Friday, Nov. 6, 2009

Seahawks LB Lofa Tatupu, quoted in the Seattle-Tacoma News Tribune comparing rookie OLB Aaron Curry to former Seahawk Julian Peterson: "I think he's got very similar tools. I know JP (Peterson) is a little longer as far as arm length and maybe a little taller. But speed and weight — Curry's maybe got five to 10 pounds on him — but they're two of the more explosive guys I've ever seen."

Redskins RB Clinton Portis believes his team can still turn things around, as quoted by The Associated Press: "Our season is not over. The same way we got into this mess, we can get ourselves out of this mess." Portis continued: "We know that we are a disappointment. It didn't take Mr. Snyder to say that. We already knew it. It's us, we have to play the part. We can't put it on him. I think with him saying that he apologizes that it's not going to make our record better than 2-5, or make people forget that we are 2-5. We just have to perform better."

Texans S Bernard Pollard, quoted in the Indianapolis Star describing his team's revived defense: "We're mean. Giving up yards is being nice. If we come out and hit them and continue to hit them and continue to take the ball away, you're going to see big things happening. We're not going to shy away from anything."

Cowboys QB Tony Romo believes the media is making his slow start with WR Roy Williams into something it is not, as quoted in the Dallas Morning News: "We've been through this before with people trying to intersect and divide us as a team. I know the media is going to make certain things appear what they may not have actually been. This team is too committed to winning … to let anything like that or anything you guys may present to divide us."

Titans DT Jovan Haye was surprised to be deactivated for the team's Week Eight matchup with the Jaguars, as quoted in the Rutherford County Daily News Journal: "I expected stuff like that maybe later on in my career, but not right now. But it's whatever. I can't control that. Or maybe I can control it."

Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009

Dolphins LB Joey Porter, quoted in the Boston Herald on his resentment for the Patriots that stems from "Camera-gate:" "I felt a certain way after some things came out, way back when. I was in Pittsburgh for some AFC championships that I've lost to them a couple of times, then come to figure out a month later why we lost. So, yeah, I have a natural hate for them — period. And that's just going to be with me forever. That's not ever going to change."

Titans RB Chris Johnson, offering to buy each of his offensive linemen a car if he reaches the 2,000 rushing yards milestone this season, as quoted in The Tennessean: "It's a goal of mine. It's really a goal of the offensive linemen because I told them if I get to 2,000 yards I'd buy them all a car. They want me to get 2,000 yards more than I want to get it.''

Giants head coach Tom Coughlin, quoted in the New York Daily News challenging the leaders of his football team to rise up and end a three-game skid this weekend against the Chargers: "Leaders are lifters. When a team does fight their way out of a problem, your best players have to show the way. The guys that are in the role of a foot soldier, they will play and they'll work their tails off. But the guys that are recognized as your better football players, they have to play themselves into a position where they are showing the way."

Bengals LB Rey Maualuga admires Ravens LB Ray Lewis, as quoted on Bengals.com: "He's definitely a person I want to see myself as. An intimidator. This will be a perfect game to make a statement. He's a beast. A great player. Someone that can make an impact on a defense." Maualuga added that he plans to stand out on Sunday: "Be alert. Look for me in the endzone."

Chargers QB Philip Rivers, quoted in the San Diego Union-Tribune explaining that this Sunday's game against the Giants is the reason he loves playing in the NFL: "Every week is a treat playing in the NFL and playing an NFL game, but these are the kind of games, the reason why you play. You get to go right in the thick of all the action (on) the East Coast, being in New York and playing a team that won the championship two years ago and is very capable and thought of highly this year. Tough place to go on the road and a game that will say a lot about us."

Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, complimenting the performance of the division-rival Ravens in their 30-7 victory over the previously undefeated Broncos Sunday, as quoted in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: "Any team that would've come into Baltimore would've had a heck of a time winning that football game. Baltimore is a veteran-savvy football team that's well coached who had come off a streak of a couple games that they didn't believe was satisfactory and had a chance to fine-tune some things, get an edge. It was going to be tough sledding if the All-Madden team came into Baltimore last weekend."

Vikings rookie WR Percy Harvin, quoted on TwinCities.com discussing his health and performance thus far this season: "I'm great," Harvin said of his health. "The touches, I think, are right where they need to be. I've got a couple of game-changing performances, especially on kick return, so I think I'm where I want to be right now." Harvin continued by discussing the impact he has had on third downs: "I should be able to dominate that."

Eagles TE Brent Celek admires the play of Cowboys TE Jason Witten, as quoted on PhillyBurbs.com: "I watch Witten week in and week out. He's still just as good as ever. I just try to watch him and learn some things from him because he's played these (NFC East) teams for six or seven years and been very productive, and I can definitely pick things up from somebody like that." Celek continued when asked if he deserves to be mentioned among the best in the league at his position: "That's for you guys to decide. I think I am. But that's just me. If I didn't feel that way, I don't think I'd belong in this league."

Titans head coach Jeff Fisher, quoted in The Tennessean on the progress of QB Vince Young, after Young started his first game Sunday since September 2008: "This is the first start he's had where he has not had a sack or interception, and I think that shows — we are hoping that shows — that he has learned from this experience. He has learned to take what's there, take the check-down, get rid of the ball or take off when it is time to go take off. We've said all along he was developing.''

Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2009

Browns head coach Eric Mangini, quoted by The Associated Press on whether he felt owner Randy Lerner still has his back after the firing of first-year GM George Kokinis Monday: "I never got a feeling otherwise in all my conversations with Randy. This is a process. We talked about that quite a bit. There are things that go along with that and that doesn't mean we're not looking to win every game, it doesn't mean we're not looking to improve each week. On the contrary, that's exactly what we're going to do. Randy and I share the same vision. I've always had really good conversations with him and always will."

Vikings head coach Brad Childress welcomes the bye after improving to 7-1 with a huge win at Lambeau Field Sunday, as quoted on TwinCities.com: "You don't hear many coaches say that it doesn't come at a good time. It does come at a good time. Just from the standpoint that these guys have been going at it for a very long time with the four preseason games, two weeks of training camp, so we're reasonably healthy. Whether they're going to sit in a deer stand or sit on the beach or contemplate their navel, whatever it is that they care to do, they're free to do, as long as they're back here on Monday."

Ravens S Ed Reed, quoted in the (Hanover, Pa.) Evening Sun after Sunday's 30-7 victory over the Broncos, in which Denver S Brian Dawkins gave a signed jersey to Reed after the game: "Just seeing Brian, the longevity of him, still fighting, still playing hard, still making plays. I've been watching him for a long time. He was one of the safeties I looked up to as a leader and as a man." Reed added: "Just hearing his words, he encouraged me to keep going, to keep playing. What he wrote on my jersey, 'Just keep letting God use us.' That's what it's all about. It's big just being on the field with him. Really, it's an honor."

Packers DE Cullen Jenkins, questioning the club's new 3-4 defensive scheme, as quoted in the Green Bay Press-Gazette: "You come into the season with new stuff and you're told we're going to give you opportunities to do this and opportunities to do that, and then you're not given them. I don't know if it's lack of faith in us. I don't know what it is. But it's something, obviously. All I can do is play the calls they call. If they just want me to stop the run a lot, that's what I've got to do."

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