Sports

Mattie T’s Week 15 NFL Recaps

Written by The Go-To-Man Mattie T. on December 17, 2008

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Star Player of the Game: Bears safety Danieal Manning, who returned the game’s opening kickoff 83 yards for a touchdown.

Saints tight end Billy Miller on his team traveling to Chicago in December/January for each of the past 3 seasons:

“Who makes the schedule? Why can’t they come down to the dome?”

10 (OT)

Star Player of the Game: Falcons running back Michael Turner, who rushed for 152 yards on 32 carries & scored 1 touchdown.

Falcons head coach Mike Smith on his brief confrontation with Buccaneers wide receiver Antonio Bryant:

“Antonio was on our sideline and I politely asked him to go back over to his sideline.”

Star Player of the Game: Bengals running back Cedric Benson, who rushed for 73 yards on 21 carries & caught 3 receptions for 88 yards.

Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell on the team’s failed 3rd quarter goal line drive:

“We worked so hard to get down there—it was like an 80-yard drive. To get down there and have that opportunity and not come away with any points, that was tough and it kind of deflated us after that.”

Star Player of the Game: Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson, who caught 11 receptions for 207 yards & scored 1 touchdown.

Titans linebacker Keith Bulluck on head coach Jeff Fisher passing up a game-winning field goal try on 4th & 3, which wound up being an incomplete pass:

“That field goal may have won us the game, but I think we did a lot of things to lose the game before that. I think Coach (Jeff Fisher) made the decision he needed to make.”

Star Player of the Game: Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, who completed 26 of 38 passes for 318 yards, 3 touchdowns & 1 interception.

Lions quarterback Dan Orlovsky on the possibility of Detroit becoming the NFL’s first 0-16 team:

“No one wants to be part of that. No one wants to have their name involved with that. It’s tough to swallow, everybody says we stink. We don’t have much debate with that.”

Star Player of the Game: Jaguars wide receiver Dennis Northcutt, who caught 5 receptions for 127 yards & scored 1 touchdown.

Packers safety Charles Woodson on the team’s 4th straight loss:

“We had opportunities and didn’t capitalize on those opportunities. I don’t know what you do. At this point, we’re not good at all. We’re just not very good.”

Star Player of the Game: Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers, who completed 34 of 48 passes for 346 yards, 2 touchdowns & 1 interception.

Chargers tackle Marcus McNeil on the team’s 18 point comeback win:

“We never stopped believing. I think (the Chiefs) thought they had the game won when the clock was low in the fourth quarter. But we knew if we got another chance that we were going to go down there and score.”

Star Player of the Game: Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington, who completed 12 of 19 passes for 156 yards, 2 touchdowns & no interceptions.

Dolphins nose tackle Jason Ferguson on the team’s 4th win by a touchdown or less since November 1st:

“We’re finding ways to get wins. They’re not cute, but all wins are beautiful.”

Star Player of the Game: Jets running back Thomas Jones, who rushed 20 times for 78 yards & scored 1 touchdown.

Bills head coach Dick Jauron on the play that led to the Jets’ game-winning defensive touchdown:

“Clearly the responsibility for the last call, the play-action pass, that was mine. That goes right on me. It backfired clearly and caused us to lose the game. … It’s one of those times in a game that’s pretty good for a pass, right before the 2-minute.”

Star Player of the Game: Seahawks running back Maurice Morris, who rushed for 86 yards on 15 carries.

Rams quarterback Marc Bulger on the future of interim head coach Jim Haslett:

“I’m sure he wishes he could go out there and play and help his own fate. I know he would do a good job turning this place around.”

Star Player of the Game: Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, who rushed for 165 yards on 28 carries.

Vikings quarterback Tavaris Jackson on his career day in replacement of an injured Gus Frerotte:

“People ask me did watching Gus help. I can’t really point out exactly what helped. But I felt like I’ve come a long ways since I’ve been watching him the last what, 12 or 13 weeks.”

Star Player of the Game: Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward, who caught 8 receptions for 107 yards.

Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis on a questionable goal-line catch by Santonio Holmes that turned out to be the game-winning touchdown:

“That didn’t win or lose the game for us.”

Star Player of the Game: Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith, who caught 8 receptions for 165 yards & scored 1 touchdown.

Panthers running back De Angelo Williams on owner Jerry Richardson’s surprise apperance at Sunday’s game:

“I was one of the people on the sidelines clapping because I didn’t know he was here. I saw his blanket kind of falling down, and his wife pulled it up. That was kind of cute. To see him up there, after what he’s been through, it just shows his dedication to the team. He’s not only an owner—he’s a friend and he’s family.”

Star Player of the Game: Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel, who completed 18 of 30 passes for 218 yards, 4 touchdowns & 1 interception.

Patriots running back LaMont Jordan on Randy Moss’ big game as he returned to Oakland to face his former team:

“That’s just Randy being Randy. I was definitely happy for him, especially the way the Oakland media had no good things to say about him. … We came here together to wear the Oakland uniform and to try to turn that program around. It didn’t work out and we both left on bad terms.”