Notes & Quotes: FOX NFL Studio Analysts
LOS ANGELES – Week 3 of the 2020 FOX NFL season kicked off today with a doubleheader slate beginning at 1:00 PM ET and highlighted by AMERICA’S GAME OF THE WEEK featuring the Cowboys at Seahawks at 4:25 PM ET. Also included in the NFL on FOX lineup today at 1:00 PM ET: San Francisco at the New York Giants; Chicago at Atlanta; Washington at Cleveland; and the Los Angeles Rams at Buffalo. The additional 4:25 PM ET matchups feature Tampa Bay at Denver and Detroit at Arizona.
Earlier today, FOX NFL KICKOFF and FOX NFL SUNDAY analysts and NFL insiders weighed in on the day’s biggest games, moments and storylines.
In addition, below are transcriptions from FOX NFL reporter Laura Okmin’s segment on today’s historic moment for the league – three women on the field at the same time for the Washington-Cleveland game, including Browns coach Callie Brownson, Washington Football Team’s coach Jennifer King and NFL official Sarah Thomas – as well as Michael Strahan’s conversation with Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
Laura Okmin on history taking place today: Two women coaches and an official working the same game. That’s history, and that’s awesome. Normally we talk to players about historic games and they say they’ll reflect on it later. Not these three who all told me ‘let’s soak this moment in.’ (Cleveland) Browns coach Callie Brownson, Washington Football Team’s coach Jennifer King and NFL official Sarah Thomas all on one field, all said the same thing. Callie said “everything we dreamed about is happening right now,” Jennifer called it “a new day” and Sarah summed it up perfectly saying ‘we fell in love with the game not to make history, not to be first but truly because we love what we do.’
Dave Wannstedt on the legend of Gale Sayers and his passing this week: “I had an opportunity to spend some time with Gale when I was coaching there, and he was always supportive of me and a fantastic person to be around. If they had a Mount Rushmore in Chicago of the greatest athletes, there’s no question he would be on it. There’s still a debate in Chicago, all sports combined, who would be the greatest athlete to ever play in the city. It’s a debate between Gale Sayers and Michael Jordan.”
Michael Vick on New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton and his play so far this season: “For the third straight week, I can’t wait to see what Cam does. Week 1 he showed us he could still run. Week 2 he showed us he could still pass. He’s benefiting from some of the best play calling and coaching I think he’s had in a long time – since Auburn. So that’s exciting to see. This team is a legitimate contender in the AFC and I think they have to be taken seriously right now.”
Colin Cowherd on today’s Cowboys-Seahawks matchup: “In a lot of ways they are similar. A lot of star players, neither team has a pass rush and the defense is struggling. The difference is I believe Seattle has an identity. What is Dallas? What do they do collectively well? In Seattle, I’m going to get a power running game, playmaking Russell Wilson over the top to DK Metcalf. Right now with Dallas, I don’t know what they are. It’s a collection of really talented people and I think that’s where Mike McCarthy and Dak (Prescott) come in.”
Tony Gonzalez on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense: “I think what Tom (Brady) needs to do is concentrate on just one or two guys, whether it be Mike Evans, (Chris) Godwin, and then maybe one other guy. Then everybody needs to get in where you fit in. You have that good running game but just concentrate because otherwise you get overwhelmed.”
Peter Schrager on Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray’s performance so far this season: “I love what Kyler Murray is doing in the Arizona offense. I talked to (Kliff) Kingsbury this week and one of things Kliff said one of the big things he did this offseason was really encourage and embolden Kyler to use his legs more. Usually you see these young quarterbacks and the advice is to get out of bounds or throw the ball away. Kingsbury said let’s use the green light that you have and go and break it from the pocket and make a play. He put together a cutup of Lamar Jackson and Russell Wilson, and he and Kyler sat down and watched it and [Kliff] said watch how they don’t always go on the outside. Sometimes when the play breaks down, they’ll go right up the middle and that’s where the yards are. Kyler Murray has been doing just that two weeks into the season.”
Bradshaw on the heartbreak of Lions fans for generations: “There will be changes made. I think Bob Quinn, the general manager, should be fired. The head coach has got to go, if not during the season then after. Nothing’s changed there. They’re still losing. I remember going into Pittsburgh in ’70. Joe Greene was drafted the year before. He was the foundation for that franchise. They made it right, right off the bat. It was Joe Greene that got them started, and the winning started and all of a sudden, the attitude changed. A losing franchise in the ‘50s and the ‘60s, and the Steelers turned it around. The Lions can do that, but they have to get the right people. You look at Calvin Johnson – left early. Why? He wanted to. Barry Sanders left early. Why? He wanted to. He wanted out of that losing. You’ve got to change everything inside, and it starts with the owners making the right decision with the general manager and the head coach.”
Jay Glazer on the NFL’s first in-season positive Covid-19 test: “Up until a few hours ago, the Bears and the Falcons weren’t sure this game was going to be played as scheduled. You talk about (A.J.) Terrell, he actually in the last two days had three Covid-19 tests – one of them however, came back negative, two came back positive. As a result of that they put him out. They immediately went into their contact tracing and then tested everyone else on the team. (Head coach) Dan Quinn said as a result of these tests, he sat up much of the night going over contingency plans. He did not get word, nor did the Bears, until 7:30 AM this morning that things were all clear. It shows that the protocols put in place are actually working.”
Howie Long on the upcoming showdown between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Baltimore Ravens: “This is the matchup I think everyone wanted to see in the playoffs (last season). They played twice previously, with both games in Kansas City, and Kansas City winning both by a total of eight points. I think the exciting thing is we’re talking about the last two MVPs in the league. These guys are in year three and year four respectively, year four for Mahomes and year three for Lamar, and they’re evolving. I think you’ve seen it in the first two weeks of the season with Lamar in particular, which is frightening. Not only do I think they are the best teams in the AFC, you’d be hard pressed to tell me who is going to beat either one of these football teams in the AFC.”
Terry Bradshaw on what’s wrong with New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees: “The question in New Orleans is ‘What’s wrong with Drew Brees?’. Nothing’s wrong with Drew Brees. He may be 41, but he has no (Michael) Thomas as wide receiver, (Deebo) Samuels coming over from the 49ers admitting by his own words he doesn’t have the offense down yet. This offense is going to be just fine.”
Michael Strahan on what makes Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald so dominant: “This guy is much better than I ever was and wish I could be. He’s dominant because he’s consistent. He’s unblockable. Right side, left side, splits the defenders, one guy will never block him alone. Two guys will struggle to block him, and three guys means somebody else better make a play because they’re all focused on him. He’s something you don’t have a lot of in the NFL. You have guys who are great players but they show up every once in a while. This guy plays hard every single play. You can’t teach that. He has the desire to be great inside of him. I don’t know where it comes from, but he’s the perfect defensive tackle.”
Michael Strahan’s conversation with Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.:
Strahan: You and I talk plenty of times. This time, it’s a little different. No preseason games and you gotta jump right back into the season. For you mentally, how is that for you?
Beckham Jr.: There was a going back and forth for me, whether or not I wanted to play this year. When I ended up deciding…once I’m in something, I’m all in. Just finding ways to take it a day at a time, stay healthy and stay locked in.
Strahan: You know about being injured. In 2017, you missed 12 games. Ankle. You said this quote ‘I fear the day they make this game a business and not what I love.’ You talked about possibly retiring.
Beckham Jr.: I just remember that feeling of being young. You were just out there playing football. I watched that game that I loved not necessarily become the game that I Ioved. That’s where the talk of retirement came from.
Strahan: The pressure is different. As I got older, I realized they can’t kill the joy if you really want it. You have to find it.
Beckham Jr.: In terms of what you just said, I think that is a better way of putting it than what I said of talking about the pressures. You’re that guy, and you’re the one everyone is looking at. Injuries come into it like you said. Last year was tough for me. I felt like I couldn’t be honest with people and tell them where I was at because if I would have done that during the season, it would have been he’s making excuses.
Strahan: You are so polarizing that you have to consistently take shots. That’s one thing I love about you. You do what you want, no matter what. You are who you are, and I think that’s the hardest thing to be when you’re the star that you are.
Beckham Jr.: I was about to post something the other day, but I think the words were a little too harsh. I was like ‘I would rather die being authentic, being one of one, than live being a copy of somebody else.’ I don’t know how to be anything but me. You have to just learn to roll with the punches and I’m not going to just take sh_t from everybody. But I’ll let some stuff under the bridge, just let it go.
–FOX SPORTS–
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