They Said It: week of Jan. 10

Thursday, Jan. 13, 2010

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, singing the praises of Ravens WR Anquan Boldin, who was a tear against Pittsburgh during the regular season, catching 12 passes for 186 yards and a TD, as quoted on observer-reporter.com: "This guy's numbers stack up against just about anybody who has played the game up to this point in his career. He is a high-quality player that has provided big-time plays for them. He scored on us in a big red-zone possession in the first half the last time we played them."

Bears DE Julius Peppers, quoted on nfl.fanhouse.com discussing Seahawks RB Marshawn Lynch's 67-yard TD run against the Saints: "It was a great run … the effort that he displayed was amazing. So, it's also a lack of effort on the other side by a couple of guys. I don't think we will have that problem this week."

Packers DE Ryan Pickett, acknowledging that his team thrives on being the underdog, as quoted on GazetteXtra: "We like it when everybody is against us. Going on the road and beating somebody, we love it." Pickett continued when asked what he thought of Green Bay being referred to as the most dangerous sixth seed ever: "I don't know about being the most dangerous this or that. But we know we're a good team."

Ravens RB Ray Rice, quoted by The Associated Press discussing his role as one of the leaders on offense: "For me as a young player, when you get a guy like Ed Reed to come up to you and say, 'You know what? It's your turn to go take care of this offense,' I take that with a lot of respect and pride. I'm talking to men that are a lot older than me, and people respond to me. It just shows that I have a leadership capability. When a guy asks you to do something like that, it means that he has a lot of respect for you."

Jets RB Danny Woodhead, who was released by the Jets before the season began, is not interested in talking about the past, as quoted on NYDailyNews.com: "Really, the past is the past. I'm too busy right now to really look back on what happened. I'm a New England Patriot and I think that's the most important thing — that I get ready for the next team that the New England Patriots play, it doesn't matter who it is. We have to get ready and make sure (that) we're prepared once the whistle blows on Sunday."

Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2010

New Panthers head coach Ron Rivera, quoted in The (Rock Hill, SC) Herald on his quarterback situation: "I think you assume right now (that Jimmy Clausen will be the starter), but until you to find that other guy to come in and compete, that's what you're looking at. I look forward to get an opportunity to visit with Jimmy. I think he's a young man that has some talent and ability, and we've got to make sure that the guy that comes in here as the coordinator, the guy that comes in as the quarterbacks coach understands that."

Lions GM Martin Mayhew, praising RS Stefan Logan, who was signed off of waivers in September, as quoted in the Detroit Free Press: "He was an undersized, returner-only type of guy, and he came in and was just a dynamic returner from Day One. He should have been a Pro Bowler in my opinion. He's the only guy in the top five as a punt returner and kick-return guy (in the NFL). So I was very, very pleased with him."

Jets CB Darrelle Revis, quoted on BostonHerald.com after hearing that head coach Rex Ryan called him the "best player in the NFL, hands down": "Well, thanks, Rex, for the quote. I mean, I thank Rex for respecting me that highly. I do strive to try to be the best in what I do." Revis continued: "That's kind of a big, bold statement. People can differ from that. They have different opinions and usually it's a quarterback, a Peyton Manning or a Tom Brady, a guy who can really control the game, or an offensive player. Him saying that for a defensive player, that's mind-boggling to me."

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, discussing his club's lack of success against Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger — the Ravens have dropped six consecutive meetings against Roethlisberger — as quoted in the Baltimore Sun: "It bothers me a lot. I'd rather we [had] won. Obviously, he's a really good quarterback. How many Pro Bowl quarterbacks have we played compared to people around the league? It seems like we get them all the time, and probably because you see Ben, you see Carson Palmer in our division a lot. You see [Tom] Brady and all those guys, so it seems like we see great quarterbacks a lot. We've beaten our fair share, but we haven't beaten him, so it's our turn."

Patriots WR Deion Branch, quoted on BostonHerald.com explaining that his last postseason appearance with the Patriots in 2005 is still fresh in his mind: "It doesn't seem that far away, honestly. I wouldn't say it's a thousand years. I think back in the day we took advantage of opportunities at the time, and I think you still have that sense of urgency that it's right here in our plans. The biggest things right now are taking advantage of the Jets and going out and executing our plays."

Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2010

Jets head coach Rex Ryan, quoted on ESPN.com billing Sunday's divisional showdown between AFC East rivals the Patriots and the Jets a battle between Ryan and Patriots head coach Bill Belichick: "This is about Bill Belichick versus Rex Ryan. There's no question, it's personal. It's about him against myself. That's what it's going to come down to." Added Ryan: "This is going to be about me raising my level against Bill Belichick. I recognize he's the best. I'm just trying to be the best on Sunday, and I plan on being the best coach on Sunday. … That's what it is. I recognize my level has to come up. He's going to get my best shot. He's going to get everything I have on Sunday. If he slips at all, we're gonna beat him."

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick responded to Ryan's comments in a joking fashion, as quoted by the Associated Press: "I might have a little quickness on him, he's probably got a little more strength and power on me. I don't think you'll see either of us out there making any blocks, or tackles, or runs, throws or catches. At least you won't see me doing that. It's probably a good thing for our team."

Steelers WR Mike Wallace, quoted in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review following Sunday's shortened practice in which tempers flared between Wallace and rookie CB Crezdon Butler after Butler tackled Wallace following a sideline catch: "It's all good, just a little tangled up at the end of practice. You can't get mad at anybody for trying to get better." Wallace continued: "It's different. The intensity's gone up and everyone's real serious. It's win or go home. I'm excited about it."

NFL Analyst and Hall of Fame finalist Marshall Faulk, praising Bears WLB Lance Briggs, as quoted in the Chicago Sun-Times: "Unfortunately, it's kind of like being like John Stallworth or John Taylor. You never get the credit you deserve. But when you look at what Lance has done, I think he's just as important as ­Urlacher in that defense." Added Faulk: "If you talk to some of the offensive coordinators, when they game- plan, they game-plan for that joker [Briggs]. He's a force. He's disruptive."

Monday, Jan. 10, 2010

Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, whose club pulled off one of the biggest upsets in postseason history on Saturday, knocking off the defending Super Bowl champion Saints 41-36, explaining that his team does not draw motivation from being considered underdogs, as quoted on HeraldNet: "That just doesn't fit the way we talk. … We don't want to use outside things to motivate us. We're motivated to perform really well and play the way we're capable of playing, that's a great standard to live by and that is what allows us to deal with all the stuff going on."

Jets defensive coordinator Mike Pettine, quoted on NJ.com explaining that he had to remind head coach Rex Ryan a few times on Saturday night that they had decided not to blitz Colts QB Peyton Manning as much as they had in the past: "That's so against our nature to do. Once we get going, we have to stay the course, and I had to remind (Ryan) a couple times. I think it almost cost me my job a couple times reminding him." Added Pettine: "We didn't get near as exotic as we had been, because every time we tried to, he burned us. He ran the ball, threw it out quick and I just thought it was a tremendous job by our guys executing the plan."

Eagles Pro Bowl PK David Akers, who missed two critical field-goal attempts in the 21-16 loss to the Packers on Sunday, sounding after the game like he might not be playing football next season: "Looking back now, over 12 years, it's been a nice run. But it's really not the way I wanted to go out." Akers continued when asked if Sunday was the toughest moment of his career: "Football-wise, yes. It's the playoffs. You've got to do your job."

Ravens OG Ben Grubbs, quoted in the Baltimore Sun describing QB Joe Flacco's performance during the Ravens' 30-7 dismantling of the Chiefs on Sunday: "Joe was stone cold out there. No matter how many times he got hit, he's always a stone-cold killer back there. The way he performed today was unbelievable."

Football analyst and former Lions president Matt Millen, quoted on sportsillustrated.cnn.com on John Elway taking over as the Broncos' new czar of football operations: "I hope John does better than I did, because I stunk at it.''

Source: http://www.profootballweekly.com/2011/01/13/they-said-it-week-of-jan-10

Nebraska Cornhuskers North Carolina Tar Heels Louisiana Tech Bulldogs Arizona Wildcats Houston Cougars California Golden Bears