Thursday Night Football Pregame Notes & Quotes
New York Jets vs. Denver Broncos
Nov. 17, 2011 on NFL Network
“Unprecedented in our lifetime to see a spread option offense in the NFL.” – Mike Mayock on the Denver Broncos offense
“We don’t have to be best team right now; we want to be the best team at the end of the season.” – Rex Ryan
“Tim Tebow is a great football player and it’s our job to try to make him a great quarterback.” – John Elway
“…Would I have drafted him? Yes, I would have drafted him. Now, if you ask me if I would have drafted him in the first round, I don’t know because I wasn’t in those draft meetings…” – John Elway on Broncos QB Tim Tebow
From Denver 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
Pregame Interview with Broncos Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway:
Prior to the game, Denver Broncos Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway, appeared on the Thursday Night Kickoff Presented by Sears pregame set to discuss quarterback Tim Tebow and the future of the team.
On if he would drafted Tim Tebow:
“I don’t know. Obviously I wasn’t in that situation. Would I have drafted him? Yes, I would have drafted him. Now, if you ask me if I would have drafted him in the first round, I don’t know because I wasn’t in those draft meetings. I didn’t study Tim Tebow before he came out. But I just know Tim Tebow is here, we like what he’s about, we like his heart, we like his competitiveness and we’re hoping that he becomes a great quarterback.”
On if he thinks Tim Tebow can develop this season into a quarterback who can throw from the pocket:
“I do. With each start that he gets he’s going to continue to get better. Last week we only threw the ball eight times but we were controlling the football, winning the field position war and playing good defense. Each game is going to be dictated by how much we throw or how much we run. Obviously you always want to have that balance and we’re working to get that balance. Tim [Tebow] just gives us that extra [dimension], and obviously his last four weeks as a starter he’s 3-1. We’re riding his coattails.”
On the reaction – both positive and negative – to Tim Tebow:
“I’ve never seen anything close to this and I’m not sure we’ll ever see anything like this again. He’s a guy that teammates love, a guy that’s great to have around and he’s a great kid. All of those things outside are noise. No one wants to be a better football player and a better quarterback than Tim Tebow, which is a great quality to have.”
On if he has spent time privately with Tim Tebow to give him advice:
“I haven’t had a chance to do a lot of that. I’ve really let the coaches coach, but once we get into this next offseason, I’ll be able to sit down and spend a lot more time and talk about the quarterback position – the thought process and the quarterback position. As I’ve said since I got this job, Tim Tebow is a great football player and it’s our job to try to make him a great quarterback. I will get together more as time goes on. He’s just hearing so many different things, and obviously during a season when you’re young you don’t want to overload him with too much information. [Offensive coordinator] Mike McCoy and [quarterback coach] Adam Gase are doing a heck of a job coaching him and we’ll continue to see the growth hopefully each week.”
To view the entire pregame interview with Broncos EVP John Elway, please visit:
Kurt Warner 1-on-1 with Broncos Quarterback Tim Tebow:
NFL Network analyst Kurt Warner sat down for a 1-on-1 conversation with Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow:
“Yeah I’m trying to work on it and consistently trying to get better. The most important thing for a quarterback is decision-making; that’s what separates good quarterbacks from bad quarterbacks, and good quarterbacks from great quarterbacks.” – Tebow on if he is ready to consistently win games from inside the pocket
“I’m having a lot of fun. I’m so blessed to play for a great organization that has such passionate fans and great teammates that make me look a lot better than I really am. It’s a dream come true.” – Tebow
“I don’t think our goal is to be the best option team ever; our goal is just to keep the defense off balance. If that’s one more thing they have to practice for every week, then I think we’re doing our job.” – Tebow on the Broncos offense
“I’m just excited to play for great coaches and have great teammates around me. Every week you have to have a great game plan and consistently try to get better and improve. Keep changing up every week.” – Tebow on Broncos head coach John Fox’s comments this week that if he was “trying to run a regular offense, he’d be screwed.”
“It’s pretty cool. Someone told me the greatest form of flattery is impersonating somebody. That’s great. Ultimately, it doesn’t really matter.” – Tebow on the “Tebowing” craze
“No. I was more frustrated I got sacked. They made a good play so good for them.” – Tebow on if he took any offense when “Tebowing” was imitated after he was sacked against the Detroit Lions
To view Kurt Warner’s 1-on-1 interview with Broncos QB Tim Tebow, please visit:
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-
Deion Sanders 1-on-1 with Jets Head Coach Rex Ryan:
NFL Network analyst Deion Sanders sat down for a 1-on-1 conversation with his former defensive coordinator and current head coach of the New York Jets, Rex Ryan:
“I’d rather be respected.” – Ryan on if he would rather be feared or liked
“He’s not the problem either. We have to be more balanced, and ground and pound and that kind of mentality, especially late in the season, will help us more than anything. That’s really who we are. This whole thing is set on us winning games in December and January. We don’t have to be best team right now; we want to be the best team at the end of the season.” – Ryan on Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez
“The biggest disappointment is the fact we got swept by New England. Going into the season I felt great. I thought that this would be the year we’d win our division, but obviously it looks doubtful now. That wasn’t our goal anyway; we have one goal and that’s to win the Super Bowl.” – Ryan on where this Jets team is compared to the last couple of seasons
“Absolutely. I don’t know if we’re good enough right now, but I think by the end of the season we will be.” – Ryan on if he still believes the Jets can win the Super Bowl
“We’ve struggled at times. You bring in [Plaxico Burress] so you bring in a new wideout, and he’s not the top receiver in the league right now. But at the end of this year, I think the tandem of Plaxico Burress and Santonio Holmes…I don’t know, I think we’ll be pretty tough.” – Ryan on the Jets offense
“You don’t know what you’re going to get. Sometimes they throw a bunch, sometimes they spread it out. I’ve never seen a team go to empty and run quarterback power and stuff like that. So, you don’t really know. We’ve had three days of preparation; we’re going to play this game, but I don’t know if we would have a week or two weeks if that really would help.” – Ryan on Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow
To view Deion Sanders’ 1-on-1 interview with Jets head coach Rex Ryan, please visit:
http://www.nfl.com/videos/new-
Preview of Eagles WR DeSean Jackson’s 1-on-1 Interview with Michael Irvin:
This Sunday, November 20 on NFL GameDay Morning at 9:00 AM ET, NFL Network analyst Michael Irvin sits down with Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson to talk about his benching last week, his contract situation and his relationship with quarterback Michael Vick.
Below is an excerpt of the interview which aired on the Thursday Night Kickoff Presented by Sears pregame show:
Michael Irvin: “How does it make you feel when you hear people say that someone on your team – because it was reported someone on your team – said he doesn’t want to go across the middle?”
DeSean Jackson: “That’s just crazy right there because I wouldn’t throw anyone on my team under the bus. I would hope it wouldn’t be coming from a player just saying that wished he was in my position, that wished he was starting just to say something to maybe give him an opportunity. But I don’t believe in that type of stuff. The film doesn’t show it. If anything, I’m protecting myself; I’m not dodging any hits. I know the type of player I am, so I don’t feel there are too many people in the NFL that can really do what I’m capable of doing when the ball is in my hands.”
New York Jets-Denver Broncos Pregame Analysis and Quotes:
“Unprecedented in our lifetime to see a spread option offense in the NFL.” – Mike Mayock on the Denver Broncos offense
“This is a prime example of an offense adapting to its personnel. You have Tim Tebow, [and] what does he do best? He runs the option. As long as that defense allows him to do this, he’ll continue to do it.” – Steve Mariucci on the Broncos’ offense under quarterback Tim Tebow
“We have given all of the credit to the skill of the player, and not enough to the will of the player. Tim Tebow is teaching us that will counts just as much as skill in this game.” – Michael Irvin on Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow
“Their offense continues to hold them back, and it’s more to me because Mark Sanchez is not making the plays that are there to be made. They don’t need him to make those extra plays, they don’t need him to throw for 300 yards a game, but he has to make the plays that are there in front of him. Right now, he’s struggling with that.” – Kurt Warner on quarterback Mark Sanchez and the Jets’ offense
“Rex Ryan has a chain, and that chain is linked to a ball. And that ball is Mark Sanchez.” – Marshall Faulk on New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan and quarterback Mark Sanchez
“Charles Woodson is a playmaker, but Darrelle Revis for my money is the play-stopper. This is what he does and he does it best.” – Michael Irvin on New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis
“He’s one of the most undervalued players in the league.” – Mike Mayock on Jets defensive end Mike DeVito
Quick Quotes:
“Hands down he’s the Coach of the Year.” – Jay Glazer on San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh
“Andy Reid and the management of the Philadelphia Eagles are to blame for this, and I think the big reason is you can’t go and try to reinvent your team in a season where you have no offseason. You’re trying to bring in a bunch of moving parts, you’re taking an offensive coach and making him your defensive coach [and he’s] never called defensive plays before. I just think there are too many things going on here that they didn’t have a chance to react to because of no offseason.” – Kurt Warner on the Philadelphia Eagles’ 3-6 start
“He’s been driving people there crazy. He comes into an offensive game plan, he has his game plan set and he really doesn’t veer from it. I know players, coaches they’ve said to him, ‘Hey, on the field this is open, they’ve shut this down, let’s veer, let’s alter’ and he just doesn’t do it until then end of the game.” – Jay Glazer on Ravens offensive coordinator Cam Cameron
“Ray Rice is the catalyst for this offense. Whether you’re handing it to him in the backfield or whether you’re getting him into the passing game, you have to find ways – creative ways – to line him up on linebackers and make plays down the middle of the field.” – Kurt Warner on running back Ray Rice and the Ravens offense
“The Giants can beat them because they can run the football no matter where they are and they have the ability to pass. And here’s the key point: they can drop everybody because their front four can get to the quarterback.” – Michael Irvin on how the New York Giants can beat the undefeated Green Bay Packers
“They are in the position they are now strictly because they’re playing as team. The defense is playing extremely well, they’re running the football extremely well and Matt Schaub has really just had to manage the game, which to me is Matt Leinart’s greatest asset.” – Kurt Warner on why quarterback Matt Leinart has a chance to lead the Houston Texans to the playoffs
“His shoulder is tired; he’s a rookie, he’s been throwing it an awful lot.” – Jay Glazer on Panthers rookie quarterback Cam Newton
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 the Denver Broncos and New York Jets in 2011.
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-
The Right Pilot? – Is quarterback Mark Sanchez the right man for the New York Jets? Thursday Night Kickoff discusses.
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-
Are the Eagles Done? – NFL Network analyst Sterling Sharpe gave the Philadelphia Eagles an 80% chance of making the playoffs last week. At 3-6, what percentage does Sharpe give them this week?
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-
Tebow’s Offense – NFL Network analyst Steve Mariucci breaks down the triple option offense the Denver Broncos run with quarterback Tim Tebow.
http://www.nfl.com/videos/
NEXT WEEK ON SPECIAL THANKSGIVING EDITION OF THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL:
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS AT BALTIMORE RAVENS — 8:00 PM ET
Harbaugh Brothers Face Each Other for the First Time
- First-ever Thanksgiving edition of NFL GameDay Morning airs at 10:00 AM ET live from M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, previewing all three of the day’s games and what is to come in Week 12.
- Thursday Night Kickoff Presented by Sears airs at a special time of 7:00 PM ET, taking viewers up to the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens on Thursday Night Football at 8:00 PM ET in which Jim and John Harbaugh will become the first brothers in NFL history to coach against each other.
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