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Green Bay Packers vs. San Francisco 49ers - 01/13/02
Postgame Quotes - Green Bay
GM/HEAD COACH MIKE SHERMAN:
(on Packers' time in history) "I've said from day one to these guys that I
want to be a part of Packer history. I think today the guys made themselves
part of Packer history in the sense that they too have won a playoff game on
that field and have contributed to a now 11-0 record out there."
(on the defense's performance) "I thought the whole defense did a fantastic
job. When you consider the fact that we have not been able to shut the run
down and this is the second-rated run team in football...They worked
extremely hard this week in practice. I'm not surprised by what happened."
(on the team's performance) "There was a lot of heroes out there today
which was the most beneficial part of this win because everybody had a hand
in it. Everybody's excited. Donald Driver's third down catch was a
tremendous catch. Corey Bradford's long reception - the throw - there's so
many parts to that - the protection they had on those plays. I'm not going
to pick one guy out. I think the team did well."
(on the match-up against the Rams) "The Rams are a great football team. I
thought we took a step today in doing what we had to do against another very
very good football team. We'll be ready to play next week. I know that."
(on Brett Favre's performance) "I don't think a quarterback could have a
better game than he had today. He took total control of the football game."
QUARTERBACK BRETT FAVRE:
(on the playoffs) "It's do or die in the playoffs. I don't ever want to
look back and say we left something on the field. and that was my stance at
halftime. Tom and Mike and the quarterbacks were talking about what we
should do and I said 'Let's go get them. Let's lay it on the field. When
we come off the field, don't ever look back and say we should have taken
some chances or should have done this or that.' and I think we played that
way."
(on the rhythm of the second half) "It's all about tempo and rhythm. Even
after you have a good play, if you kind of walk around and get into the
huddle - it's just like fast-break offense in basketball, you get in a
rhythm and the only way you get out of it is to slow yourself down and
relax."
(on the future of the team) "We won the game and we needed to win it. We
knew it was going to be a tough game but we have to play better than we
played today to beat St. Louis. They are a great football team and
everything is in their favor."
(on GM/Head Coach Mike Sherman) "I think he, throughout the season, has
handled himself and this team extremely well. He has faced adversity and I
think he's handled it extremely well. To win 12 games in the regular season
is extremely difficult for anyone."
(on the strategy for playoff games) "In this situation if you lose, you go
home...it's over. You get ready for next year. So if you have trick plays
and stuff in the bag that you were using and you didn't, you are really
going to feel bad after the game."
"In games like this you can't take anything for granted and when you get an
opportunity, leave it all on the field."
CORNERBACK MIKE McKENZIE:
(on defensive strategy) "We did a lot of blitzing today. It didn't hit
home exactly how we wanted to but we definitely did want to keep the
quarterback off guard."
(on motivation for the game) "anytime I hit the field I'm going out there
to perform my best. This is my third year so this is my first opportunity
to play in the playoffs. It was a big opportunity for everyone to see what
exactly the Green Bay Packers are about. We really just wanted to come out
collectively as a team and show that we belong here and are capable of
running the table."
(on the play that resulted in an interception for cornerback Tyrone
Williams) "It's a quarter coverage so I knew he was going to be on that
side, but I'm not going to sit here and say that I tried to tap it to
Tyrone. But it was a situation where I definitely was able to get a good
play on the ball and was able to tap it up into the air."
WIDE RECEIVER ANTONIO FREEMAN:
(on the Packers wide receivers) "I just told Driver and Corey, they made
some big plays, huge catches that could have swayed the game one way or
another. Drivers' catch - unbelievable. Corey fighting for the ball down
field and the one on the sideline. That's what it's going to take. If we
want to get far, it's going to take everyone collectively making plays and
today we had that."
(on feelings about today's game) "It felt good - not just to beat the
49ers, but to win a playoff game. We haven't been here in two seasons, and
we wanted to get Coach Sherman his first playoff victory."
(on the Rams' receivers) "We want to go win a football game. It's going to
be bigger than their receivers and our receivers. Yeah, we'll play a
pivotal role on how the game ends up, but there are 53 guys who will line up
for us on Sunday. We have to make plays, but the game is much bigger than
their receiving corps and our receiving corps."
RUNNING BACK AHMAN GREEN:
(on the history involved with the team and the playoffs) "I really didn't
need much firing up until that point because going into the game everybody
knew how big this was, but seeing him remind us of the tradition built here
in Lambeau Field and with us being Packers we had to basically carry and
continue what has already been built as a base here through the years back
in the 30s and 40s when the Packer organization was just starting. We had a
chance to continue that and continue the mystique of home playoff wins up
here in Lambeau Field."
(on making plays in the playoffs) "Sometimes it's going to be one play where
you can make a difference. You just go out there and do your best. Some
plays you're not going to do as well, but you just don't worry about that
and move on and try to make the next play."
(on the Rams) "We have to play them next week and whatever happens then
happens then. Games still have to be played before you can pencil anybody
in for the big game down in New Orleans."
(on Favre) "He sees the whole field and all of the receivers when he's
hitting everybody. That's what you want. He's making plays with what the
defense is giving him. He's not trying to force the ball anywhere and he's
doing a good job out there for us."
TIGHT END BUBBA FRANKS:
(on the touchdown catch) "I made a read off of the safety. The safety
cheated over to the free side and left the middle wide open. I'm glad
Brett saw me. He just made a great throw."
(on making big plays the playoffs) "It's big in the playoffs because if you
lose you go home. I'm happy right now."
SAFETY DARREN SHARPER:
(on limiting Terrell Owens) "We knew coming into the game he was an
explosive receiver and we were going to try and control him. We have
corners we feel can match up with any receiver in the league and they played
a heck of a game. We ran some different coverages to match up and put some
big guys on him to get in his face where it would be effective. We knew
coming into the game if we were able to control him then we would have a
good chance of winning."
(on what the teams takes from the win to the next game) "Our confidence.
The confidence of knowing we're a good team. We beat a good team at home.
We're going to go to St. Louis and try to do the same thing."
DEFENSIVE END CLETIDUS HUNT:
(on the blocked field goal) "We lined up in a 'middle push' and got good
penetration on the center. I blew up and got good penetration on the guard
and kind of slipped in and put my hands up. The kick was nice and low and I
was fortunate to block it."
(on the defense having to face the Rams' offense) "We just have to turn it
up some more."
(on being the underdog next week) "We love the underdog role because that
gives us a chance to show up even more. Underdog...Overdog. It doesn't
matter because we just have to go out and play football next week."
FULLBACK WILLIAM HENDERSON:
(on being more involved in the passing game) "It's always designed for me
to be involved, so it's just the options that Brett has. He found a way to
find me. It was my job to catch the ball and tuck it away and go for the
first down if that was the case or make the completion and get the ball
downfield."
(on having a home playoff game) "This is a hard place to play for anybody
because of the fact that we respect ourselves at home. We end up picking
our game up. The fans respect us and give us great crowd noise - the '12th
Man' on the field as we call it. It's just a wonderful place to play. When
we have playoff games here we play well. I wish we could have some more."
(on the next round of the playoffs) "From this game I'm going to take that
sense of team unity. We played as a team today. When we needed big plays
on special teams we got them. On offense and defense when we needed big
plays we found a way to make things happen. We hopefully can take that team
unity into the next round."
PUNT RETURNER ALLEN ROSSUM:
(on his performance) "We came away with a win and I was able to get a
pretty good return. I'm looking forward to next week. We'll just go back
to the drawing board and continue to work hard."
KICKER RYAN LONGWELL:
(on his confidence before the second field goal) "We felt really good. We
finished the season great. We finished seven out of our last nine in the
regular season and those two misses were long kicks. We felt a ton of
confidence going in and hitting the ball well when we had to. Everything
was going straight today so it was a good kick."
DEFENSIVE TACKLE GILBERT BROWN:
(on his sack of Garcia) "I forgot how that felt. It's been a while since I
got one of those. It just felt good getting back out there fighting with my
teammates and having fun. The main focus is to get back out there get ready
for St. Louis."
GUARD MARCO RIVERA:
(on Green's final touchdown) "That's the way you want to finish a drive.
You want to finish off with a nice run - a power run - with him knocking
over a few guys for a touchdown. That is a story book ending right there."
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