News and Sound Bites From Week 15 Edition of
NFL GAMEDAY MORNING
“If he beats Tom Brady and the Patriots, this phenomenon, this Tebowing is already worldwide – it’s going to Mars.” – Steve Mariucci on Broncos QB Tim Tebow
“We all have to make adjustments at different times to help our teams, and that’s exactly what these guys have to do.” – Kurt Warner on Steelers linebacker James Harrison and Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh
“The three great quarterbacks right now: [Tom] Brady has the 32nd-ranked defense, Aaron Rodgers has the 31st-ranked defense and Eli [Manning] has the 30th-ranked defense. But these three quarterbacks have 30 wins between the three of them. That’s talking about masking the deficiencies over on the other side of the ball.” – Steve Mariucci on the Patriots’ Tom Brady, Packers’ Aaron Rodgers and Giants’ Eli Manning
“This is what the Jets do right here: when the pressure is on, the situation looks bleak, late in the season, all of a sudden they rise up and play football like they’ve never played football before.” – Michael Irvin on the 8-5 New York Jets
NFL GameDay Morning is the FIRST pregame show on the air Sunday morning at 9:00 AM ET, taking viewers straight up to kickoff. Host Rich Eisen joins analysts Michael Irvin, Warren Sapp, Marshall Faulk, Steve Mariucci and new analyst Kurt Warner to bring fans the latest news, injury reports, pregame analysis and game previews.
Quotes from NFL GameDay Morning:
“If he beats Tom Brady and the Patriots, this phenomenon, this Tebowing is already worldwide – it’s going to Mars.” – Steve Mariucci on Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow facing the New England Patriots
“The interesting thing is when Tim Tebow was inserted, that team came with him. That’s the big thing I see. When Tom Brady is out there, he gives everybody that ability to play better, to do more, to win games. Tim Tebow does the same thing and to me, that’s the greatest similarity they have.” – Kurt Warner on Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow
“It’s all about respect because he’s playing against Tom Brady. Up to this point, there are still all of these naysayers; ‘Well, the defense is playing great, you’ve got a great running game, who have you beat?’…But when you go and play Tom Brady, you have to do something to beat Tom Brady. You don’t just walk in and beat a Tom Brady without performing, with playing up to a particular level and that’s what I think he earns today if he can go get a victory.” – Kurt Warner on Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow
“Tom Brady and Tim Tebow, this is a fight for the very position we hold so dear in this game. Tom Brady is the very definition of a classic quarterback and Tim Tebow is something else.” – Michael Irvin quarterback Tom Brady and the New England Patriots facing quarterback Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos
“We all have to make adjustments at different times to help our teams, and that’s exactly what these guys have to do.” – Kurt Warner on Steelers linebacker James Harrison and Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh
“They’re giving Philip Rivers some other opportunities. They’re the running the ball for 145 yards a game, he’s only been sacked twice in the last couple of games, and what I love about this team is it’s Antonio Gates – he’s the one that makes this team go and it looks like he has a little bit of a spring in his step.” – Kurt Warner on the San Diego Chargers
“Without Jay Cutler, without Matt Forte, right now the Bears are done.” – Michael Irvin on the Chicago Bears
“They went out and got Julio Jones and they were going to be this big, explosive team that can get down the field and score quickly. I don’t see it with this team. I see the exact same team that I saw last year…I see that same team and I’m not sure they can keep up with the Packers, with the Giants and with the Saints when it comes playoff time.” – Kurt Warner on how far the Atlanta Falcons can go
“This is what the Jets do right here: when the pressure is on, the situation looks bleak, late in the season, all of a sudden they rise up and play football like they’ve never played football before.” – Michael Irvin on the 8-5 New York Jets, who have won three consecutive games
“Getting an opportunity to add some wins under his belt gives him some moxie when he walks in the huddle, if it’s with the Texans or wherever he walks in the huddle. Now he has wins and people like that.” – Michael Irvin on Houston Texans rookie quarterback T.J. Yates
“This is a classic trap game.” – Michael Irvin on the New York Giants facing the Washington Redskins
“They’ve had too many inconsistencies – played well at times – but too many inconsistencies to think that they can play three good football teams and win all of them.” – Kurt Warner on the San Diego Chargers, who face the Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions and Oakland Raiders in their final three games
“He obviously watched DeMarco Murray or he was thinking about Wally Pipp and said, ‘I’m tired of this.’ He was running hard.” – Michael Irvin on Dallas Cowboys running back Felix Jones, who rushed for 108 yards in the 31-15 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
“[The Dallas Cowboys are] going to be fine when they’re in front and ahead by a couple of touchdowns, but when they’re in a tight game can they make the plays? Right now, the guy that I’m going to trust to do that is Eli Manning. He’s the guy that has done it week in and week out.” – Kurt Warner on who wins the NFC East
“The three great quarterbacks right now: [Tom] Brady has the 32nd-ranked defense, Aaron Rodgers has the 31st-ranked defense and Eli [Manning] has the 30th-ranked defense. But these three quarterbacks have 30 wins between the three of them. That’s talking about masking the deficiencies over on the other side of the ball.” – Steve Mariucci on the Patriots’ Tom Brady, Packers’ Aaron Rodgers and Giants’ Eli Manning
“They’ve got to just play football and lose the drama. We’ve talked so much about so many sideshows with this Lions team. They’re talented enough to go to the playoffs.” – Steve Mariucci on the 8-5 Detroit Lions
‘Front Office View’ with Michael Lombardi
On if the Green Bay Packers should rest their starters, or try to finish the regular season 16-0:
With the new rules and the way you can only practice now with no pads and you can’t take that bye week to condition your team, you have to go all the way through. It didn’t hurt New England [in 2007]. Indianapolis is a separate entity; that’s the way Indianapolis has gone in the preseason, that’s the way they behave. For me, you keep going forward, you keep practicing your team – you keep trying to win games because ultimately that’s what you want to do.
On Patriots head coach Bill Belichick facing Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow:
Basically he’s told the team we’re playing the Denver Broncos, we’re not playing Tim Tebow. Everybody plays Tebow in the same style: they play a lot of cover one, they put eight in the box, they force him to throw the football, force him to make throws into tight windows. But the Patriots, it’s about their offense today. It’s about controlling the two edges, handling Von Miller and Elvis Dumervil, and throwing the football effectively with their two tight ends which is a tough matchup for the Denver Broncos. They’re going to extend the game, start fast, get the lead and force Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos as a unit to catch up.
On Texans rookie quarterback T.J. Yates:
In the draft, you want your first round pick to look significantly better than your second and third. T.J. Yates has come in and all of a sudden, he looks better than Blaine Gabbert who is a first round pick; T.J. is a fifth. T.J. Yates really has a great future. You watch last week against Andy Dalton and you couldn’t tell who was the second rounder and who was the fifth rounder. He has a bright future, he’s been in a pro system, he understands how to play, he’s been very good in the practices even before he became the starter. In this quarterback needy world, T.J. Yates has a great future.
On the advice he would give to Steelers linebacker James Harrison and Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh:
Team. You have to look what is in the best interests of the team. You have to appeal to their team sense because they are hurting the team; by missing games, they are hurting the team. The competitive balance, the 49ers get an advantage playing Pittsburgh without James Harrison – that affects the team. The last two weeks with Ndamukong Suh missing it affected Detroit even though they beat Minnesota down the stretch. You have to appeal to them on a team basis – it helps us win. Certainly you have to correct your game, but put the team first. That’s always the best way to handle it.
For the latest from the ‘Front Office View’ of Michael Lombardi, including his article on the Atlanta Falcons, visit:
‘Inside Slant’ with Jason La Canfora
On the future of the Jaguars in Jacksonville under new owner Shahid Khan:
He will make every go of it in Jacksonville, and frankly I don’t see them moving. Owner Wayne Weaver in this transaction that took place this week at the league meetings went an extra step: there is a $25 million penalty that will be paid if Shahid Khan were to move that team within five years. He would have to donate $25 million to the charity of Wayne Weaver’s choosing. Now, there are also lease issues here; ultimately if you try to get out of that lease, you’d have to fight it in the city of Jacksonville, within the court system there. I don’t know if that would be very easy to win. So I don’t see the Jags going anywhere. This was something a little extra that Wayne Weaver included in there because he is a Jacksonville guy and he wants that team to stay in Jacksonville.
On the head coaching vacancies in Miami, Kansas City and Jacksonville:
We’ll start in Miami because of these three, they’re going to be the team that tries to get that quote-end-quote A-list guy; a [Bill] Cowher, a [Jon] Gruden, a Jeff Fisher. Frankly, I don’t see it happening. They’re keeping Jeff Ireland as their GM, they seem to be retaining a lot of the organization as is. I think our Brian Billick is someone with some experience who would be a fit there who they would look at. And then you start to look at younger coordinators, someone like a Jay Gruden or a Brian Schottenheimer would be on their radar as well…There is super compatibility in Kansas City: [Scott] Pioli and [Josh] McDaniels. They worked together in the past. Romeo [Crennel] will be given consideration, but they need to get the quarterback going. They’ve got to get [Matt] Cassel going and McDaniels worked with Cassel. They’ve invested a ton of money in Matt Cassel; they don’t know if he is a player or not. McDaniels is the one who got Cassel to be this kid that Kansas City wanted to trade for in the first place. Pioli always hires within his family tree; McDaniels is in that tree. Jacksonville, what about Mike Sherman, former Green Bay assistant?
On the status of Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger:
I spoke to someone in their organization this morning before we went on-air and he said keep an eye on that Ravens game tonight. Because if the Ravens manage to win, it’s less likely Ben plays. Now if the Ravens lose and there is an opening to go get that division lead, then maybe Ben warms up a little bit more and they see how it goes. But right now, they’re about to fly to San Francisco, he is supposed to accompany the team. They’ll make a decision tomorrow, but that Ravens game, that result will have something to do with how far he pushes it.
On Raiders running back Darren McFadden:
Raiders sources continue to tell me that it’s highly unlikely star running back Darren McFadden will play again the rest of the regular season due to a chronic foot injury. Even returning for the playoffs would be a stretch.
On Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch:
Seattle running back Marshawn Lynch’s surge is likely to end up with him franchised. According to a league source, if the sides can’t agree on a long-term deal – and the talks haven’t even started yet – Lynch is being advised the $7.7 million franchise tag is probably coming.
On Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb:
While Kevin Kolb’s contract was widely reported as a $60 million deal, the Cardinals could get out of it after this season after having paid him just $12 million. Worth noting with Kolb oft-injured and John Skelton winning in his absence, Kolb is due a big $7 million bonus in March and he could be released after the 2012 season having made $20 million for two years. Big money, but a far cry from $60 million.
For the latest from the ‘Inside Slant,’ including Jason La Canfora’s article on the Jaguars future in Jacksonville under new ownership, visit:
New York Giants Head Coach Tom Coughlin 1-on-1 with NFL Network’s Albert Breer
On if Giants defensive end Justin Tuck will play today:
“I think he will. We’re going to check when he gets here in a few minutes, but he got better towards the end of the week. He started feeling pretty good.”
On the situation surrounding Giants linebacker Michael Boley:
“We’re aware of that, and that’s really all I can say at this point in time. Hopeful it’s not going to affect his playing status.”
On building off of the last two games:
“The idea is that this time of year you better be playing your best football, so hopefully we’ll continue and build off of the win last week.”
Bold Predictions
Steve Mariucci: There will be no personal foul penalties for the Detroit Lions and Oakland Raiders
Kurt Warner: The New England Patriots will score 40-plus points and Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow throws two interceptions
Warren Sapp: New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul will force a safety for the second consecutive week
Michael Irvin: Washington Redskins quarterback Rex Grossman will throw for 350 yards and four touchdowns against the New York Giants
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-
On NFL.com the following video clips from NFL GameDay Morning are available for viewing:
Explaining the Inexplicable – Five fourth quarter or overtime comeback wins this season. How does Tim Tebow do it? Steve Cyphers tries to make sense of it all.
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-
Football Freakonomics – How does a team who ranks second to last in passing yards and who’s quarterback completes fewer than half his throws continue to win?
Tebow Time vs. Brady Bunch – Tom Brady and Tim Tebow have little in common in terms of style, but the results are strikingly similar.
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-
What’s at Stake for Tebow? – NFL GameDay Morning believes that even with a loss to the New England Patriots, Tim Tebow has already proven enough to gain respect in the league.
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-
Inside Slant – Jason La Canfora visits the NFL GameDay Morning set to talk about all of the hottest issues around the league, including the possibility of the Jaguars moving and who the Dolphins plan on talking to as potential head coach candidates.
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-
Players Only – Hear what advice NFL GameDay Morning has for Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison.
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-
Sunday Menu: Patriots vs. Broncos – Warren Sapp and Michael Irvin believe Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is feeling the pressure as he faces the man of the hour Sunday, Tim Tebow.
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-
Is Eli Elite Enough? – Can Giants quarterback Eli Manning continue to be the man in New York?
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-
NFC East up for Grabs – The Dallas Cowboys launched themselves into first place Sunday night with a win over the Tampa Buccaneers, but the New York Giants look to take back the top spot with a win over the Washington Redskins.
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-
Are the Jets Surging into the Playoffs? – NFL GameDay Morning says it takes a strong defense to get your team into the playoffs, and the New York Jets have it.
Can the Packers be Stopped? – Sitting at 13-0, who can ruin the Green Bay Packers’ perfect season?
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-
What will we Learn? – Steve Mariucci believes the Packers won’t skip a beat despite losing wide receiver Greg Jennings and the Texans will be just fine without defensive coordinator Wade Phillips.
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-
How Far Can the Falcons Fly? – At 9-5, how far can the Atlanta Falcons go in the playoffs?
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-
QB vs. QB Killa – Kurt Warner and Warren Sapp debate changing a defense against Tim Tebow and how offenses get under Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh’s skin.
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-
M&M – Michael Irvin and Marshall Faulk enjoy a cross-country debate who is the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-
EXTRA POINTS:
- Houston Texans Face Indianapolis Colts on NFL Network’s Thursday Night Football December 22 at 8:00 PM ET:
The sixth season of NFL Network’s Thursday Night Football comes to a close when running back Arian Foster and the AFC South-leading Houston Texans travel to face the division rival Indianapolis Colts on Thursday, December 22 at 8:00 PM ET. Brad Nessler provides the play-by-play, Mike Mayock serves as game analyst and Alex Flanagan provides reports from the sidelines of Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Coverage begins at 6:00 PM ET with the Thursday Night Kickoff Presented by Sears pregame show.
- Third Season of Wildly Popular NFL RedZone: After a successful sophomore season that has transfixed NFL fans across the country, NFL RedZone is back for 2011 at 1:00 PM ET/10:00 AM PT. Hosted by Scott Hansonand produced by NFL Network from its state-of-the-art studio in Los Angeles at NFL Network’s headquarters in Los Angeles, NFL RedZone whips around every NFL game on Sunday afternoons delivering the touchdowns and most exciting moments as they happen and in high definition. When a team goes inside the 20-yard line, fans see the crucial plays live. The channel keeps fans up-to-date in real time, switching from game to game with live look-ins, highlights and a chance to see every important play. NFL RedZone has more than quadrupled its distribution roster since its rookie campaign last season with availability more than 140 affiliates across the country. In addition, the channel is also available at every NFL stadium. For more information visit: http://redzonetv.nfl.com/?
icampaign=redzone_mb
- NFL Network Christmas Eve & Christmas Day Programming: On Saturday, December 24 at 9:00 AM ET, NFL GameDay Morning previews all of the day’s Week 16 action and provides the latest news reports and expert analysis, followed by a two-hour edition of NFL GameDay Final at 7:30 PM ET. On Christmas Day (Sunday, December 25) at 6:00 PM ET, the NFL Films-produced The Longest Game Ever commemorates the double overtime AFC Divisional Game between the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs. Featuring never before seen footage and radio broadcast elements, and interviews with players and coaches who took part in the game, The Longest Game Ever examines the Dolphins’ thrilling victory over the Chiefs 40 years to the day. At 7:00 PM ET, Scott Hanson and Lindsay Soto join analysts Willie McGinest and Tom Waddle on a special Christmas edition of NFL Total Access to preview the game between the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears. At 11:30 PM ET, host Rich Eisen and analysts Steve Mariucci, Deion Sanders and Michael Irvin recap the Week 16 games on NFL GameDay Final.
NFL GameDay Morning begins the NFL Network schedule on Sundays, which will now be called “NFL GameDay.” Following NFL GameDay Morning will be NFL GameDay StatZone at 1:00 PM ET, NFL GameDay Scoreboard at 4:00 PM ET, NFL GameDay Highlights at 7:30 PM ET and NFL GameDay Final at 11:30 PM ET.
NFL Network airs seven days a week, 24 hours a day on a year-round basis and is the only television network fully dedicated to the NFL and the sport of football. For more information, log on to www.nfl.com/nflnetwork. NFL.com is the exclusive Internet home of NFL videos and NFL Network.
– NFL NETWORK –
Recent Comments