NFL Pregame Quotage for Week 10

“Carson [Palmer] comes in the huddle with a swagger. He’s got that look in his eyes.” – Chad Ochocinco on Bengals QB Carson Palmer and new Bengals’ attitude

“I thought it was hard to get 300 in bowling.” – Steve Mariucci on Brett Favre making his 300th consecutive start in the NFL vs. Detroit

“Vince Young is 20-11 in his first 31 starts. Troy Aikman, a great franchise quarterback, was 10-21 in his first 31 starts. If Dallas had given up on Troy at 10-21, he wouldn’t be a Hall of Famer and wouldn’t have won those Super Bowls.” – Michael Irvin on Titans QB Vince Young and if he’s a franchise quarterback

“They’re converting on third down. They are the most efficient NFL team in the red zone when it comes to putting seven points on the board. When they get down there, we have to do a good job of making them kick field goals.” – Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin on the Cincinnati Bengals

“It’s the way that they are winning games that makes them the most dangerous team and the team to beat in the NFC. They’ve won by beating teams by 40 and they’ve won being down by 20.” – Michael Irvin on the New Orleans Saints

NFL GameDay Morning, the FIRST pregame show on the air Sunday mornings at 9:00 AM ET with a new four-hour expanded format, taking viewers straight up to kickoff. Michael Irvin, Warren Sapp, Marshall Faulk, Steve Mariucci, Jason La Canfora and hosts Spero Dedes and Stacey Dales bring fans the latest news, injury reports, pregame analysis and game previews.

‘Sunday Sit-Down’ – Michael Irvin 1-on-1 with Bengals WR Chad Ochocinco:

Michael Irvin caught up with Bengals WR Chad Ochocinco to talk about the change in his mindset from last year to now, his relationship with QB Carson Palmer and the Bengals turnaround that has them contending for the AFC North:

“Our attitude. Everybody believes we’re going to win every game. We were down 20-9 in the fourth quarter against the Steelers, with nine minutes to go, Carson [Palmer] comes in the huddle with a swagger. He’s got that look in his eyes.” – Ochocinco on the difference between Bengals this season vs. last season

“Frustrations…the finger pointing. His style of play, he talks too much, he celebrates too much. I’ve always played this way. And for my style of play to all of a sudden become a problem, it kind of got to me a little bit. But there’s one thing I always say – ‘I’ll never change.’” – Ochocinco on his 2008 season and his reaction to the criticism

To view Irvin’s entire interview with Ochocinco, please visit:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/09000d5d8142ef38/Ochocinco-sitdown

Michael Lombardi Pregame 1-on-1 with Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin:

“We have to be good at playing situational football. There’s a reason why they’re playing really well. They’re converting on third down. They’re the most efficient NFL team in the red zone when it comes to putting seven points on the board. When they get down there, we have to do a good job of making them kick field goals.” – Tomlin on the Cincinnati Bengals

“We have to put our work on tape. Not anything schematic, we just have to be detailed and play with great pad level and energy.” – Tomlin on the Steelers special teams play

Quotes from NFL GameDay Morning:

“I was closed for renovations. That’s how I look at it. I messed up. I made that bed. I had to lay in it. I don’t embarrass my organization and come back and think I’m going to be productive. It’s not going to happen.” – Chad Ochocinco on his subpar 2008 season

“I’m not focused on their record, or how many Super Bowls they won. Kudos to them. I’m trying to get myself and my team down to Miami to get my own jewelry and I mean business – this isn’t a joke.” – Chad Ochocinco on facing the Steelers and their Super Bowl-winning history

“The Cowboys are back in the top echelon of teams in NFC and when you’re back in the top, you need to play like you’re in the top and put teams away when you’re supposed to.” – Michael Irvin on the Dallas Cowboys

“The Eagles defense is what fuels their ball club right now.” – Warren Sapp on the Philadelphia Eagles

“Vincent Jackson is the next premiere wide receiver in the National Football League.” – Steve Mariucci on Chargers WR Vincent Jackson

“Troy Polamalu makes them the very best defense in all of football.” – Steve Mariucci on S Troy Polamalu and the Pittsburgh Steelers

“He has a chance of losing the team with the type of play he’s putting out right now.” – Marshall Faulk on Bears QB Jay Cutler

“There are too many guys working too hard on the field to stick with one guy when he’s not playing well…In the first game, he threw four interceptions, and after four he didn’t do anything miraculous. I don’t expect him to do it after five.” – Michael Irvin on Bears QB Jay Cutler not being pulled in 10-6 loss to the 49ers where he threw five interceptions

“Body language is 90% of what you’re really thinking.” – Warren Sapp on Bears QB Jay Cutler and his mannerisms on the sideline and during press conferences

“I had to suspend Terrell Owens one week, and then, all of a sudden, for the next three years we just butted heads.” – Steve Mariucci on the Dolphins deactivation of LB Joey Porter for Week 10 game vs. Tampa Bay

“With their big play ability, they don’t need equal balance in this offense, but they need effective balance.” – Paul Burmeister on the Cowboys’ offense

“Vince Young is 20-11 in his first 31 starts. Troy Aikman, a great franchise quarterback, was 10-21 in his first 31 starts. If Dallas had given up on Troy at 10-21, he wouldn’t be a Hall of Famer and wouldn’t have won those Super Bowls.” – Michael Irvin on Titans QB Vince Young and if he’s a franchise quarterback

“We’re going to know who this offensive line is for the Bengals after the game.” –
Marshall Faulk on the Bengals offensive line facing the Steelers defensive front

“When you have the Defensive Player of the Year, you have to put him in position to make plays and that’s what Dick LeBeau does.” – Warren Sapp on Steelers LB James Harrison and his role in the Steelers defense as defined by defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau

“When you have the second-ranked defense [in the NFL], you’re never really out of a game.” – Steve Mariucci on the New York Jets

“It’s the way that they are winning games that makes them the most dangerous team and the team to beat in the NFC. They’ve won by beating teams by 40 and they’ve won being down by 20. When a team thinks they can win in any situation, they’re a tough team to beat.” – Michael Irvin on the New Orleans Saints

“I thought it was hard to get 300 in bowling.” – Steve Mariucci on Brett Favre making his 300^th consecutive start in the NFL vs. Detroit

‘Super Bowl Journey,’ Week 10 Edition – Jets WR Kerry Rhodes Takes His Mind of Football to Focus

“You have to have a short memory. From week to week you can be touted as one of the best, then go out and lay an egg. You have to be patient, move on and not dwell on what happens.” – Kerry Rhodes on handling the ups and downs of the season

“We have a lot of season left where we can right the ship.” – Rhodes on the New York Jets

To view Rhodes’ latest Super Bowl Journey, please visit:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/09000d5d8142efb9/Super-Bowl-Journey-Rhodes-bye-week

To view previous Super Bowl Journey editions from all five contributors, please visit: http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-super-bowl-journey

La Canfora News Reports:

• The Dolphins are being pretty tight-lipped about the deactivation of LB Joey Porter. They’re not confirming anything you run by them and they’re not denying anything you run by them. All the Dolphins are saying is that it’s not related to an injury and that it was a coach’s decision. The word circling around the locker room is that maybe it has something to do with the fact that he was banged up this week, allowed to go home early on one occasion and may have wandered out and about and did not go straight home. The inkling is that the coaching staff found out and it did not sit well with them.

• When you talk about Mike Holmgren, you continue to hear Seattle. Not as a coach with Jim Mora in his first year, but in a team president or GM-type of a role if they make a move. Mike Shanahan wants to get back into coaching as well and he would love to go to San Diego. They have a pretty good operation there with a good quarterback in place. However, you’re hearing more and more that if Chicago makes a move and Lovie Smith goes, we know about Shanahan’s relationship with Jay Cutler and look at the money – Shanahan’s going to get $7 million a year from Denver no matter what. That’s a pretty big offset of what Chicago would have to pay him. Also Bill Cowher; he’s another guy that if Chicago made a move, he would go. Houston and Carolina are other options for Cowher as well. Jon Gruden and Bruce Allen could reunite in Washington, maybe even with Doug Williams where I’m hearing there’s little tension growing in Tampa.

EXTRA POINTS:

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.

To ESPN and the quotes and notes from Sunday NFL Countdown.

2009 “Sunday NFL Countdown” Notes and Quotes – Week 10

ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown host Chris Berman and analysts Cris Carter, Mike Ditka, Tom Jackson and Keyshawn Johnson previewed today’s of NFL action. Highlights:

Who has the more impressive season so far: Tom Brady or Peyton Manning?

Jackson: “It is Peyton Manning because he has been so much a part of what they’ve done offensively. Having possession against Miami, less than 15 minutes, win that football game. Forty passes last week to open up the game in the first half. They win that football game. I saw New England last year without Tom Brady, and they went 11 and five. I’m trying to imagine the Colts without Peyton Manning, no slight to (Jim) Sorgi, with Jim Sorgi be 11 and five.”

Johnson: “I think it is Peyton Manning. When you look at everything over the course of the year – he looses (head coach) Tony Dungy, which is a big change no matter what anybody is says; then you don’t know whether the offensive coordinator is coming or going; and also, he looses the Hall of Fame wide receiver Marvin Harrison, hasn’t played all year long except one game with (Anthony) Gonzalez who got hurt, and then Pierre Garcon stepped up to the plate, that’s a lot there to deal with.”

Carter: “There’s one guy that got carried off the field last year and that’s Tom Brady … When you can jump over that mental, injury hurdle, I give the edge to Tom because of what he had to go through.”

Ditka: “I’d say Peyton (Manning). You must understand what this guy is doing – he’s the coach on the field, he’s the coordinator, he’s running the offense, he’s calling every play, he has the check-with-me list, they come up, they run it, reads the defense, he recognizes it, understands it, they go.”

The Patriots – Colts rivalry

Jackson on what makes the rivalry great: “First, I’ve got to have two teams that win. And then, I’ve got to have high stakes whenever they meet. I think we have that every time these two teams play. Great organizations. Throw in a couple Hall of Fame quarterbacks and a couple Hall of Fame coaches – Bill Belichick and when Tony Dungy was there, Tony Dungy. You’ve got all of those things going when the Colts and the Pats match up.”

Colts – Pats – Matchups to watch tonight

Jackson – Sebastian Vollmer vs. Dwight Freeney: “I am going to be watching Dwight Freeney. I’m going to see if he can get the pressure on Tom Brady to force him to do something other than complete about 80% of his passes downfield.”

Carter – Bill Belichick vs. Jim Caldwell: “I am going to go with the coaches – Belichick vs. Caldwell. We know what Tony Dungy in this matchup would look like. Bill Belichick in these types of games, he has no respect for Indy’s defense. So that’s why you’ve seen him 12 times since 2000 on fourth down, they’ve gone for it and have gotten eight of them. Now it is time to establish what type of coach Caldwell be in a championship caliber game.”

Johnson – Randy Moss vs. Colts defensive backs: “I’m going to watch the Indianapolis secondary – young corners (Jerraud) Powers and (Jacob) Lacey … Those young guys against Randy Moss, they’ve never seen a guy run like that, indoors in a dome.”

Ditka – Peyton Manning vs. Patriots defensive backs: “The coaching staff, they look at the films. When they see the films, they look at the secondary of the New England Patriots and they say, ‘this is one area we can exploit. We can beat them in this area. Protect our quarterback, let’s get the ball down the field.’”

Berman – Kevin Faulk vs. Colts linebackers: “All these starters and all the names … who knows better than, because he’s been in all these games, Kevin Faulk against the Colts linebackers. He caught the winning touchdown in that big battle of undefeated two years ago.”

Can the Bengals handle this moment – vs. Pittsburgh?

Jackson: “It is going to be tough but they’ve got the right formula. No. 1: They have got to run the football. That’s offensively. Troy Polamalu has got that right – if they stop Cedric Benson, Pittsburgh Steelers win. No. 2: The defense of the Bengals has to knock the quarterback down – get Big Ben off his feet. That’s going to be hard to do. And then comes the mentality of beating the defending world champions in order to get where you want to get and you’ve got to do it twice in the season. We had to do it against the Raiders. We beat them 37-7 at home in Oakland the first year we went to the Super Bowl. That’s the task in front of the Bengals.”

Carter: “A lot of people just assume that professional athletes, that we all have a great deal of confidence … We were in that same situation in 1998 in Minnesota. We had Green bay, who had represented the NFC the last two previous years in the Super Bowl, and we thumped them good on a Monday night – Randy Moss’ national coming out party. But it gave us the confidence inside that locker room that we can represent the NFC. It gave us a little extra. There’s more to this game than Xs and Os.”

Johnson: “I hate to be the guy that spoils the party for the Cincinnati Bengals. But I don’t think they can seize this moment. It is going to be a little big for them. When you look back, they’ve already beaten the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 3. Now, the Pittsburgh Steelers are a much, much bette
r football team. Not to take anything away from the Cincinnati Bengals because they are playing pretty good themselves. But Troy Polamalu, back in the lineup, he wasn’t there with the touchdown at the end of the game. That wasn’t him in the middle of the field. Rashard Mendenhall, found his way on the bench. He’s no longer on the bench, running the ball well. And James Harrison is getting after the quarterbacks. Eight sacks this year. He’s playing lights out. Pittsburgh Steelers understand that ‘we are trying to get back to the Super Bowl.’ In order to do that, we have to take care of business at home.”

Ditka: “Everything leading up to this football game started in the offseason – To get to the next level, you’ve got to beat the teams in there. Every goal that Cincinnati set was to beat Pittsburgh. That’s what they said. Now, they’ve done it once. They’ve got to figure out how to do it again. How are they going to beat them? Well, ‘we’re going to play your style of football … We’re going to run the football, we’re going to play good defense, and don’t turn it over.’”

More surprising: Cowboys rise or Packers slide?

Ditka: “Green Bay struggling. I picked them to go to the Super Bowl … Somewhere, the coaches have to enter into this. I’m just saying, ‘I’ve got a problem. I’ve got to correct the problem. Right now, we’re getting sacked way too much, what am I going to do? I’ve got to protect that back side, I don’t have a left tackle. I’ll protect the backside, here’s the tight end.’ Roll him out. Put in a little packet. Roll plays to the right. Get him out of the pocket. And the other thing is, he’s got to get rid of the football.”

Jackson: “I knew that Dallas had the talent. They just needed the focus. Aaron Rodgers was an outstanding quarterback at the beginning of last year. Through taking that punishment, I see the shell and the shock of what’s happening to him. He’s starting to become frozen with the football and he’s on pace to get sacked 74 times this year. I can tell you this, this is football knowledge from whenever, if he gets sacked 74 times, you’ll never see the same guy that you saw start the season last year.”

Johnson: “You’ve got Aaron Rodgers now as a young quarterback that you drafted and playing, but you’ve got to protect him. You need to be able to do things to protect him. Shift the back over to help … You also have to get the football out of his hands early. They got rid of a 40-year-old quarterback fellows, if this keeps up, he’ll be 40 before long.”

Carter: “I’m not surprised about Dallas. But I’m really surprised about Green Bay. I’m really surprised how they missed in trying to install a 34 defense. Dom Capers, well respected around the National Football League. But when you don’t have a dude who plays that 34, that linebacker who can rush, just like Denver has with (Elvis) Dumervil, like (James) Harrison in Pittsburgh, you don’t have that in Aaron Kampman, he’s too tall … They made a serious miscalculation in that 34 defense.”

Now to Fox NFL Sunday back from Afghanistan.

FOX NFL SUNDAY NOTES – 11/15/09

Bradshaw on Jay Cutler: He’s the Disappointment of the Year

Strahan: Saints Defense Has More Touchdowns than Rams Offense

Long: Jim Caldwell Has to be Considered for Coach of the Year

Johnson: Rivers Should Have a Big Day Against Philadelphia

Glazer Reports NFLPA to Meet with Browns Players about Mangini’s Behavior

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Co-host Terry Bradshaw, analysts Jimmy Johnson & Michael Strahan assess Chicago Bears QB Jay Cutler’s performance this season:

Bradshaw: “He’s the disappointment of the year but I wouldn’t call him a bust. When I had bad games in Pittsburgh, it wasn’t uncommon for Joe Greene or Jack Lambert to get in my face. Did I resent it? No. It actually helped me focus and realize it’s all about the team.”

Johnson: “It’s all about attitude. Jay Cutler has thrown seven red zone interceptions in his last 11 games. Tom Brady has six red zone interceptions in his entire career. Now, we shouldn’t be comparing Cutler to Brady. We should be comparing Jay Cutler to Rex Grossman.”

Strahan: “The disappointing thing is that they brought him in to win the type of game that they ended up losing against the 49ers. Very rarely, when you already have four interceptions, do you have the chance to win the game and he threw a pick to end it. GM Jerry Angelo, who took all the credit for bringing Cutl
er in, needs to take some of the criticism now that Cutler’s not playing as well.”

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Analyst Howie Long thinks highly of the job done by Indianapolis Colts Head Coach Jim Caldwell: “Jim Caldwell has a new defensive coordinator, an entirely new scheme, a slew of injured defensive players and has been forced to play a couple of rookies on offense. When you talk about coach of the year here at the midway point, he has to get consideration.”

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Co-host Terry Bradshaw predicts a win by the Steelers this afternoon in Pittsburgh: “Some things are certain in life and that is Cincinnati is not going to beat Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh. There is no way the Bengals will beat Pittsburgh.”

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FOX NFL SUNDAY Insider Jay Glazer reports the NFLPA will meet with Browns players about the behavior of head coach Eric Mangini: “Things in Cleveland look bad and it just keeps getting worse and worse. In fact unbeknownst to Eric Mangini, I’ve learned that the NFLPA is actually going out to Cleveland on Wednesday to have a meeting with the players. The NFLPA wants to get to the bottom of exactly what Eric Mangini is doing with these guys. Not sure what they can really do but they’re going out to see if there is anyway they can protect them.”

Glazer on what Browns players are saying: “They are absolutely exhausted. It’s not just Jamal Lewis (who last week went public with negative comments on Mangini’s practice methods). It’s funny, Eric Mangini said this week, ‘I just practice these guys for two hours.’ The players I talked to said, ‘two hours? What practices is he talking about?’ He’s giving these guys three hours. Sometimes, like this past week, one guy said practice was for three hours and 25 minutes in full pads, they were completely exhausted. A big problem is that they’re so exhausted that after practice Mangini has these extra reps and that’s when guys are really getting hurt. In fact one guy shredded his patella this week. They think it’s career ending.”

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Analyst Howie Long believes the Vikings should rest Favre, if they get the opportunity: “Don’t worry about the message you’re sending to your team. The Vikings have three home games coming up. If you get a chance, you rest Favre. You don’t treat all your players the same. Brett is different.”

Analyst Jimmy Johnson on how he would handle Favre: “Play him. Run the football, play defense and let him do his thing.”

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Strahan compares the Saints defense, to the Rams offense: “Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has done a great job in New Orleans. The Saints defense has actually scored more touchdowns than the Rams offense.”

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Analyst Jimmy Johnson on Philadelphia’s struggles when traveling to the West Coast: “The last time that Philadelphia had to come to the West Coast they lost to Oakland. Now they are traveling to San Diego who blitzes as much as anyone in the league. I think it’s a big day for Phillip Rivers against Philadelphia.”

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NFL Insider Jay Glazer reports on Packers players-only meeting: “Aaron Rodgers stood up in an offensive, players-only meeting and he got after everybody. It was followed by every body getting on each other and guys saying ‘this is what I’m doing wrong; this is what this guy is doing wrong.’ It wasn’t a confrontational thing where guys were pointing fingers but more of a productive thing. It spilled over into the locker room where the defensive guys got involved also. Last night Coach McCarthy told me, ‘We’re going to be aggressive about fixing this.’ In fact they’ve changed an awful lot of blocking schemes up front for this game and have put even more in the lap of Aaron Rodgers.”

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Analyst Howie Long’s Midseason Awards:

Biggest Disappointment: Tennessee Titans

Sideline Enforcer: Mike Smith

Surprise Team: Cincinnati Bengals

Coach of the Year: Josh McDaniels

Rookie of the Year: Percy Harvin

Comeback Player of the Year: Tom Brady

Defensive Player of the Year: Jared Allen

MVP: Peyton Manning

Free Agent Pickup of the Year: Brett Favre

And this is what was said on CBS’ NFL Today.

NEWS, NOTES & QUOTES FROM CBS SPORTS’ “THE NFL TODAY” WITH JAMES BROWN, DAN MARINO, SHANNON SHARPE, BILL COWHER AND BOOMER ESIASON FOR WEEK 10 ON NOVEMBER 15

?“SEC ON CBS’” RATINGS

CBS Sports’ doubleheader coverage of the SEC ON CBS on Saturday, Nov. 14, which saw No. 1 Florida defeat South Carolina, 24-14, earned an overnight household rating/share of 4.7/10, up 27% from last year’s 3.7/8 (No. 24 South Carolina vs. No. 3 Florida). And CBS Sports’ first game, which saw Ole Miss beat Tennessee, 42-17, earned an overnight HH rating/share of 2.4/6, up 9% from last year’s 2.2/5 (Notre Dame vs. Navy).

?QUICK HITS

(On Cincinnati’s Chad Ochocinco getting fined $20,000 for stunt where he pretended to bribe an official)

SHANNON SHARPE: I think the NFL should fine Chad Ochocinco $250,00
0…Because even though this was a stunt, maybe he didn’t mean it. But when you try to influence or you bring into question the integrity of the National Football League, someone just watching this for the first time, or someone that’s really not an avid fan, might say, ‘Can they really do this?’ And you also fine him $250,000 because clearly when you fine Chad $5,000, $10,000, $15,000, $20,000, he’s not getting the message. So you fine him $250,000 – he gets the message now and anybody who comes along after Chad and thinks about doing something like this, they better think long and hard because $250,000 is a lot of money. A one dollar bribe is the same as a $20,000 fine to him. It’s nothing. Two-hundred Thousand dollars sends the message. Chad will stop these shenanigans. He’s getting ridiculous with it.

? POLITICAL FOCUS GROUP GURU FRANK LUNTZ VISITED “THE NFL TODAY” SET

Expert in communication and pioneer of the “Instant Response” focus group, Frank Luntz, visited THE NFL TODAY studio to rate sound bites of several coaches and players. Based on his expertise Luntz surmised:

(On San Francisco Head Coach Mike Singletary being a good candidate for political office)

LUNTZ: He’s candid. He’s honest. He’s acknowledging weaknesses. But then he says, ‘We’re going to go to work.’ It’s as simple as that. No messing around. This could be his gubernatorial announcement speech. It’s that good.

(On describing Cleveland Head Coach Eric Mangini with “communication by thesaurus” for his one word descriptions of what his team needs)

LUNTZ: He only needs three things: a noun, a verb and some sort of punctuation. I really got the feeling like maybe he learned English as a second language. It was plain and simple and you got it. But he could still be better. He could still be more expressive. He’s not trying to speak to the team in these moments. He’s trying to speak to the fans, to the greater audience. And all I would recommend is add a little more humanity to it – not just the words – a little more of the heart.

?“INSIDE THE GAME” WITH CHARLEY CASSERLY

(On Chicago Head Coach Lovie Smith’s future)

CASSERLY: I spoke to the Bears on Friday, and they told me two things: Number one, ‘We’re solidly behind our coach, Lovie Smith, and we’re 100% committed to him.’ In other words, he’s going to be the head coach next year.

(On Arizona’s Anquan Boldin returning next season)

CASSERLY: First of all, next year is the last year of his contract. I don’t see him getting a contract extension. Last spring they tried to find out what his trade value was. They didn’t get offered a lot for him. I think this year they aggressively try to trade him. What’s he worth? I don’t think he’s a number one receiver. I do think he’s a good football player. I wouldn’t give up a one for him. Nobody offered a one last year, so I doubt they will get that number one offer this year.

When NBC’s Football Night in America becomes available, it’ll be posted here.

UPDATE, 10:50 p.m.: We now have the Football Night in America quotage.

“FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA” NOTES & QUOTES; WEEK 10

Manning to Costas: “I like being in the old club with guys who just played their butts off.”

Dungy & Harrison break down “Illinois Z Delay”

Andrea Kremer Asks Hall of Fame QBs: Brady or Manning?

NEW
 YORK – November 15, 2009 – Following are highlights from NBC Sports' "Football Night in America." Bob Costas hosted the show live from Lucas Oil Stadium. He was joined on site for commentary by Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth. Co-hosts Dan Patrick and Keith Olbermann, analysts Tony Dungy and Rodney Harrison, and reporter Peter King were live from NBC's 30 Rockefeller Plaza studios, covering the news of the NFL's tenth week. Tiki Barber reported from Lambeau Field, site of the Cowboys-Packers game.

LIVING HALL OF FAME QBs CHOOSE MANNING OVER BRADY
Prior to the game, "Sunday Night Football" sideline reporter Andrea Kremer asked the 20 living Hall of Fame QBs, including 97-year old Ace Parker, who is better, Patriots QB Tom Brady or Indianapolis QB Peyton Manning? The results were 13.5 votes for Manning, 2.5 for Brady and four abstentions. Joe Montana was responsible for the half votes saying he would start Brady in the first half and Manning in the second. A comprehensive story can be found on NBCSports.com.

ILLINOIS Z DELAY
Harrison broke down a Colts play the Patriots named "Illinois Z Delay," which he described as the most frustrating play to cover when he competed against the Colts as a member of the Patriots.

Harrison: "It was a zone beater. As a defender, you have two men in your zone. I can't cover both. I have to decide who I'm going to cover. You knew it was coming but you had no way of stopping it."

Dungy: "It's a quick pass, an easy read for the quarterback against zone coverage. They'll throw this seven, eight, maybe 10 times tonight if they're playing a lot of zone."

Harrison: "Really the only way of covering it is to go to man-to-man coverage but that plays into Indianapolis' hands."

NOTE: Dungy would not reveal the actual name the Colts use for the play.

COSTAS INTERVIEWS MANNING: "Football Night" host Bob Costas interviewed Colts QB Peyton Manning prior to the game.

Manning on Tom Brady: "I can't tell you where he ranks. I can tell you what a great quarterback he is or what a great leader he is. Certainly, when the stakes are at their highest that's when he seems to shine and make the most plays. At the end of the AFC Championship a few years ago, I don't usually pray during a game but I just knew I gave Brady a 1:23. That's just way too much time...He's made the hard look easy. He's one of the best."

Manning on great quarterbacks who have not won a Super Bowl: "I still defend Marino. I still defend Tarkenton. I still defend Jim Kelly. All I know is what great quarterbacks they were. I've seen guys change when they've won one. They kind of say, 'I'm out of that club now I'm in this new club.' I kind of like being in the old club with guys who just played their butts off every single Sunday. Jim Kelly, Marino, Tarkenton, John Stockton, you get guys not just in the NFL. I admire those guys for how long they played, how well they competed, how hard they competed. That's really all I want to do every single Sunday -- win as many games as I can and certainly, every year, try to win another championship."

ON THE BENGALS
Collinsworth: "(Today's game) was one of those old fashioned, physical kind of battles that the Bengals always seem to find a way to lose to Pittsburgh. Today, in Pittsburgh, they won a big one...It's hard to believe but right now you have to start thinking about the Bengals possibilities of going to the Super Bowl."

Dungy: "I'm more excited about their defense. Those guys won the game for them today. They out-defensed Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh."

ON THE JETS
Olbermann: "All you need to know about the 2009 Jets is that after six weeks of not being able to score when they needed to, today they were unable to let the other team score when they needed them to."

Harrison: "It's inexcusable to have two veteran safeties miscommunicate with two weeks to prepare."

ON VINCE YOUNG WINNING THREE STRAIGHT GAMES & CHRIS JOHNSON
Dungy: "What if they had played him six weeks ago?...He's opened it up for Chris Johnson."

Harrison: "Chris Johnson is the best running back in football."

Dungy: "He's more exciting. He has a chance to go 90 yards every time he touches the ball. I still like Adrian Peterson."

ON THE BROWNS
King: "I think that fairly soon the Cleveland Browns are probably going to make an offer to Mike Holmgren to be that football czar."

ON BRETT FAVRE
Olbermann: "Brett Favre's 300th consecutive start dating back to 1894."

ON THE CURSE OF THE COACH'S CLICKER
Patrick: "Every time you break down a quarterback to tell us how great they are, the second coming of Peyton Manning, Matt Ryan once again lays an egg."

Dungy: "We had Matt Ryan on, he was playing great football, looked very polished, poised like a veteran. Now he's throwing interceptions left and right, making bad decisions, a 50-percent passer. He's gone down hill since we clicked him."

Harrison: "He did the same thing to Eli Manning!"

Dungy (joking): "Can I click Brady tonight?"

And that will do it for the quotage tonight.