Thursday Night Football Quotage

I think there’s someone over at the NFL Network who really likes me because I have just received quotage from the Raiders-Chargers game and the broadcast finished about 10 minutes from when I started this post. Not bad at all. This is the fastest I’ve received NFL broadcast quotage. Color me impressed.

Because many of you don’t have the NFL Network, this is what you missed.

Quotes from Oakland Raiders vs. San Diego Chargers
Dec. 4, 2008 on NFL Network

FINAL – CHARGERS 34, RAIDERS 7

FIRST QUARTER:
“In many ways, Darren Sproles looks like the L.T. of old.”
– Cris Collinsworth on Chargers RB Darren Sproles

“If you’re running game isn’t going well, what do you do? Dial up the Oakland Raiders and run the football.”
– Cris Collinsworth

“You have to understand that what has worked for the San Diego Chargers this season is Philip Rivers and the passing game. So it’s very difficult on the head coach to keep feeding the ball to the running game when it hasn’t been working.”
– Cris Collinsworth on the Chargers’ offense

Stat graphic:
Most touchdowns vs. one team among active players:
Versus TD
LaDainian Tomlinson (SD) OAK 22
LaDainian Tomlinson (SD) DEN 16
Hines Ward (PIT) CIN 14
Marvin Harrison (IND) NE 14

End of 1st Quarter: Chargers 10, Raiders 0

SECOND QUARTER:
“Chargers fans have to be sitting here saying, ‘where has this been all season?’”
– Cris Collinsworth on the Chargers’ early success in the running game

“Shaun Phillips has tried to take over the role that Shawne Merriman has had for so long and it simply has not worked out for this team. When you take a superstar off of your defense, others begin to look average and that has happened to the Chargers this year.”
– Cris Collinsworth on the absence of Chargers LB Shawne Merriman

“The Christmas season is coming and there is a lot of coal in the stockings of (CB) Chris Johnson and the Raiders right now.”
– Bob Papa on the Raiders 24-0 early deficit

“Zach Miller has become JaMarcus Russell’s main downfield threat.”
– Cris Collinsworth on Raiders TE Zach Miller

“Jamal Williams is a guy that the Chargers have asked to play even more plays. It’s not very often in this league that you see a nose tackle that plays 50 plays, but a week ago (versus the Falcons), on the 50th play, he was getting stronger than he was earlier in the game.”
– Cris Collinsworth on Chargers NT Jamal Williams

“JaMarcus Russell is the franchise. You cannot have him going off on a cart. You have to spend some money on those tackles.”
– Cris Collinsworth on the Raiders acquiring better line protection for QB JaMarcus Russell

Halftime: Chargers 27, Raiders 7

HALFTIME

“He’s honest with himself. He knows that he still has it. As a running back, you have that conversation with yourself. I had it with myself and I was honest – I knew it was gone, but watch this guy with the very same eyes I watched myself when I felt I was done and he still has it.”
– Marshall Faulk on Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson

“Somewhat ironic that the first game shot in 3-D is somewhat one dimensional.”
– Rich Eisen

THIRD QUARTER:
“This is a team in San Diego that typically wins all of them when it comes to the month of December. They have been so good closing down the stretch.”
– Cris Collinsworth on the Chargers

“The only thing left for the Raiders to do is go out and hire as a head coach the absolute best quarterback developer that they can find and turn it around.”
– Cris Collinsworth on the Raiders

End of 3rd Quarter: Chargers 27, Raiders 7

FOURTH QUARTER:
“I like those two guys, I really do, the more tape I watch on Thomas Howard and Kirk Morrison. They don’t care what the record is. They’re a little like Justin Fargas – they’re going to give you everything they have on every snap and if you build your foundation around those two guys, you’re going to be fine.”
– Cris Collinsworth on Raiders LBs Thomas Howard and Kirk Morrison

“We haven’t needed a win this bad in a long time. It’s good to get it at home, our fans have been great. They’re here at 4-8, pulling for us. It’s good to win a game at home where we’ve been so good in the past. You never know what can happen now. We’ve got three weeks to go and we’re going to play them out.”
– Chargers QB Philip Rivers on the win with NFL Network’s Adam Schefter postgame

“One thing we can’t do is control what Denver does, but with three games left, the odds are against us, but you never know. Crazier things have happened. We’re going to fight like crazy to win these next two and see if that game (Dec. 28 vs. Denver) means something.”
– Philip Rivers on the Chargers playoff chances (postgame)

NFL TOTAL ACCESS ON LOCATION PREGAME SHOW
Host: Rich Eisen Analysts: Marshall Faulk, Steve Mariucci, Deion Sanders, Warren Sapp
“The Chargers have to be honest with themselves. This team is being taken out of the hands of #21 and put in the hands of #17.”
– Marshall Faulk on the Chargers

“I don’t think that Norv (Turner) ever had this team. This was Marty’s (Schottenheimer) team with an identity of a power running game that came out and was tougher (than other teams). That’s not what this team is.”
– Warren Sapp on the struggles of the San Diego Chargers

“Follow the money, like the IRS. Let’s follow the paper trail. When it goes bad, let’s follow the money and that’s where you point the blame.”
– Deion Sanders on holding the players accountable for the struggles in San Diego

“Two years ago, there was a guy here that was a points machine. The Chargers were like a team with a great closer in baseball. All you had to do was get to the 20-yard line and they were going to score.”
– Rich Eisen on the difference in coaching styles between Marty Schottenheimer and Norv Turner

“If any team can handle being without their star wide receiver, it’s the New York Giants.”
– Steve Mariucci on the New York Giants losing Plaxico Burress for the remainder of the season

“I don’t think the Giants are definitely turning their backs on Plaxico Burress. I would leave the possibly of (Burress) playing another game for the New York Giants in the future if he can get through some of these (legal) hurdles.”
– Bob Papa on Burress and his future with the New York Giants

“He has to self-evaluate. That’s the one thing he has to do. He has to look at himself and say, ‘how can I make myself a better person before I can become a better player for this team?’”
– Warren Sapp on Burress

Deion Sanders and Marshall Faulk on Dolphins VP of Football Operations Bill Parcells:

“You have to admit that the guy knows how to shop for groceries.” – Faulk

“Yeah, but he leaves before the meal is done.” – Sanders

“He’s doesn’t call the plays, he doesn’t call the defense and he didn’t invent the ‘wildcat,’ but what he’s provided this team is structure.”
– Steve Mariucci on
Parcells

“Was the aberration the year before when they made it to the playoffs and they almost knock off the Patriots and make it to the Super Bowl or was the aberration this season with all the injuries? I think this group, as a whole probably deserves a tie-breaker, with next season being the tie-breaker. If it doesn’t work out next year, I think the whole lot is gone. Norv Turner, A.J. Smith – I think (the Chargers) will start all over again.”
– Cris Collinsworth on whether this season or last season’s success was the aberration under Norv Turner

“In life, especially in sports, everything has a life cycle. Al Davis’ life cycle for running this team is up and he hasn’t recognized that yet. His ideas of who he thinks is best for the team are wrong. He’s not in the modern day game.”
– Marshall Faulk on Raiders owner Al Davis

Adam Schefter Reports:
Whether or not the Raiders ultimately retain interim head coach Tom Cable has not officially been determined, but there are signs indicating he could be in trouble at the end of the season. Oakland officials already have begun compiling a list of prospective head-coaching candidates it would like to interview shortly after this season wraps up Dec. 28 at Tampa Bay in what was supposed to be the Kiffin Bowl. The Raiders are being tight lipped about who is on the list and insist that their focus is squarely on finishing this season strong and giving Cable the support he deserves. But it has not stopped this franchise from wisely begin to chart its future. And when the Raiders begin interviewing head-coaching candidates, expect them to be on the offensive side of the football. Including Cable, the last 11 head coaches the Raiders have hired have offensive backgrounds. In fact, the last defensive head coach that Raiders owner Al Davis hired was none other than John Madden.

Minnesota’s DT Kevin Williams and Pat Williams might be able to stave off their suspensions in time for Sunday’s game against Detroit. But it could cost them later on. If the Williams’ lose their legal battle with the NFL, they will be required to sit out four games – even if those four games include playoff games. So if this legal case drags on into next week, or possibly longer, and if a ruling comes down against the Williams’ this month, then Minnesota would be hit ultra hard. It could lose their tackle tandem for the postseason. But the Williams’ feel as if they have no choice but to protest their suspensions, even if it costs them post-season time. The Williams’ reputation and wallet each could take a significant hit – and the players are prepared to fight it. Even it means missing a playoff game.

Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger left practice early on Wednesday, but was back at practice on Thursday and went through the entire practice. Head coach Mike Tomlin said Roethlisberger will start Sunday vs. the Dallas Cowboys. However, S Troy Polamalu has missed the two straight days of practice due to a calf injury.

Faulk sit down with Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson:

“I don’t feel like I’m getting old. Obviously, I am older in my eighth season, but I don’t feel like I can’t get the job done anymore.”
– Tomlinson on his age and productivity

“I have always felt like no matter how many touches I get, I should always be able to get the job done.”
– Tomlinson on his productivity

“There are a lot of things that I can say are wrong with this team, but I don’t think we’re as bad as people think we are. But whenever you lose eight games with the type of talent we have, then that’s when the questions start, ‘what’s wrong with the Chargers?’”
– Tomlinson on what is wrong with the Chargers

“You can’t just blame it on Norv (Turner). That’s the easy thing to do. At some point it has to be on the players also. Everyone has a part in it, but a lot of times the players can make the bad stuff go away by getting the job done on the field and winning games. For us, we haven’t been able to get the job done.”
– Tomlinson on where the blame lies in the Chargers’ struggles

“For me, I don’t even go there because to me, that’s what losers do. Losers find a way to say ‘would Marty be better?’ Then in your mind, you may start to think that and it affects the way you feel about the current coaching staff, meaning Norv. That affects you if you’re thinking about another coach being here. Marty is not coming back.”
– Tomlinson on if head coach Norv Turner is to blame for the Chargers’ struggles

“I don’t know, I can’t answer that question. I can’t sit here and tell you honestly what the identity is. We’re still searching for it.”
– Tomlinson on the identity of the San Diego Chargers

That’s your extensive quotage from the NFL Network.