Here are some good quotes from the guys at CBS. They will be on location from Pittsburgh for the game. JB, Coach Cowher, Boomer, and Danny will be at Heinz Field for the pregame and postgame happenings….
THE NFL TODAY’s Dan Marino sits down with Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger as he prepares for his third AFC Championship Game in his first five years in the NFL. Just three years ago, he became the youngest Super Bowl-winning quarterback in NFL history. Since then, he has been seriously injured in an off-season motorcycle accident and had an emergency appendectomy. However, Roethlisberger has returned strong and has 51 regular-season wins, which is a record for a starting quarterback in his first five seasons. Can “Big Ben” and his Steelers beat the Ravens for the third time this season and get Pittsburgh one step closer to a record sixth Super Bowl title?
Bill Cowher It’s a rivalry that goes way back from the time that Cleveland moved to Baltimore. And it really probably started right around when they started getting pretty good. Any rivalry has to do with the attitude of the football teams. This rivalry is very simple – it’s based on two teams that think they have the best defense. That has been the very beginning of the talking that has taken place. Then when you have two teams that win, and play the type of football where they pride themselves on being physical, pride themselves on being tough, it makes for a very physical football game.
On which quarterback is under most pressure to win this weekend)
COWHER: I would probably say Donovan McNabb only from the standpoint of when you look at (Joe) Flacco, anything he has done to this point he has surpassed it (expectations). Even with Kurt Warner, he has surpassed expectations…There has been so much scrutiny on Donovan, and the talk about the benching and what he has done from that standpoint.
PHIL SIMMS: I say Donovan McNabb. Anytime you ask a question like this, I say, ‘Well, Philadelphia quarterback no matter what the year, what the scenario is.’ And if the Philadelphia Eagles lose, no matter what happens…it will be bitter disappointment and all the good feelings that a lot of people have will turn right around the other way and they will point out all the faults that happened during the game that caused them to lose. Nothing but a Super Bowl championship right now is going to satisfy a lot of people across the country, and especially in the Philadelphia area, when it comes to Donovan McNabb.
(On Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco)
DAN MARINO: The question I always ask about a young quarterback is, can the guy really throw it? When you have a young guy, does he have a big arm? Can he make all the throws? That’s the one thing to me that is so impressive about Joe Flacco – his arm strength and his ability to put it on the line, use the outside of the field where he can throw outs and comebacks. It seems effortless. Also his movement in the pocket. For a rookie, he has a really good sense of the pocket presence and how to move to keep his body in position to be able to throw the ball…I think he is excellent that way.
(On Donovan McNabb – is he a revived player?)
SIMMS: I don’t know if he’s a revived player. Everything he is doing I’ve seen him do so many times and we all get a little jaded. We got tired of the “Donovan McNabb story” so we wrote him off and let’s move on to the next guy. Then you really sit back (and think)…He’s big and strong, there is no question about that. He can still move around even though he’s been in the NFL a long time. And without question he has one of the most powerful throwing arms there is. He is a leader in the locker room. The players like him. So why do we doubt him? And why are we surprised at the way he is playing now? Maybe it is his motivation. Maybe it is Andy Reid’s ability to rally his players a little bit, get them a little more organized and hopeful. He (McNabb) focused in. Maybe it was the benching, the way he was treated. There are a lot of reasons. I don’t know what he is doing mentally, if he is angry? If he is, keep it up. But the focus seems to be there. They really seem like they believe in what they’re doing. And Donovan McNabb – a lot of confidence, and especially of late, throwing the football as well as you can throw it. His game against the New York Giants, in those elements against that team, the numbers lie. His numbers were not great but his performance was borderline spectacular.
(On Baltimore’s Ed Reed)
COWHER: As I’m looking at that team (Baltimore), the one guy you have to be aware of is Ed Reed. Ben (Roethlisberger) will be looking at him from the time he steps under center until the time he gets rid of the ball. He’s going to have to move him and be aware of him at all times. This guy is a ball hawk and he will jump patterns. If he (Roethlisberger) starts staring someone down he (Reed) will leave where he is supposed to be and will go to the ball. You have to be very careful playing against him.
(On Baltimore’s Ray Lewis)
SHANNON SHARPE: Most great players have passion…Ray has put the time in the film room because he wanted to be great. When he’s done with the game and you talk about linebackers, when you talk about defensive players, he wants you to mention his name. He is very conscious of his place in history as far as a defensive player, and as a player in the National Football League. The biggest thing about him, some guys are born to lead. Ray is a born leader. When he talks, they listen.
