News
12/26/22
5 min read
Best Quotes From Around the NFL in Week 16
They Said It ...
"It will take our best. We haven't had our best for 60 minutes yet [this season]. We gotta bring it." -- Tom Brady on the Bucs' opportunity next week to win the NFC South by beating the Panthers
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"I think they're upset for all the losing, we all are. Every one of us, that's unacceptable, that's not what we're about, that's not what we want to do. We went in with a mindset we were going to win this game, but in the end we weren't ready. ... It wasn't good, it's all of us. It always starts with me, without a doubt, that's embarrassing, I'm embarrassed. That's not what we're about, that's not what we've done all year." – Broncos coach Nathaniel Hackett after losing 51-14 to the Rams, Denver’s 10th loss in the last 12 games.
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"I'd like to be, you know, 10-5, 11-4, but considering where we were a few weeks ago, a lot has happened in our favor. All the games that needed to go a certain way went a certain way. Now, there's obviously much left [to do], but again, we've played meaningful games in December, we won all three of those. Now we're playing meaningful games in January, and we've got to win those." – Packers QB Aaron Rodgers, who improved to 15-0 in December games since 2019, when Matt LeFleur was hired as head coach
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“I was always a fan of his and I think he's played really well. And you've got to think about, too, what he's done to come in here and be able to play around a lot of guys, too, that haven't been here, and to be able to lead the charge today. Just an incredible effort. ... He has been outstanding." – Rams coach Sean McVay on Baker Mayfield
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"I'm not going to try to put it in that neighborhood. Not even in that city." – Steelers coach Mike Tomlin when asked to compare his team’s win on Saturday night to the Immaculate Reception game 50 years earlier
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“Very disappointing. It is not where we want to be. It is not where we expected to be at the beginning of the season.” – Browns defensive end Myles Garrett
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“We want Zappe.” – Chants heard from Patriots fans after their team went three consecutive three-and-outs to start their game against the Bengals
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“I cannot explain that. I can’t explain that. I know this, they come off a real tough loss against a physical team and they're a physical team. And they were not — they were going to make sure that didn't happen again, and they did that.” – Lions coach Dan Campbell after his team lost to the Panthers with so much on the line
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"It's extremely (difficult). It's the most frustrating time (since I've been here). You try to keep things in perspective, obviously with Christmas Eve and Christmas. I am thankful to play this game with the group that I'm playing with. I'm grateful to be able to lead these guys. But it's just not enough right now." – Titans safety Kevin Byard after Tennessee's fifth straight loss, dropping below .500 for the first time since September
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"I think the biggest thing, more than anything else, is sticking with Taylor and what we're trying to establish. (A switch) is something that obviously is talked about, obviously out there. It is something that, you know, to be quite frank, I do have to think about at some point. But if we can continue to get back on track and play the way we've played and do things that we've done, then we'll stick with where we are." – Commanders coach Ron Rivera on benching Taylor Heinicke for Carson Wentz late in Washington’s loss to the 49ers.
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“I can still play. If you don’t think I can play, then that’s on you. I don’t have to be fast. I can be slow, I can still get open. But I’m still fast.” – WR T.Y. Hilton, who caught a 52-yard touchdown on third-and-30 in his first game with the Cowboys since he was signed as a street free agent
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"I am going to be honest with you, here is how we prepared: We said this game was going to be about mental toughness, and the most mentally tough team was going to win. Then we didn't really talk a lot about it because it was just another distraction to us. I thought our guys handled it great. It was a little bit of an eye-opener and woke up on Friday morning and tried to walk outside. It was pretty [hard] to stand out there for very long. I thought our guys handled it awesome." — Saints coach Dennis Allen on beating the Browns in Cleveland in the coldest game a New Orleans team has ever played in (9 degrees at kickoff)
