NEWS, NOTES AND QUOTES FROM
“INSIDE THE NFL” ON SHOWTIME
Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2008 – at 9 p.m. ET/PT
Only On SHOWTIME
NEW YORK (Dec. 31, 2008)–-This week’s INSIDE THE NFL on SHOWTIME – Wednesday, Dec. 31 at 9 p.m. ET/PT – will feature a look back at the life and contributions of the NFL luminaries that passed away in 2008.Included in the piece, produced by NFL Films and narrated by co-executive producer Steve Sabol, are longtime NFL Players Association president Gene Upshaw, Hall of Famers Sammy Baugh and Gene Hickerson, the first female NFL franchise owner Georgia Frontiere (Rams), Ernie Holmes and Dwight White of the Pittsburgh Steelers ‘Steel Curtain’ defenses, former New York Giants cornerback and broadcaster Dick Lynch and Pittsburgh Steelers broadcaster Myron Cope among others.
This week’s INSIDE THE NFL also includes a special Sounds of the Game feature. With nearly 100 players and coaches mic’d up throughout the season, NFL Films has compiled the best of this exclusive content.
Plus INSIDE THE NFL on SHOWTIME Insider Mike Lombardi gives his insight on the NFL coaching carousel.
Host James Brown anchors INSIDE THE NFL on SHOWTIME with All Pro NFL greats Cris Collinsworth, Phil Simms and Warren Sapp serving as expert analysts. INSIDE THE NFL is being produced by CBS Sports and NFL Films with new shows airing on SHOWTIME every Wednesday during the NFL season through February 11, 2009. The executive producers are Sean McManus, President, CBS News and Sports, and NFL Films President Sabol.
Excerpts from this week’s show are below:
(On Tampa Bay Collapse):
SAPP: You look at the Bucs, and the Bucs were built off defense and that is the one thing that collapsed on them. But even more than that I think the whole team is going through an identity crisis. They don’t know what they want to do on offense. And on defense they are not a cover-2 team anymore. The defensive line does not produce the sacks or put pressure on the quarterback to sit back there and play that cover-2.
(On Dallas Cowboys and Tony Romo wanting to go for it on 4th and inches while Wade Phillips was calling for a punt):
SIMMS: It doesn’t look good for Wade Phillips because you are undermining the coach…I did that once in a game with the Giants with Bill Parcells, and I’ll never forget it. You always have to know who you are as a player. Don’t cross the line because you are the player and he is the coach…never think you are part of the process, when you do that as a player you get big troubles.
COLLINSWORTH: For Wade Phillips this was so indicative from the outside looking in to what the perception was of this organization. That is really Jerry Jones’ team. If he wants Roy Williams he goes out and gets him, if he wants “Pacman” Jones he goes and gets him. The player’s as they sit there and watch Wade Phillips mouth the words, whatever it is that he is saying, they are really thinking, ‘well what does Jerry think. It doesn’t matter what Wade Phillips thinks.’ And you can not win, you can not win. Think about when the Cowboys were good, they had Bill Parcells, they had Jerry Jones, they had Jimmy Johnson, and that combination of things, it worked. Because those two strong head coaches where strong enough to push Jerry to where he should be, in the owners box and not under control.
(On whether Eric Mangini should have been the fall guy for the Jets):
COLLINSWORTH: I think it was more on Brett (Favre). I think he got discovered. When he was good in Green Bay it was short, quick throws that he got out of his hand quickly. But if he had to, he could go down the field with deep threats at wide receivers. The Jets didn’t have those same deep threats and Brett didn’t have the same arm he had when he was in Green Bay. That combination finally got exposed and it cost them.
(On Baltimore-Miami):
SAPP: I have a message for you for the Miami Dolphins. Ray Lewis said ‘raise the hurricane warning flag, there are two hurricanes coming back and they are a full five category coming to town.’ Category five. They are ready to go to work.
SIMMS: In Miami’s favor, they will be ready for the hurricane as it comes down, Warren. And they did play them not long ago, so they have that experience and that knowledge of what to do and what not to do. I think that is going to be very important against a defense that is unique and very talented.
(On Philadelphia being Cinderella):
COLLINSWORTH: They are more like Hercules right now, if you are going to go to fairytale time. I think Philadelphia is dangerous, because what they have proven this year is that they can stop the run on first down. They are No. 1 in the NFL stopping the run on first down and if you can do that, that means Jim Johnson can start dialing up those blitzes.
(On Coaching Carousel):
COLLINSWORTH: Mike Shanahan on the open market, how many jobs is he going to be the man for? If you had an interview, brought them all in and you are Pat Bowlen, you would probably hire Mike Shanahan.
LOMBARDI: Even teams that have coaches have to worry. If I were Jim Zorn in Washington, I would be a little bit nervous and make sure my parking spot was still there when I get there. Mike Shanahan would be a great coach for them…I think John Gruden is going to have to prove to the management, the front office, the Glazer family, that he can find a young quarterback to develop and bring along, or certainly Mike Shanahan can return to your old roots (to Sapp) in Florida and be a candidate there.
LOMBARDI: The Jets quarterback of the future is no where to be found. And that is what makes the Jets job not very attractive for potential coaches. Remember with all these jobs opening, the teams have to recruit the coaches as much as the coaches have to recruit the teams.
(Could Matt Cassel play for the Jets):
LOMBARDI: The Patriots are way to smart, and I’ve talked to people in the organization. They are going to franchise Matt Cassel. He’s an asset and they can control their ability to trade him if they franchise him.
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