NOTES AND QUOTES FROM THE WEEK 14 EDITION OF FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA ON NBC AND PEOPLE

“They have four wins this year where last quarter they had less than a 50% chance of winning. The percentage chance of winning all four of them? Only 0.3%.” – Steve Kornacki on the Chiefs’ success in close games

“We’re seeing a resurgent Russell Wilson. He looks like the old Seattle Seahawks Russell Wilson to me. – Chris Simms on the Steelers QB

“Sam Darnold said, ‘Forget about Kirk Cousins. Today is my day.’ – Devin McCourty on Darnold’s five-TD performance in 42-21 win vs. Kirk Cousins ​​and the Atlanta Falcons

“‘Nacua Matata’ – that means no worries in LA these days. The offense runs through Puka Nacua.” – Simms on Rams WR Puka Nacua for 178 scrimmage yards in 44-42 win vs. Buffalo

Peacock Sunday Night Football Final Streams exclusively on Peacock after Chargers-Chiefs and all Sunday night football Play in the 2024 season

STAMFORD, Conn. – 8 December 2024 – NBC Sports’ coverage of Week 14 of the 2024 NFL season continued tonight from GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., with Football night in America leads to coverage of Chargers-Chiefs on Sunday night football on NBC and Peacock.

Mary Taylor host FNIA from NBC Sports’ Studio 3 in Stamford, Connecticut. She was joined by the former Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrettthree-time Super Bowl champion Devin McCourtyformer NFL quarterback Chris SimmsNFL Insider Mike Florioand pioneer in the fantasy sports industry Matthew Berry. Steve Kornacki was also in the studio to break down playoff scenarios. Hall of Fame head coach Tony Dungy and two-time Super Bowl winner Rodney Harrison joined co-host Jac Collinsworth at the venue.

Mike Tirico (game by game), Chris Collinsworth (analyst), Melissa Stark (sideline reporter) and Terry McAulay (rules analyst) calls tonight’s game.

Pre-game coverage included:

· An introductory tease from lifelong Chiefs fan and Saturday Night Live contributor Heidi Gardner;

· Kansas City Royals legend and World Series champion George Brett on the Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes;

· Chris Simms’ FaceTime interview with the Vikings QB after the game Sam Darnold after Minnesota’s 42-21 win against Atlanta;

· Tony Dungy’s pre-game interview with Chargers rookie OL Joe Altwhose father John Alt is in the Chiefs Ring of Honor;

· Rodney Harrison’s pre-game interview with Chiefs DE Chris Jones.

***

The following are highlights from tonight’s edition Football night in America on NBC and Peacock:

ON CHARGERS

Harrison on head coach Jim Harbaugh and the offense: “Harbaugh has done a good job with this offense, but I still think it’s too conservative. They need to open it up a little more and let it Justin Herbert doing his thing, especially against this Kansas City secondary.”

Dungy at the Olympics Joe Alt and Harbaugh’s approach to team identity: “You take the fifth overall pick and you don’t draft a shiny weapon, you draft a big offensive tackle. That’s his thinking. ‘We’re going to be tough. We get physical. We are not fooling anyone. This is going to be Charger football.’”

Harrison: “A bunch of players on the Chargers told me this is not just another divisional game. It’s like a playoff game for them. Now they have the opportunity to see and measure where they are as a team.”

ON THE CHIVES

Kornacki on the Chiefs’ success in close games: “Think back to Week 1, when Baltimore looked like they might have overturned a game-tying touchdown on replay — it was one of seven games this year the Chiefs have won in which they either took the lead or had a game-saving defensive stand in the last minute of the game… They have four wins this year where in the last quarter they had less than a 50% chance of winning. The percentage chance of winning all four of them? Only 0.3%.”

Garrett on problems throwing the ball downfield: “There are just a lot of missed opportunities that could make the complexion of these games look very different. The biggest problem for me is left tackle. Mahomes has been under duress all year long. He just needs a little time to throw those balls down the field.”

McCourty on the Chiefs’ defense: “Even without (former Chief and current Titans DB) L’Jarius Sneeddid we say this is a defensive football team. Jaylen Watson gets deployed and he tears his ACL, then Nazeeh Johnson becomes a starting corner opposite Trent McDuffie. They pulled Johnson and deployed Joshua Williams…What’s going on with this defense? They have to figure it out. They’ve given up more points…this defense just doesn’t look the same.”

ON EAGLES

Sims on the problems in the passing game after the 22-16 win vs. Carolina: “There are issues. They’re too talented to look like that in the passing offense…there are passing plays where you just have to pull the trigger. We’ve seen too much of Regret hurts looks at the rush, leaves the pocket in some situations and leaves yards on the football field. Their offense isn’t very complex when it comes to the passing game. They don’t dress it up. You cannot see movements or shifts. I don’t know — let’s hit the best receiver in football on the below route and see what he does after the catch…they’ve got to do some more creative things to help (Hurt) moving forward.”

McCourty: “Let’s breathe. They have won nine in a row. I think other teams will turn on this Carolina film and see the way they played defensively – they were one catch away from winning the game… but I think the Eagles like this style. Hurts had 59 rushing yards, he didn’t turn the ball over, and they won another game.”

Garrett on the Eagles players’ comments after the win: “The big thing for me is to keep all that frustration internal. The teams that ultimately win the Super Bowl get better week after week — but do so internally. You don’t have to make this thing a public spectacle. You won the game, embrace it and move on.”

ON STEEL

Simms on QB Russell Wilson: “We’re seeing a resurgent Russell Wilson. Quick decisions, on-the-money throws and a new goal in Mike Williams…he looks like old Seattle Seahawks Russell Wilson to me.

ON THE SEAHAWKS

Garrett after the Seahawks’ 30-18 win vs. Arizona: “I’ve just been really impressed with Seattle’s defense lately. They’ve had a lot of great takeaways, Geno Smith threw it to nine different receivers in the game…Zach Charbonnet passed for 134 and two touchdowns. That’s how (head coach Mike Macdonald) wants to play defense and run football.”

McCourty: “Right now they are the team in the NFC West. Defense creates revenue. What I’ve really loved is how their secondary is stepping up.

Garrett: “I just like the balance. Early in the season, it was all about Geno throwing the ball. They got Charbonnet going and played football. That kind of balance will help them down the stretch.”

ON RAMS

Simms on WR Puka Nacua: “’Nacua Matata’ – that means no worries in LA these days. With Puka at wide receiver and Cooper CoupRams are dangerous…he also had a rushing touchdown today. The offense in LA runs through Puka Nacua.”

Kornacki: “They have a 33% chance to win the division, but they control their own playoff path. They have a Week 18 date at home with Seattle. If the Rams can get to that game one game behind Seattle, they just have to win because it will be a swing by Seattle for the season and they will take the NFC West.”

ON CARDINALS

Kornacki: “Sorry, Cardinals fans. No team in the NFL took a bigger hit in the NFL than the Arizona Cardinals. They had a golden opportunity at home against Seattle. Had they won that game, their chances of winning the NFC West would have been around 50%. Instead with the loss, barely a pulse – about 4%.”

ON DOLPHINS

Garrett in the 32-26 overtime win against the Jets: “Don’t look now – Tua (Tagovailoa) was on fire late in the ballgame. Tyreek Hill had one of his best games and John Smith caught three balls in overtime.”

ON VIKINGS

McCourty on QB Sam Darnold’s five-TD performance in 42-21 win vs. Atlanta: “Sam Darnold said, ‘Forget about Kirk Cousins. Today is my day.’”

ON THE FALKS

Garrett on Falcons QB Kirk Cousins: “It’s been bad for Cousins ​​lately. No touchdowns and eight interceptions. They seem out of line, out of rhythm, and he doesn’t look comfortable at all.”

ON BILL BELICHICK

Florio on Bill Belichick interviewing for the UNC head coaching position: “He’s very surprised that he hasn’t heard from any NFL teams so far. Three teams currently have vacancies, and none of them have reached out to him. If he is shut out again, where will he go? Unless he goes to Canada (laughs), he’s going to be on a college team.”

McCourty: “He’s not going to Canada, that’s for sure. He misses training. The media is great, he enjoys it, but he wants to coach football. I would be surprised to see him coaching young kids, it would be a bit tough on him but he just wants to get back on the ball.”

***

Peacock Sunday Night Football Finalan NFL post-game show produced by NBC Sports, streamed exclusively on Peacock after every Sunday Night Football game during the 2024 season. The show is hosted from the game side by Jac Collinsworth, Harrison and Dungy, who will provide instant reactions to each Sunday game along with highlights and interviews.

— Football night in America —