Championship Sunday (1/23/11) - Quotable from NFL GameDay Final
on NFL Network
(Airs Sundays at 11:30 PM ET)
"Unfortunately there are no cigars for 'making a game of it."
-- Deion Sanders on the New York Jets, who scored 19 unanswered points yet lost, 24-19, to the Pittsburgh Steelers
"When you think about the Pittsburgh Steelers, this is what we know them for through the year: being tough, being physical."
-- Deion Sanders on the Pittsburgh Steelers advancing to the Super Bowl
"I would have never thought that a Rex Ryan-led defensive team like the New York Jets would have been out-physicaled, and they were."
-- Deion Sanders on the New York Jets' 24-19 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers
"That's been their Achilles' Heel: they've always had to fight back with their young quarterback and that's putting them in a tough spot."
-- Steve Mariucci on the New York Jets, who trailed 24-3 at halftime
*"I applaud Dick LeBeau for what's he's done over the test of time. This is not a one-time thing for Dick LeBeau; he does this every single year. That's why these guys have stability, that's why when Mike Tomlin took over there was no stumble or stutter or slip-up or fall because Dick LeBeau was a mainstay for that defense." *-- Deion Sanders on Pittsburgh defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau
"You talk about some big, emotional games getting here, at the Colts and at the New England Patriots. Those are huge games that drain you emotionally, mentally and physically, and it looked at the start of this game against the Steelers, the Jets didn't have as much zip as the Pittsburgh Steelers."
-- Steve Mariucci on the New York Jets losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers following wins over the Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots
"Nobody had 3-1, no one had this team doing exactly what it has done, coming through that tough time turning that great mess into greatness."
-- Michael Irvin on the Pittsburgh Steelers, who played the first four games of the season without QB Ben Roethlisberger
"This is one of the few organizations that truly emphasize 'team.'"
-- Deion Sanders on the Pittsburgh Steelers
"I was blown away with the methodical way the Jets got pounded early in this game. It was as if they had still left a little bit of their plane in New England."
-- Michael Irvin on the New York Jets, who trailed 24-3 at halftime against the Pittsburgh Steelers
"He's not a pretty quarterback; he's a big, tough, strong guy that knows how to win."
-- Steve Mariucci on Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger
"Ben doesn't do it in the conventional way we see the great Tom Brady and Peyton Manning dropping back and making those beautiful throws. But Ben does things that nobody else does."
-- Michael Irvin on Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger
"For me, if you win Super Bowls you belong among the best to ever play this game."
-- Michael Irvin on Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger's place among the all-time great quarterbacks
"He looked as rusty as the Tin Man in 'The Wizard of Oz.'"
-- Rich Eisen on Chicago QB Todd Collins, who replaced Jay Cutler in the third quarter and failed to complete a pass
"Give him credit. He stood up and he fought for this football team."
-- Michael Irvin on Chicago QB Caleb Hanie, who threw for 153 yards and one touchdown
"All of a sudden he's not a baby anymore; he's starting to carry this football team a little bit in the run game."
-- Steve Mariucci on Green Bay RB James Starks, who scored the first touchdown of his career in the Packers' 21-14 victory over the Chicago Bears
Additional exclusive video clips from Sunday's NFL GameDay are available on NFL.com. Click on the video segments. These videos include:*
Let's Go Primetime: Deion Sanders counts down the top five performances from Conference Championship Sunday - Primetime video
Super Bowl XLV Preview: The NFL GameDay Final crew previews Super Bowl XLV between the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers - GameDay video
Jay Cutler Debate: Deion Sanders and Michael Irvin discuss Chicago QB Jay Cutler - Cutler video
Championship Remix: Relive how the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers advanced to Super Bowl XLV - Championship Remix video
And many more Championship Sunday game highlights and postgame video only on NFL.com -NFL.com videos
11:30 PM -1:00 AM ET: NFL GameDay Final
*Host:Fran CharlesAnalysts:Deion Sanders, Steve Mariucci* and Michael Irvin
NFL GameDay Final is the definitive exclamation point on Sundays providing unlimited highlights of all the games, plus post-game press conferences, interviews from the field and locker room, audio captured throughout the day and expert analysis.
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