HIGHLIGHTS FROM WEEK 9 OF NBC’s “FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA”

“They can run the ball with anybody in the history of the league.” – Collinsworth on the Giants

“Maybe they really are going to the Super Bowl.” – Collinsworth on the Titans

NEW YORK – Nov. 2, 2008 – Following are highlights from NBC’s “Football Night in America” studio show, as host Bob Costas, co-host Cris Collinsworth, co-host Keith Olbermann, co-host Dan Patrick, analysts Tiki Barber and Jerome Bettis, and reporter Peter King of Sports Illustrated take a look at the day’s top storylines in the NFL:

COLLINSWORTH ON THE GIANTS: “They can run the ball with anybody in the history of the league.”

COLLINSWORTH ON THE COWBOYS: “For Jerry Jones, Wade Phillips and company, they knew what they had at backup quarterback and it’s costing them big time.”

COLLINSWORTH ON THE TITANS: “Maybe they really are going to the Super Bowl.

“When you have a defensive football team that can dominate a really good offense like Green Bay has, it just looks like it’s going to be something special for Tennessee this year.”

KING ON BEARS’ FAN HOPING FOR KYLE ORTON’S SPEEDY RECOVERY: “I don’t think they want to see another chapter of Rex Grossman.”

BETTIS ON REX GROSSMAN: “For all you Chicago Bears fans who are saying ‘no more Rex, we don’t want anymore,’ believe me, this is a different Rex Grossman. And I’ll tell you why: Matt Forte is the running back. Grossman doesn’t have to do as much.”

BARBER’S RESPONSE: “I’m telling you ‘Bussie,’ everyone in Chicago is praying for Kyle Orton.”

KING ON MATT CASSEL: “He’s going to hit it rich in the off season and I think it’ll be with a team like Detroit.”

COLLINSWORTH ON PLAY OF KURT WARNER: “Kurt Warner is very much in the MVP conversation. Who would have believed that?”

BETTIS ON EMERGENCE OF TIM HIGHTOWER IN ARIZONA: “It’s the end of Edgerrin James. He had a great career but at some point it’s time to walk away.”

BARBER ON THE JAGUARS: “David Garrard threw the ball 38 times. They can’t win that way.”

FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA:
Michael Weisman is the executive in charge of production, “Football Night in America,” Sam Flood is coordinating producer and Bucky Gunts serves as director.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM WEEK 6 OF NBC’s “FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA”

“At least the Bengals move to 3-3 – three bad losses, three good losses. In Cincinnati we count that as .500.” – “Football Night’s Collinsworth

“He fires his agent, apparently because his agent demanded 10 percent of his bail bonds.” – “Football Night’s Costas on “Pacman” Jones

NEW YORK – Oct. 12, 2008 – Following are highlights from NBC’s “Football Night in America” studio show, as host Bob Costas, co-host Cris Collinsworth, co-host Keith Olbermann, co-host Dan Patrick, analysts Tiki Barber and Jerome Bettis, and reporter Peter King of Sports Illustrated take a look at the day’s top storylines in the NFL:

COSTAS ON ADAM “PACMAN” JONES: “‘Pacman’ Jones can’t even get along with the people closest to him. He fires his agent, apparently because his agent demanded 10 percent of his bail bonds.”

LADAINIAN TOMLINSON TO ANDREA KREMER:

ON HIS TOE INJURY: “It’s hampering me in certain situations when I have to cut, cut hard.”

ON HIS CRITICS: “Don’t judge me off of four or five games. Judge me at the end of the race.”

COLLINSWORTH ON “L.T.”: “I wouldn’t be playing him. I think it’s fairly obvious he’s hurt. I think it’s hurting their passing game as well. Sometimes as a coach you have to admit that your star player is hurt.”

COLLINSWORTH ON THE BENGALS: “At least the Bengals move to 3-3 – three bad losses, three good losses. In Cincinnati we count that as .500.”

TIKI ON THE RAMS: “When Scott Linehan was their coach, this team would make a mistake, get down and then they would flat give up.”

COLLINSWORTH ON ANDY REID’S PLAY CALLING: “The last couple of weeks we’ve been making suggestions. We don’t criticize on this show, we make suggestions that maybe Andy Reid should try and throw the ball when he gets down on the goal line instead of running the ball and he did exactly that today.”

PATRICK ON DAN ORLOVSKY OF DETROIT TAKING A SAFETY: “Dan Orlovsky, thinking he’s in the CFL.”

COLLINSWORTH ON THE BRONCOS: “Right now the Denver Broncos are not as tough as the Jacksonville Jaguars. It’s as simple as that.”

COLLINSWORTH ON AGONY OF COACHING WITH ALL THE CLOSE GAMES TODAY: “Can you imagine making your living doing this?”

COLLINSWORTH ON THE COLTS: “Marvin Harrison was a different guy today than he was at the beginning of the season. He’s much healthier.”

COLLINSWORTH ON ELI VS. PEYTON DEBATE: “Eli’s coming but is not quite to where Peyton is.”

COLLINSWORTH ON WHY DALLAS LOST: “This is the first time we’ve seen the Dallas offensive line get whipped.”

FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA:
Michael Weisman is the executive in charge of production, “Football Night in America,” Sam Flood is coordinating producer and Bucky Gunts serves as director.

“That was the highlight of Simpson’s weekend – well the jury’s still out.” – “Football Night’s” Olbermann on Tomlinson not passing O.J. in all-time rushing yards

“We would never have Costas jumping over the top.” – “Football Night’s” Collinsworth on Sage Rosenfels key fumble

NEW YORK – Oct. 5, 2008 – Following are highlights from NBC’s “Football Night in America” studio show, as host Bob Costas, co-host Cris Collinsworth, co-host Keith Olbermann, co-host Dan Patrick, analysts Tiki Barber and Jerome Bettis, and reporter Peter King of Sports Illustrated take a look at the day’s top storylines in the NFL:

COLLINSWORTH ON THE GIANTS OFFENSIVE EXPLOSION WITHOUT PLAXICO BURRESS: “Don’t mess up. Nobody’s indispensable.”

BEN ROETHLISBERGER IN INTERVIEW WITH BETTIS: “It’s nice because in the meetings Bus with you gone I can hear coach because you’re not in the back snoring.”

BETTIS ON ROETHLISBERGER: “The question I was asking myself is ‘was he ready to be a leader in the locker room’ and after this interview, the answer’s yes.”

KING ON TITANS QB SITUATION: “I spoke to Kerry Collins and he told me I don’t feel I can be a backup anymore.”

BARBER ON BRANDON JACOBS: “He is the most unique running back in the National Football League because of his size and his speed. He gets through the hole so fast.”

BETTIS’ RESPONSE: “He kind of reminds me of somebody, physical, good feet.”

PATRICK ON TITANS-RAVENS: “Points were optional.”

OLBERMANN ON TOMLINSON APPROACHING O.J. SIMPSON ON ALL-TIME RUSHING YARDS LIST: “Tomlinson, 35 yards, did not pass O.J. on the all-time list, that was the highlight of Simpson’s weekend –well the jury’s still out.”

OLBERMANN ON SHOT OF MICHAEL PHELPS AT RAVENS GAME: “You know what we haven’t had lately on the network enough, Michael Phelps.”

COLLINSWORTH ON SAGE ROSENFELS FUMBLING AFTER TRYING TO LEAP OVER A DEFENDER: “We would never have Costas jumping over the top, we’d have him sliding underneath.”

OLBERMANN ON “OCHO CINCO,” T.O. AND JERRY JONES POSING FOR A PRE-GAME PICTURE: “Celebrating each of them crossing that plateau, a thousand soundbites each.”

FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA:
Michael Weisman is the executive in charge of production, “Football Night in America,” Sam Flood is coordinating producer and Bucky Gunts serves as director.