everybody know it.”
ON CHARGERS
Garrett on Atlanta’s fumble late in the fourth quarter: “You can’t give (Justin) Herbert too many opportunities. Atlanta has it, 17-all, the game is in the palm of their hands, they give it right back and Justin Herbert makes them pay.”
ON PACKERS
Simms on the Packers’ problems: “I think the problem is the offense. It’s a lack of big plays on the offensive side of the ball. They actually made some explosive plays in the passing game today, that was encouraging, but (there were) big time mistakes in big time moments.”
ON PATRIOTS
Garrett: “New England is still a work in progress on offense, but their defense has been outstanding.”
ON SEAHAWKS
Simms on RB Kenneth Walker: “I love Kenneth Walker…Great power and playmaking ability.”
Dungy: “In the NFC West, Geno Smith and the Seahawks are outplaying the defending champion Rams and Matthew Stafford.”
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DERRICK HENRY SPEAKS TO MARIA TAYLOR
Click here to watch the full interview, portions of which will air in tonight’s FNIA. Following are highlights of the FULL interview:
On playing for Titans head coach Mike Vrabel
“I love it. I feel like when he came in, everything changed for me. The playing style, the culture he’s brought in here. He’s played the game at a high level, everything he preaches every day we all love, and we all buy into it. I love the style that we play – physicality and being relentless in what we do, making each other better every day. My mentality is his mentality.”
On who would win in an Oklahoma Drill between Henry and Vrabel
“Oh, we always talk trash to each other. I would win, for sure. I would definitely win (laughs).”
On the anatomy of a good stiff arm
“If you get one-on-one with an opponent -- in this league, everybody usually stiff arms or does something -- usually a DB is ready for it and try to break it down. So, you’ve got to make sure you time it up right, right before they get up on you and are able to grab you. You’ve just got to put it out there and be able to push them off before they get too close to your body and are able to tackle you or get one your body parts…If you just be physical with it and have some anger and aggression to it, it usually works.”
On practicing his stiff arm
“We practice it. Because I’ve done it so much, we have a helmet that I stiff arm every day before practice so it’s just repetition. Coach Vrabel is big on that. If he sees you doing it in a game, he wants you to keep on working on it especially if it’s effective.”
On the importance of the run game in today’s NFL
“It’s a QB-friendly league, but I still think you have to run the ball to be a complete team and to be able to dominate your opponent. I think nothing is more dominating than moving guys off the line of scrimmage and running the football over and over again where they can’t stop it even when they know it’s coming.”
On his game resembling any other running backs
“Growing up, I always watched NFL Network, NFL Films, and you know, me being taller and people saying, ‘He’s too tall to play running back,’ I started looking more into that and Eric Dickerson – when I saw film of him running and how dominant he was when he was playing, I became a big fan quickly of his style of play…I always said I wanted to do something like what he did one day If I ever had the chance to make it to the NFL.”
On Earl Campbell
“He was a bruiser…He ran tough, he ran hard, he was fast, he was durable. Any running back you want to model your game after, it’s definitely him if you want to be physical, attacking and make defenders feel every tackle when you’re running the ball.”
On his grandmother, Gladys Henry
“She’s my rock. Somebody who raised me since I was a little boy. Who sacrificed everything for our family, all her kids, who taught me everything I know today. She stepped in when my mom and dad were young and trying to finish school and she was there to help in any type of way and taught me a lot about life…Somebody I cherish still to this day and remember everything that she taught me that I can instill in my daughter as well.”
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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 provide instant reactions to each Sunday game along with highlights and interviews. Football Night in America co-host Jac Collinsworth and analyst Rodney Harrison also provide recaps and insights into the day’s biggest moments from the site of each week’s SNF game. NFL Insider Mike Florio provides injury and news updates. Matthew Berry provides fantasy football analysis and an early look at the fantasy waiver wire.
-- Football Night in America --
