“Josh Allen is one of the greatest talents we have ever seen in football.” – Chris Simms on Bills QB Josh Allen following 48-42 win vs. Lions
“Certain teams are built to travel and play in the playoffs. This team isn’t and that’s why they’re not really considered a contender.” – Devin McCourty on the Miami Dolphins following 20-12 loss to Texans in Houston
“Lamar-velous – Lamar Jackson threw the ball as well I’ve ever seen him throw the football.” – Simms on Ravens QB Lamar Jackson’s five-TD performance in 35-14 win vs. Giants
“When I was in New England, if you came in late, they sent you home for the day and fined you. That’s going to happen all the time in college.” – McCourty on how Bill Belichick will have to adapt as head coach at University of North Carolina
Peacock Sunday Night Football Final Streams Exclusively on Peacock Following Packers-Seahawks and Every Sunday Night Football Game During 2024 Season
STAMFORD, Conn. – December 15, 2024 – NBC Sports’ presentation of Week 15 of the 2024 NFL season continued tonight from Lumen Field in Seattle, Wash., with Football Night in America leading into coverage of Packers-Seahawks on Sunday Night Football on NBC and Peacock.
Maria Taylor hosted FNIA from NBC Sports’ Studio 3 in Stamford, Conn. She was joined by former Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett, three-time Super Bowl champion Devin McCourty, former NFL quarterback Chris Simms, NFL Insider Mike Florio, and fantasy sports industry pioneer 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 site of the game.
Mike Tirico (play-by-play), Cris Collinsworth (analyst), Melissa Stark (sideline reporter) and Terry McAulay (rules analyst) are calling tonight’s game.
Pre-game coverage included a high school reunion segment between host Maria Taylor and Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald – who were one grade apart at Centennial High School in Roswell, Ga. – as well as Dungy’s pre-game on-field interview with Seahawks QB Geno Smith.
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Following are highlights from tonight’s edition of Football Night in America on NBC and Peacock:
ON PACKERS
Harrison on RB Josh Jacobs: “If you’re coach [Matt] LaFleur, don’t make it more difficult – run the football. This is the reason you go out and get a guy like Josh Jacobs. When it’s December and you’re on the road in a playoff atmosphere, run the football.”
Dungy on Jacobs: “He gives you attitude and I think it’s especially important tonight. You’re going to be dealing with this crowd going crazy, and what’s the best way to calm them down? Run the football.”
Dungy on the Packers’ defense: “They’re going to need the pass rush from Rashan Gary because for the fourth week in a row, their best cornerback, Jaire Alexander, is not playing. This Seahawks receiving corps is going to put some stress on the Packers.”
Dungy on the Packers’ approach to playing in Seattle and dealing with crowd noise: “I talked to Jordan Love and the coaches and most times they’ll say they don’t do anything different [to prepare], but the Packers did. They practiced twice inside so that they could pump up the music. Jordan [Love] said they’re going to go with a silent count, and he wants to find out how loud it is...he’s going to find out tonight.”
ON SEAHAWKS
Harrison on rookie head coach Mike Macdonald: “I spoke to some players who told me they love this guy because when he came in, he was straightforward and honest, but was also very open-minded to what they need and what they want. And one of their coaches told me he gained instant respect coming in as a 36-year-old because he knew offense, defense and special teams.”
Harrison on the secondary: “This is the most talented secondary in the NFL... [Devon] Witherspoon’s ability to play outside and inside, Riq Woolen is an absolute freak, and Julian Love has been outstanding this year.”
ON CHIEFS
Florio on QB Patrick Mahomes’ injury: “I’m told it’s a high ankle sprain for Patrick Mahomes. X-rays were negative, which is a positive. I’m told he could have gone back in to play if the game had been closer. The Chiefs believe they dodged a bullet, but the concern is Monday morning. When he rolls out of bed, how swollen will that ankle be? They are going to monitor him closely.”
Garrett on impact of Mahomes’ injury: “We’ve seen it throughout his career – he plays through these injuries and plays big in the big moments. Mobility is important for him and certainly this year, they aren’t blocking people real well up front. He needs to be able to extend plays and there’s a lot of football in the next week and a half against some good defenses.”
ON BILLS
Garrett on Josh Allen: “Josh Allen is simply ridiculous. Think about what he’s done here the last couple of weeks. It’s historic what he’s doing. He’s making the whole thing look real easy.”
Simms: “Josh Allen is one of the greatest talents we have ever seen in football. This year, he’s got the supporting cast around him on the offensive side of the ball – even if the defense isn’t great – to carry this show like we saw today, and that’s where they’re different from in years past.”
ON LIONS
Garrett on the 48-42 loss to Buffalo: “Detroit has been so good all year long and their offense has been dominant, but we’ve seen the injuries on defense and they’re just thinning out more and more. There were some gaudy numbers for [Jared] Goff, they came back and the score looked okay, but Buffalo dominated this game. There are real question marks for Detroit on the defensive side.”
ON RAVENS
Simms on QB Lamar Jackson: “Lamar-velous – that’s what he was coming into New York today. Yes, it’s not a very good New York [Giants] defense, but Lamar Jackson threw the ball as well I’ve ever seen him throw the football… He was on point throughout the day.”
ON EAGLES
Garrett on the 27-13 win vs. Pittsburgh: “Philly physically dominated Pittsburgh in this game and won it handily...there’s harmony in Philly and the best thing they did was score early when they got in the red zone.”
ON COMMANDERS
Garrett on QB Jayden Daniels: “Playing quarterback in the NFL is hard. This guy is a rookie. He walks in and makes it look easy every week. The poise that he has on top of all the athletic ability, the accuracy, the throwing ability, he’s unbelievable.”
ON DOLPHINS
Simms on QB Tua Tagovailoa: “The Dolphins’ highest-paid player is their quarterback – he’s also the biggest concern we have in every big football game. That doesn’t match up.”
Garrett on Miami’s recent struggles in big games: “Tua [Tagovailoa] has got to own it. He hasn’t played well in these big games. We all know that, but to me it’s more about their entire team and their style of play. It’s great when they’re at home – greatest show on turf in Miami – but when they travel and go to tough environments or in cold weather, they have a tough time as a team.”
McCourty: “Certain teams are built to travel and play in the playoffs. This team isn’t and that’s why they’re not really considered a contender. Even if Tua [Tagovailoa] was healthy all year, we have all said we don’t really believe Miami is a team that can go win a Super Bowl.”
ON BRONCOS
Garrett on QB Bo Nix: “I want to give a shoutout to that rookie quarterback. Interceptions early, but again, a rookie who doesn’t go away when it gets hard. He hangs in there and ends up throwing three touchdowns. He was much better in the second half and later in the ball game. He’s handled everything about being a starting quarterback in the NFL really well, and again it goes back to that mental toughness. He showed it today.”
ON COLTS
McCourty on RB Jonathan Taylor dropping the ball before crossing the goal line, negating a touchdown: “You can’t do this! Just run through the endzone. That really was the turning point in the game.”
Simms: “Sloppy...too many missed easy throws. [QB Anthony Richardson] makes a lot of ‘wow’ throws and has a laser arm, but it happens too much...Anthony Richardson is learning on the job and he’s getting better, but he’s not there yet.”
ON PLAYOFF PICTURE
Kornacki on the NFC West race: “If the Seahawks win tonight, they stay in first place, they are a game up on the Rams and they have a 62% chance to win the division and get that home game in the playoffs. But if the Seahawks lose tonight, the Rams, on a tiebreaker, will be in first place in the division, they’ll have a better than 50% chance of winning the division and Seattle would fall out of the Wild Card and the playoffs...And remember, these two teams will play each other in Week 18.”
Kornacki on the AFC playoff picture: “Oh, did the Colts toy with their fans today. If the Colts had won in Denver, they would have had almost a 75% chance of making the playoffs. Instead, they lose and they fall all the way down to a 15% chance of making the playoffs. The Broncos are in great shape and can possibly clinch a playoff berth next week. The Chargers are now in that seventh and final spot...here’s what it will take for the Colts to get in now. They have the easiest schedule in the league to finish things out. If they can get to 9-8, they would need the Chargers to lose to the Broncos and then one of the final two games to the Raiders or the Patriots...Unless they’re losing one of those, not a chance here for the Colts.”
ON COLLEGE COACHING CAROUSEL
McCourty on Bill Belichick becoming head coach at the University of North Carolina: “Chapel Hill Bill. Everyone is talking about how he’s going to go in and recruit kids. I don’t think that’s going to be his main thing. It’s going to be those 20 or 21 year olds and he’ll say, ‘Come here, I’ll make you a pro.’…On the other side of it, he’s dealing with kids now. When I was in New England, if you came in late, they sent you home for the day and fined you. That’s going to happen all the time in college. He’s going to have to deal with it and understand how to meet the players where they are, but he’s a guy who can adjust and he knows how to build a team.”
Garrett on Notre Dame signing head coach Marcus Freeman to a long-term extension: “I don’t like Marcus Freeman – I love Marcus Freeman. I think this guy is fantastic – an incredible leader for that program. He’s a young coach that connects with the players but it’s an old-school program. He’s getting the most out of them on the field and off the field. The job he did leading that program after they lost to Northern Illinois in Week 2, and what they’ve done since then to position themselves is off the charts.”
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Peacock Sunday Night Football Final, an NFL post-game show produced by NBC Sports, streams exclusively on Peacock following every Sunday Night Football game during the 2024 season. The show is hosted from the game site by Jac Collinsworth, Harrison, and Dungy, who will provide instant reactions to each Sunday game along with highlights and interviews.
-- Football Night in America --
