|
| |
| ||
|
| ||
|
Super Bowl Q&A with Charlie Batch
Posted: Tuesday January 26, 1999 12:35 PM
Detroit Lions rookie quarterback Charlie Batch stopped in on CNN/SI's Super Bowl set in Miami to talk about the NFC's chances on Sunday and his surprising rookie season. Bob Lorenz: Charlie Batch began this season as a rookie with the Lions, relegated to third-string status. That didn't last long -- Batch vaulted into the No. 1 job and went on to start 12 games, throwing for 2,178 yards, 11 touchdowns and just six interceptions. Charlie, what do you think of this Super Bowl matchup -- the Falcons and Broncos. Let's face it, a lot of people didn't think the Falcons would be here. It's a surprise, don't you think? Charlie Batch: It is a surprise, but they're tough. We played them in Atlanta late in the season, but they're a very tough team and it's going to be interesting to see how it turns out. James Lofton: Charlie, you got to play with Barry Sanders this year. I would have to think that's almost a bit of a burden, because you're playing with one of the greatest running backs of all time. You want to throw the football, but everybody in the stands wants you to hand it off to Barry. CB: You're right. One thing is that it takes a lot of the pressure off of me. Each week, regardless of what defenses do the previous weeks, they're obviously going to do something else different to us to try to stop Barry. That's one thing we had to handle, but even if there's one extra defender up there, we'll take our chances with Barry. JL: I would imagine that as you grew up and even in college, you watched the Super Bowl on television. Are you going to get a chance to actually go to the game and watch it in the stands? CB: I thought about it, but I'm not going to go and watch the game this year. I'l just sit back and soak up all this great weather this week and watch the game on TV. Ron Meyer: It's a little different than the Detroit weather. Charlie, you had to sit out a whole year in college due to an injury, so you were on the sidelines. I had the feeling you learned a great deal there. How did that help you in your rookie year? CB: It helped me out because I was just sitting back, just understanding how coaches prepare for a game plan and watching film. I had to coach a true freshman at the time. I could get to him a lot better than the coaches could. Sitting back and understanding exactly what's going on then really helped me this year. JL: Early in the season, you talked about your play and said you were a dash of Dan Marino and a bit of Randall Cunningham. Now that you've had a complete season under your belt, which guy would you rather be more like for the rest of your career? CB: At this point right now, just like Randall did this season. He had a great season. If I can continue to go like that, the way he went, I'd be happy. Right now, I'm just trying to make a name for myself. JL: Did you ever get the urge to ask any of these guys for an autograph? CB: No, I didn't. BL: Now you've got a lot of people asking for your autograph. When the season began, obviously a lot of people didn't know who you were, and you changed that. You sort of helped solve the quarterback question mark in Detroit. Is Bobby Ross said "you're my guy going into training camp next year"? CB: He said that. That's the attitude I'm going into it with. Regardless of who's going to be there backing me up next year, I'm going into it preparing to get ready for great things next year. RM: Charlie, what does Detroit need to be here in the Super Bowl next year? CB: Detroit needs a lot of confidence, and we need a lot of commitment in the off-season to get ready to go.
| |||||||||||||||||
Copyright © 1999 CNN/SI. A Time Warner Company. Terms under which this service is provided to you.
| |||||||||||||||||
