During this week’s ‘Fired Up’ segment, analyst Johnson told his twitter followers why he’s not going back to coaching.
FOX NFL SUNDAY co-host Terry Bradshaw chooses between Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo or Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford, both featured today on FOX: “I’d take Stafford, even though this is only his 17th NFL start. The difference is Stafford is a special talent and that’s the reason why he was the first pick in the 2009 NFL draft.”
Bradshaw explained how three years on the taxi squad (practice team) has impacted Romo’s game: “On the taxi squad you’re taught to throw it down there and he plays like that. He plays like he’s on the taxi squad. When you look at the interception against the Giants in the playoff game; we look at the bonehead play, the interception against the Jets which would have been a huge win for the Dallas Cowboys; the dropped snap on the field goal. He seems to always make bad plays in big games and that’s what he’s being measured by. He’s rapidly becoming kind of a Danny White. A very good quarterback, White followed Staubach. Now we’re seeing Romo follow Troy Aikman.”
Analyst Michael Strahan previews today’s Lions vs. Cowboys game: “This is a game about defense. Detroit is a team that wants to show that they are for real. Beat the Dallas Cowboys today, no matter what their struggles, they’re still the Dallas Cowboys. Detroit’s defense is built off of being aggressive. I know Dallas has a great front four, but Detroit’s front is a lot more aggressive.”
Analyst Howie Long compares Lions DE Ndamukong Suh to a Hall of Famer: “Ndamukong Suh is the closest thing I’ve seen from an anger standpoint and ability standpoint to Joe Greene.”
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Former Falcons head coach Jim Mora, today’s game analyst for San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles game on FOX, discussed quarterback Michael Vick’s emotional and mental state of mind heading into today via satellite with FOX NFL SUNDAY co-host Curt Menefee: “Mentally, emotionally, he seems really good. He’s very focused, he’s very determined to go out and have a very good performance today. He’s put what he said Sunday, what he said Monday behind him and he’s very focused on beating the San Francisco 49ers today.”
Bradshaw stated why Vick gets hit so often and what can be done to change that: “Michael Vick is a short quarterback. For a short quarterback to drop back and see over 6 foot 5 offensive lineman is nearly impossible so he has to get deeper. Also, if you set deeper, you can’t run quick slants or quick outs therefore the routes have to be medium to long therefore you end up holding the ball longer. That’s the problem.”
Johnson says Vick will solve the problem of getting hit today: “In the past he’s tried to avoid the blitz with his feet. He will avoid the blitz today by getting rid of the football. He can live with an incompletion. He can’t live with a concussion.”
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Long on what his former team needs to be dominant: “The interesting thing is the Raiders are a dominant corner away from being a dominant team.”
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Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier said this week that he was going to tinker with NFL veteran quarterback Donovan McNabb’s release of the football. Bradshaw reacted: “That’s like running a mule in the Kentucky Derby man. That’s just the stupidist thing I’ve ever heard. He’s a 13-year veteran. Leave him alone. If you want to do anything, work on his confidence but not his delivery. That’s crazy.”
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Johnson on Adrian Peterson only getting five carries in the second half of the Vikings dramatic 26-23 OT loss last week to the Lions: “They had a 20-0 lead. I don’t care if I’m the running back, run the football. He’s the best running back in the league. Run the ball if you want to win the game.”
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Strahan on Buffalo, Detroit and Oakland’s emerging success: “It’s like a changing of the guard. We’re witnessing teams that aren’t pretenders, these guys really are contenders. I’m excited about that. And you can see New England, Pittsburgh, Indy are still a few of the top teams. Without Peyton Manning, Indy’s suffering but you can kind of see the aging. So I think for the game and for the fans, this is a great season already.”
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FOX NFL Insider Jay Glazer reported on the NFL status of former Jaguars starting quarterback David Garrard who was cut from the team right before the season began: “He’s caught in somewhat of a catch 22 if you will. He said to me, ‘if I was a backup quarterback, I’d be signed by now but because I’m a starting quarterback people are reluctant to bring me in because they don’t want to start a quarterback controversy.’ It’s an odd situation to be in. By the way, he said there really hasn’t been much talk at all with the Indianapolis Colts and that one surprises me.”
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Glazer reports on the return of Giants DE Osi Umenyiora: “He told me that he is starting today and is expected to play about 30-40 plays. As far as all the other drama is concerned, [contract discussions] he said I played my hand. I threw all my chips on the table and it didn’t work. He said he has to move forward and get back out there with my teammates and play it again after the season. I asked how close he was to being 100% healthy in returning and he said I’m probably about 80-85% but I’ll probably always be 80-85%.”
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Long in response to Curt Menefee’s question ‘what’s wrong with the Falcons?’: “The Falcons kind of flipped the script. One of the things they wanted to do in the offseason was get more explosive to match up with these explosive teams in the NFC. In doing so, they’ve become more of a passing team. Their offensive line isn’t built for that and they’ve struggled.”
Strahan continued: “They’ve got to run the ball. They’re not balanced like they were. They need to run Michael Turner.”
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Strahan on if Rex Ryan will have the Jets ready to go tonight: “He’ll be ready. They let that game slip away last week. They have to win this one.”
During this week’s ‘Fired Up’ segment, analyst Johnson told his twitter followers why he’s not going back to coaching: “Unlike Bradshaw, I’m hooked on Twitter but some of my followers are driving me crazy! They want every coach fired, even those with winning records. And, please, quit asking: I’m not returning to the sidelines. I’m not consulting, either. None of you have any idea what sacrifices a coach makes. Sure, he’s working a job he loves but he’s working 16-hour days and maybe even sleeping in his office some nights. This goes on for eight months straight! Everyone, please be patient. The season is only three weeks old and coaches – and I know from experience – are often at the mercy of some of their knucklehead players, and maybe a general manager who’s had a couple bad drafts or an owner unwilling to spend any money on talent. I used to believe the best years of my life were when we were dominating college football at the University of Miami. Then during my last season with the Dolphins, my mother passed away and at her funeral, I looked down on her, and I realized how little time I had spent with my family in nearly 40 years of coaching. I can honestly say I’m closer to my family today and happier now than at any time winning those championships. I’m not saying every coach is great but the season is young. We lost the first two games in ’93 and won the Super Bowl. So be patient!”
(source; FOX Sports)
