Thursday Night Football Pregame Notes & Quotes
Cleveland Browns vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Dec. 8, 2011 on NFL Network
“I’ll never be a fancy guy, I’ll never be up there in the all-time record books of numbers, but I’m going to be up there in the all-time record book of wins. That’s all that should matter.” – Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger
“At some point when I get done playing, and when they think of the Pittsburgh Steelers and they think of quarterbacks, they think of No. 7.” – Roethlisberger
“I would give up everything for perfection. I would give up all of my Super Bowl rings and my Hall of Fame jacket for perfection.” – Michael Irvin on the Green Bay Packers
From Pittsburgh Play-by-play Announcer: Brad Nessler; Game Analyst: Mike Mayock; Sideline: Alex Flanagan
Host: Rich Eisen; Analysts: Marshall Faulk, Steve Mariucci, Deion Sanders, Michael Irvin
Reporters: Alex Flanagan, Stacey Dales
From Los Angeles Host: Kara Henderson; Analysts: Sterling Sharpe, Kurt Warner, Jay Glazer
QUOTES FROM THURSDAY NIGHT KICKOFF PRESENTED BY SEARS PREGAME SHOW
Michael Irvin 1-on-1 with Steelers Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger:
NFL Network analyst Michael Irvin sat down for a 1-on-1 conversation with Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger:
“Just keep winning. My first year, we won every game [in the regular season] and just found ways to win. At the end of the day, that’s all that matters. I’ll never be a fancy guy, I’ll never be up there in the all-time record books of numbers, but I’m going to be up there in the all-time record book of wins. That’s all that should matter.” – Roethlisberger on what advice he would give Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow
“That was always my goal coming in: I want to win one more than Terry [Bradshaw]. But at some point when I get done playing, and when they think of the Pittsburgh Steelers and they think of quarterbacks, they think of No. 7.” – Roethlisberger on his Steelers legacy
“I don’t think it has anything to do with this team; I think it has to do with the NFL. It kind of really started with Peyton [Manning] and Tom [Brady], and then Drew [Brees] when he went to New Orleans. You see those guys and they’re putting up lots of points, and it’s almost like, ‘Listen, we’ve got to start to evolve and do some more things.’” – Roethlisberger on the Steelers becoming more of a passing team
“We’ve known about this since he was at 40-some catches. We’re going to make sure that he can get this and we want him to get it at home. Hines Ward is Pittsburgh. He is the Pittsburgh Steelers and we’re indebted to him. We owe it to him.” – Roethlisberger on Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward, who is 15 receptions from 1,000 catches in his career
“It’s an awesome honor to be mentioned in the same sentence or category as a Hall of Famer like Terry Bradshaw.” – Roethlisberger on passing Terry Bradshaw’s record for the most completions in Steelers history
“Who won a Super Bowl last year? Doing what? Do we put up the fancy numbers and are we as pretty to watch as them? Probably not. But that’s not what it’s about. We’re about winning football games and we’ll find any way to win that we can.” – Roethlisberger on how far in the playoffs the team can go throwing the football
“Probably somewhere in that mix in the fine-print at the bottom of that group…If you ask the analysts and most people, I’m the fine-printer. I’d like to consider myself up there as an elite guy.” – Roethlisberger on where he ranks among the elite quarterbacks
To view Michael Irvin’s 1-on-1 interview with Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger, please visit:
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-
Cleveland Browns-Pittsburgh Steelers Pregame Analysis and Quotes:
“He’s building this team from the ground floor. He took over a 5-11 team two years ago and he made a conscious decision to build the team through the draft. In fact, of his 16 draft choices, 14 of them are starting this year. That’s a fantastic batting average.” – Steve Mariucci on Cleveland Browns president Mike Holmgren
“We talk about the receivers, we talk about Ben [Roethlisberger], but understanding that this team that they’re going to play tonight can’t stop the run, they started running the ball last week against Cincinnati and I liked what I saw from Rashard Mendenhall.” – Marshall Faulk on the Pittsburgh Steelers, who rushed for 136 yards last week against the Cincinnati Bengals
“The guy makes plays both inside and outside the pocket, and all he does is win.” – Mike Mayock on Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger
“The quarterback of the future is a franchise-type of quarterback, and I can’t say that he’s that guy just yet…He is working towards that end, they are building this young football team around him and I think they’re all going to grow up together. I like where he is headed.” – Steve Mariucci on if Colt McCoy is the quarterback of the future for the Cleveland Browns
“This group of receivers is just what the Pittsburgh Steelers need if they’re ever going to get a shot at a repeat at beating the Packers.” – Michael Irvin on the Pittsburgh Steelers wide receivers
Quick Quotes:
“The Green Bay Packers know and understand their weakness; the problem is most teams are not going to be able to outscore them. Therefore the Green Bay Packers’ ship sails right along just like it has been.” – Sterling Sharpe on if the New York Giants exposed a weakness in their loss to the Green Bay Packers
“I say they get to 10 wins and the Denver Broncos win this division.” – Kurt Warner on if the Denver Broncos will win the AFC West
“Now, [there is] no Matt Forte. Where do you go? Where does the offense go through? Who is going to be that guy? If they had a veteran right now, they would still be in trouble.” – Marshall Faulk on the Chicago Bears without running back Matt Forte
“A system fit is very important for quarterbacks; this is the perfect system for Tim Tebow. He’s got five wins in a row; there is only one quarterback in the National Football League with more wins a row – that is Aaron Rodgers. The coaches are gradually taking off the training wheels and allowing him to throw the ball a little bit more from the pocket, and we all see great improvement each week.” – Steve Mariucci on Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow
“Michael Vick came into the league, set it on fire – we had to change our thought process. Cam Newton is setting it on fire – we must change our thought process. And we have this guy on the cover of our magazine for one particular reason: because he’s different and he has that it-factor.” – Deion Sanders on Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow
“In the league that I played in, you were held accountable to your own standard. I know Jim Schwartz, a defensive guy, probably likes that aggression, but it’s on the players. It’s on the Ndamukong Suh’s of that football team to understand that it’s whistle-to-whistle, not whistle-to-after-the-whistle. That’s not on Jim Schwartz.” – Sterling Sharpe on if Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz has lost control of his team
“I would give up everything for perfection. I would give up all of my Super Bowl rings and my Hall of Fame jacket for perfection. Hall of Fame is about an accomplishment I get praised on; the ’72 Dolphins, they all get praised…It’s a once in a lifetime chance. You have to go for it.” – Michael Irvin on the possibility of the Green Bay Packers going undefeated
On NFL.com the following video clips from Thursday Night Kickoff Presented by Sears are available for viewing:
Deion’s 21st and Prime – Deion Sanders checks in from the corner of 21st and Prime for a road edition of “Let’s Go Primetime,” counting down the top five plays of Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu’s career.
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-
How Big Ben Does It – Brad Nessler and Mike Mayock explain the style of football that Ben Roethlisberger plays.
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-
Moving in the Right Direction? – The Thursday Night Kickoff crew discuss where president Mike Holmgren hopes to take his young Browns team in the future.
Will the Denver Broncos Win the AFC West? – Winners of six of their last seven games, will the Denver Broncos win the AFC West?
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-
Should the Chicago Bears Have Acquired a Veteran QB? – Kurt Warner and the Thursday Night Kickoff crew debates if the Chicago Bears should have acquired a veteran quarterback instead of solely relying on Caleb Hanie.
M&M: Who Do You Trust – Eli Manning or Tony Romo? – Marshall Faulk and Michael Irvin debate who is more trustworthy: Eli Manning or Tony Romo?
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-
Shooting for Perfection – Thursday Night Kickoff discusses whether the Green Bay Packers should go for 16-0 or not.
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-
NEXT WEEK ON NFL NETWORK’S THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL:
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS AT ATLANTA FALCONS — 8:00 PM ET
Special Saturday Edition of Thursday Night Football on December 17:
DALLAS COWBOYS AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS — 8:00 PM ET
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