“When you don’t have your best stuff and you find a way to win the ballgame, that’s what championship teams do.” – Jason Garrett on the Eagles
“The Patriots are discovering their winning formula with this year’s team. It starts with the pass rush, aggressiveness up front, typical Bill Belichick blitzes confusing people.” – Tony Dungy on the Patriots
“The Dallas D is back…and it started with the pass rush…(Micah Parsons) is the best pass rusher in football coming off the edge.” – Chris Simms on the Cowboys
“I believe he’s the most dominant defensive player in all of football.” –Rodney Harrison on Chiefs DT Chris Jones
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STAMFORD, Conn. – Nov. 20, 2022 – NBC Sports’ presentation of Week 11 of the 2022 NFL season began tonight from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with Football Night in America leading into coverage of Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs facing division rivals Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday Night Football on NBC, Peacock and Universo.
Maria Taylor hosted FNIA from NBC Sports’ Studio 1 in Stamford, Conn. She was joined by Hall of Fame head coach Tony Dungy, former NFL head coach Jason Garrett, former NFL quarterback Chris Simms, and fantasy sports industry pioneer Matthew Berry. Two-time Super Bowl winner Rodney Harrison joined co-host Jac Collinsworth at the site of the game. NFL Insider Mike Florio provided reports from his home studio.
In advance of tonight’s game, Chargers S Derwin James spoke to NBC Sports’ Michael Smith and discussed his perception of being well-liked by other players throughout the league, what he brings to the team, and more. Smith joined FNIA in studio tonight to discuss his conversation with James. Click here for a link to the entire interview.
Mike Tirico (play-by-play), Cris Collinsworth (analyst), Melissa Stark (sideline reporter) and Terry McAulay (rules analyst) are calling tonight’s game. Tirico also reported from the field during FNIA.
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Following are highlights from tonight’s edition of Football Night in America on NBC and Peacock:
ON CHIEFS
Jac Collinsworth on Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes: “He’s got that LeBron James factor. He’s so unique. You look for others that can challenge that greatness instead of just stepping back and appreciating it.”
Garrett on defenses blitzing against Mahomes: “It’s a risk, but you can’t just sit there. This guy will shred you if you just sit there, so the answer is you have to mix it up…Make him earn it, make him go the long way over and over again, rally and tackle. Every so often bring some heat.”
Simms: “I do think that Kansas City has gotten good enough where if you play soft (coverage) all game long he’ll take it underneath. So, every now and then (blitz), but you can’t overdue it or it’ll be six.”
Harrison on Chiefs rookie RB Isiah Pacheco: “The thing that I see with him is just the passion that he plays with. He’s trying to play so physical, he’s trying to run people over, he’s trying to run through you. Andy Reid gave Clyde Edwards-Helaire every opportunity to become the starter…this kid has taken advantage of every opportunity.”
Dungy on Pacheco: “When Andy Reid put him in the starting lineup, that signaled a change to me. You’re putting (in) the toughest guy, a strong runner…I think he’s got the whole Chiefs team excited.”
Harrison on Chiefs DT Chris Jones: “I believe he’s the most dominant defensive player in all of football. You can play him on the inside, you can play him on the outside, and when you need that one play, Chris Jones is going to make it.”
Harrison on rookie CB Trent McDuffie: “I think they knocked it out of the park with him, and he has this quiet confidence that he plays with. You watch him at the line of scrimmage, he’s patient and he’s athletic enough where he can run with these wide receivers…He’s going to be a really good player.”
ON CHARGERS
Garrett on the return of Chargers WRs Keenan Allen and Mike Williams from injury: “We have taught this next man up philosophy a lot through the years. A guy gets hurt, ‘Hey, put the next guy in there,’ but what you find out sometimes is the next guy’s not quite as good as the guy who’s playing…Hopefully they get that vertical passing game going again.”
Derwin James to Michael Smith on why he doesn’t trash talk opponents: “If I hit you and I talk trash to you, it’s going to motivate you, you’re going to get excited, you’re going to be ready to go, but if I hit you and go, ‘You alright?’ It’s going to mess with your head even more, right?”
Smith on his biggest takeaway from his conversation with James: “It’s what makes him such a great leader. As great a player as he is individually, he’s so consumed with raising everyone else’s level of play. (Chargers) General Manager Tom Telesco told me that he’s never been around a better practice player. Even though he always has a smile on his face…he’s always on the edge, the right side of the edge, and he knows how to push everyone in a positive direction.”
Harrison on James: “He’s the most versatile safety in the NFL.”
Garrett on James: “He’s one of the few players in the league who can physically match up with (Chiefs tight end Travis) Kelce.”
ON EAGLES
Garrett on the Eagles’ win vs. the Colts: “The best pitchers and the best teams find a way to win when they don’t have their best stuff…When you don’t have your best stuff and you find a way to win the ballgame, that’s what championship teams do…That mental toughness, those gritty wins in November, they serve you well down the stretch.”
Simms on the Eagles’ struggles the past two weeks: “Don’t panic. Philly’s still really good.”
Dungy on QB Jalen Hurts: “(He) is why they’re winning, because they’ve got a lot of weapons but he’s the special sauce.”
Harrison on the Eagles defense: “I was thoroughly impressed with what they did in the second half…Ndamukong Suh – just signed – had half a sack, Linval Joseph, and remember Jordan Davis will be back in a few weeks. It’s going to significantly help out this run (defense). I can’t wait to see it.”
Florio on DT Ndamukong Suh signing with the Eagles: “I asked him which teams he was considering and he said it came down to the Eagles and the 49ers. The talks with the Eagles began Monday and Tuesday, finished early Thursday, in uniform and contributing Sunday. He took a team-friendly deal and said his most important objective is to win. He said, ‘I’ve got twin boys. I’ve got one Super Bowl ring. I need a second one now.’ He thinks he’ll get one with the Eagles.”
ON PATRIOTS
Dungy on the Patriots’ game-winning punt return touchdown and the potential block in the back on the play: “This was really well set up by the Patriots. They didn’t go for the block, they went for the return. Lot of questions about this block right here at the end, we talked to the NFL office, and they said it was from the side not the back.”
Dungy on the Patriots’ defense: “The Patriots are discovering their winning formula with this year’s team. It starts with the pass rush, aggressiveness up front, typical Bill Belichick blitzes confusing people, and an aggressive secondary. This defense is playing well, special teams is playing well, very few mistakes on offense, that’s how they’re going to win.”
Taylor: “I’m going to be honest, the winning formula for the Patriots is just put the Jets on the field (laughs).”
ON COWBOYS
Simms on the Cowboys defense: “The Dallas D is back. They struggled last week against the Green Bay Packers, but they dominated the Minnesota Vikings offense today, and it started with the pass rush…They got the Vikings in some passing situations and when that happens, that allows you to put No. 11 (Micah Parsons) at defensive end and he’s the best pass rusher in football coming off the edge.”
Garrett on the Cowboys’ win vs. the Vikings: “Minnesota, best record in football. Dallas went up there and they bludgeoned them…Dak (Prescott) was fantastic. Huge win for the Cowboys.”
Dungy on Ezekiel Elliott’s two one-yard rushing touchdowns: “This part was missing when Zeke was out, that bang, pound ‘em in.”
Garrett on Elliott and Tony Pollard: “A great one-two combination. Zeke is physical, dirty work. Pollard out in space making plays.”
ON BILLS
Simms: “Holy cow, we saw a run game in Buffalo today! … We saw James Cook, Devin Singletary, and not everything being thrown on Josh Allen’s shoulders to carry the squad. This could be something to watch for: this Buffalo Bills team to close some games out in the fourth quarter.”
Florio speaking with Bills LT Dion Dawkins about the team’s week dealing with the snow in Buffalo: “Dion Dawkins told me that in the region, the snow amounts were so different that at his house he said if there had been that much snow at the airport, they never would have gotten to Detroit. And for him, he had to hike through three blocks of six feet of snow just to get to the point where he could get in the car that then took nearly an hour to get to the team facility. He said now that it’s all over, what he’s going to do is he’s going to go back to his phone, he’s going to print off all the text messages with his teammates and save them to read in the future because it was just chaos. Nobody knew anything and they really did go for a period of time thinking they weren’t going to make it to Detroit.”
ON BENGALS
Simms on QB Joe Burrow’s performance in the win against the Steelers: “One thing that I think jumped out to us is Burrow was patient. He took the backs on some underneath routes which I think then forced the Steelers into some of these one-on-one situations. Burrow, like (Patrick) Mahomes, he’s such an aggressive decision-maker. He’s always looking for the big play down the field.”
ON COMMANDERS
Simms on the Commanders’ defense: “They’re dominant. They’re awesome in the pass game, they’re awesome in the run game, they control the line of scrimmage. It starts with the Alabama [duo] in the middle, Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne.”
Garrett on coaching against the Washington defensive front: “Every year they drafted these guys in the first round. Allen, Payne, (Montez) Sweat, Chase Young is coming. Every year! I’m like what are they doing? Hard to block and they’re playing awfully well.”
Garrett on the Commanders win vs. the Texans: “Washington played inspired ball all day…Love the complimentary football they’re playing. (Offensive coordinator) Scott Turner is doing a great job running that football. They’re playing the game together and Taylor Heinicke is getting it done.”
ON RAMS
Florio on Rams QB Matthew Stafford: “He exited in the third quarter for a concussion evaluation but there’s been no clarity as to whether or not he’s back in the protocol. Per the team, he will undergo tests tomorrow; he is not in the protocol as of now. That’s gotten the attention of the NFL Players’ Association. They’re monitoring the situation because in most cases, we know fairly quickly whether or not a guy is in protocol.”
ON BEARS
Florio on Bears QB Justin Fields’ injuries: “We saw Justin Fields grabbing at his shoulder. He had an X-ray after the game, he’ll have further tests on that injured shoulder. He also had cramping in his hamstring.”
ON SAINTS
Simms on QB Andy Dalton: “One of his best games of the year, and hey, we questioned whether he would be the starting quarterback this week.”
ON LIONS
Simms on rookie DE Aidan Hutchinson’s interception: “What an interception. I mean, for a defensive end to go up, pluck this out of the air like T.J. Watt, J.J. Watt? Pretty special.”
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Peacock Sunday Night Football Final, an NFL post-game show produced by NBC Sports, streams exclusively on Peacock following every Sunday Night Football game during the 2022 season. The show is hosted by NBC Sports commentators Kathryn Tappen and Chris Simms, who provide instant reactions to each Sunday game along with highlights and interviews. Football Night in America co-host Jac Collinsworth and analyst Rodney Harrison also provide recaps and insights into the day’s biggest moments from the site of each week’s SNF game. NFL Insider Mike Florio provides injury and news updates. Matthew Berry provides fantasy football analysis and an early look at the fantasy waiver wire.
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