Thursday Night Football Special Edition Telecast Notes
Play-by-Play: Bob Papa Analyst: Matt Millen
Quotes from San Diego Chargers vs. Tennessee Titans
Dec. 25, 2009 on NFL Network
FIRST HALF:
“This is a matured quarterback. He understands the game, sees the whole field and this team responds to him.”
– Matt Millen on Chargers QB Philip Rivers
“This is one of the best offensive lines in football. They don’t give up sacks and every year they run the ball effectively.”
– Matt Millen on the Titans offensive line
“There is a maturity about him that was absent before.”
– Millen on Titans QB Vince Young
Stat Board:
Best December Records – Starting Quarterbacks Since 1970
Team Player Record Percentage
SD Philip Rivers 17-0 1.000
DAL Roger Staubach 17-3 .850
NE Tom Brady 28-5 .848
*minimum 15 starts
“Philip Rivers has learned to use his cadence as a weapon. You usually see that in the maturation process in a quarterback.”
– Matt Millen on Chargers QB Philip Rivers
“With this guy, anything is doable. He’s got big play ability and consistency in him.”
– Matt Millen on Titans RB Chris Johnson and if he is capable of setting a new NFL single-season record in rush yards from scrimmage
THE SPRINT HALFTIME SHOW
Host: Rich Eisen Analysts: Steve Mariucci, Deion Sanders, Marshall Faulk
Top 10 Plays of the Decade:
10. November 5, 2006 – Colts WR Marvin Harrison one-handed 4-yard TD reception in Colts’ 27-20 win vs. Patriots
9. November, 4, 2007 – Patriots WR Randy Moss one-handed catch in third quarter of Patriots 24-20 win vs. Colts
8. September 27, 2009 – Vikings QB Brett Favre’s 32-yard TD pass to WR Greg Lewis with two seconds left in Vikings’ 27-24 win vs. 49ers
7. November 7, 2007 – Chargers CB Antonio Cromartie’s 109-yard missed field goal return TD vs. Vikings, which stands as longest play in NFL history
6. December 21, 2003 – Saints use three laterals to score from 75 yards out on final play of regulation vs. Jacksonville, but lose 20-19 after missed PAT
5. December 1, 2002 – Falcons QB Michael Vick’s 46-yard rush TD in Falcons 30-24 OT win vs. Vikings (3rd longest TD run in overtime history)
4. Super Bowl XLIII – Steelers WR Santonio Holmes’ 6-yard TD catch with 35 seconds left giving Steelers 27-23 win vs. Cardinals
3. November 6, 2000 – Packers’ WR Antonio Freeman’s bobbling 43-yard TD catch in Packers 26-20 overtime win vs. Vikings
2. Super Bowl XLII – Giants WR David Tyree’s 32-yard catch on 3rd and 5 over Patriots S Rodney Harrison
1. Super Bowl XLIII – Steelers LB James Harrison’s 100-yard interception return TD vs. Cardinals (longest play in Super Bowl history)
QUOTES FROM THURSDAY NIGHT KICKOFF ON LOCATION PRESENTED BY SEARS PREGAME SHOW
Host: Rich Eisen Analysts: Steve Mariucci, Deion Sanders, Marshall Faulk
Play-by-play Announcer: Bob Papa Game Analyst: Matt Millen
Reporters: Scott Hanson, Jason La Canfora
Jason La Canfora’s Pregame 1-on-1 with Chargers Head Coach Norv Turner:
“The biggest thing has been getting our guys healthy and really getting the younger players involved.”
– Turner on what has been the biggest reason for the Chargers success in December
“I don’t think there’s bad blood. We’re two teams that are very competitive, very physical and each badly wants to win.”
– Turner on the rivalry between the Chargers and Titans
“Philip has played at an awfully high level over the last three years and I know our guys believe in him and that’s all that matters.”
– Turner on Chargers QB Philip Rivers
Jason La Canfora’s Pregame 1-on-1 with Titans Head Coach Jeff Fisher:
“This one will be special. We had a team like this a few years ago and a lot of the same players were here. They hung together and you can’t be more proud.”
– Fisher on this season’s turnaround after an 0-6 start
“I can’t tell you how proud I am of him. What he’s done this year and how he’s handled himself through a difficult time through last year…He had very difficult time over the Fourth of July weekend losing Steve [McNair] and I think that may have been a motivating factor for him. He and I have grown much closer through that and he’s just has fun playing.”
– Fisher on the progress of Titans QB Vince Young
Quick Quotes:
“When you put the ball in his hands, it’s like giving Picasso a paint brush.”
– Marshall Faulk on Titans RB Chris Johnson
“Johnson runs like little boys do in their wildest dreams.”
– Steve Sabol on Titans RB Chris Johnson
“Why they are the Rodney Dangerfield of football, I don’t know.”
– Steve Mariucci on why the San Diego Chargers don’t get enough respect
“I believe in Rex [Ryan]. I’m taking the Jets.”
– Deion Sanders picks the New York Jets to upset the Indianapolis Colts in Week 16
“He’s kept this team fresh and peaking at just the right time.”
– Steve Mariucci on Chargers head coach Norv Turner
“He’s molded this team into a group that can rely on just about everybody from a team that used to heavily rely on the running game and LaDainian Tomlinson.”
– Marshall Faulk on Chargers head coach Norv Turner
“L.T. may not be the best back on the field tonight.”
– Marshall Faulk on Titans RB Chris Johnson
“He’s not just good, he’s great. He’s going to be around for a long time.”
– Steve Mariucci on Chargers QB Philip Rivers
“One or the other could propel themselves to be a frontrunner for this year’s MVP.”
– Deion Sanders on Chargers QB Philip Rivers and Titans RB Chris Johnson
“The only time people remember the record is when someone is approaching it or breaking it, so I applaud him for what he’s doing.”
– Marshall Faulk on Titans RB Chris Johnson’s needing 254 rush yards to break Faulk’s single-season 2,429 scrimmage yards from 1999
Encore of Stacey Dales’ 1-on-1 with Chargers QB Philip Rivers from Week 15 NFL GameDay Morning:
Stacey Dales sits down with QB Philip Rivers to discuss being the leader of the San Diego Chargers and what it’s like to fly under the radar as a team and as one of the league’s best quarterbacks:
“Of all the things that come with being a quarterback, that’s probably my favorite part of it – being the leader.”
– Rivers on being the leader of the Chargers
“It was tough at first because I never had not played, so seeing the game from the sidelines was very new. But me and Drew had a very good relationship, a friendship. It was a healthy competition. We pushed one another…Those two years, in hindsight were very good for me.”
– Rivers on the two years he spent as a backup to Drew Brees
“There are two sides to it. On one side, I like it that way. I like to just go and play and it’s all about winning. If we win, a lot of us will get recognized in different ways.”
– Rivers on being overlooked as one of the league’s best quarterbacks
“It’s going to take all of us. It’s going to take the little things that kept us from winning the close games last year…There’s a fine line in this league between winning and losing and if we can keep the focus and take care of those little things, hopefully this will be the year.”
– Rivers on what it will take for the Chargers to win a Super Bowl
‘Sanders Claus’ Hands Out Gifts to ‘NFL players and coaches’:
Deion Sanders as ‘Sanders Claus’ gives Bill Belichick, Tony Romo, Terrell Owens and Brett Favre gifts for a strong finish to the regular season:
Tony Romo: A December-less Dallas Cowboys calendar
Terrell Owens: A New England Patriots helmet
Brett Favre: An offensive play-call chart
For video of Sanders Claus handing out his gifts, please visit:
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-total-access/09000d5d8153ec4e/Sanders-Claus
Faith Hill and Chris Johnson Connect for Lunch in Nashville:
“I didn’t know she was such a big fan.”
– Chris Johnson on singer Faith Hill being a Titans fan
“When Nashville found out they were going to get a football team, the town went crazy. I’ve always been a big supporter since day one.”
– Faith Hill on the Tennessee Titans
For video of Johnson and Hill, please visit: http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-total-access/09000d5d8153f2b7/Music-City-icons
Jason La Canfora News Reports:
- When you look at QB Vince Young and his place within the Tennessee Titans franchise, Young is scheduled to make a $7.5 million base salary in 2010 with a $4 million roster bonus, which is considered a steal if he continues to play at the high level he is currently performing at. Since he became the Titans starter this November 1, Young and Colts QB Peyton Manning have been sacked the fewest times and Young and Cowboys QB Tony Romo have thrown the fewest interceptions among league QBs. Young has a 97.0 passer rating since becoming the starter, which puts him in the top 10 of NFL quarterbacks and he’s 11-1 in his last 12 starts, with an undefeated home record since December 2007.
- Mike Shanahan has been working for a while putting a staff together and while I believe he will end up in Washington, but no matter where he ends up, look for Bob Slowik, Shanahan’s former defensive coordinator in Denver to be a part of his staff. I’m told Slowik is one coach that has been sharing an office with Shanahan in Denver. Both have been contacting others to see who else could join their staff. Also in Denver and Jim and Jeff Goodman, a father-son team who were a part of his old front office in Denver who can also be looked toward as a part of a front office staff for Shanahan. In addition to opportunities in Washington, Shanahan is watching how things develop in Houston.
**Additional videos from NFL Network’s Thursday Night Football Special Edition coverage of Chargers vs. Titans can be viewed on NFL.com**
Charger Brings Christmas Cheer – Shaun Phillips delivers Christmas gifts to underprivileged kids in his After School All-Stars program: http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-video-diaries/09000d5d8153c08a/Charger-brings-Christmas-cheer
Pilobolus: Chargers vs. Titans – A theatrical look at the Week 16 matchup between the San Diego Chargers and Tennessee Titans: http://www.nfl.com/videos/tennessee-titans/09000d5d8153f785/Pilobolus-Chargers-vs-Titans
NEXT WEEK ON NFL NETWORK:
PRIMETIME SPECIAL:
NFL TOTAL ACCESS PRO BOWL SELECTION SHOW
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29 AT 7:00 PM ET
EXCLUSIVELY ON NFL NETWORK & NFL.COM
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