QBs Who Feared Curtis
The following was publised in Sport magazine Aug. 1972 by Dave Brady
Terry Bradshaw, Pttsburgh Steelers: "I played against two guys who really had me psyched out - Butkus and Curtis. Butkus is like a thumb in the eye. He intimidated me before we even played the game. I will never let him do that again .... Curtis is as good and maybe better. He and I ran into each other head-on and he stung me pretty good. He did not yell as much as Butkus but he is hard-nosed and aggressive as all git-out.... Bill Bergey at Cincinnati is a good one, too."
Jim Plunkett, New England Patriots: "Of course, I did not play against that many middle linebackers; it was only my first season. But there is Mike Curtis. Just looking at that guy across the line of scrimmage scares you a little. He is tough, he hits, and when he does, he puts everything into it. I like to stay away from that guy as much as possible the way he gambles and blitzes.... Nick Buoniconti is smart. He blitzes at just the right time. If the guards are going to pull, he seems to know it beforehand and shoots the gap. He is always in the right spot to meet an offensive play. The ones who give me the trouble are the quick guys, who can move, get into pass coverage quickly and maybe take the tight end away from you if you are going to him."
Bob Davis, New York Jets: ".... Curtis sometimes is a little too physical..."
Pete Liske, Philadelphia Eagles: "The physical types are not much problem. They may devastate you on one play, then maybe on the next two plays you gain on them. Curtis, Lanier and Jordan are the types who cause you the most problems. They seldom make mistakes and are hard to control. The two I really respect are Curtis and Jordan. Even if you catch them out of position they recover very well."
Bill Nelsen, Cleveland Browns: "My thought of today's middle linebacker is an outside linebacker type moved to the middle. The outside linebacker playing the middle has the edge. In the old 4-3 defense, the middle linebacker had to be big and strong. Today, he has to be that and do other things, like Curtis, Lucci and Buoniconti, but Nick is not quite tall enough on pass coverage; you can throw over him. Lucci is tough. He's the only one who really bothers me. His yelling breaks my count...."
Greg Landry, Detroit Lions: "The guys I have the most concern about are Lanier and Curtis. Lanier is very intelligent; Curtis very physical, maneuverable, quick, especially in a zone defense.... Butkus is the last carry-over from the past. He gambles, breaks his own defenses and is so physical he can put the fear of God in you across that line when he growls."
Dennis Shaw, Buffalo Bills: "First, I want to say that I don't fear anybody. I have been the Bills' quarterback for only two years but I have played against Buoniconti in four games. He is so quick that he is hard to block out. He is especially good against the run.... Mike Curtis of the Colts is the one who gives us the most problems. He covers the pass as well as he covers the run. In the quarterback situation you choose plays like playing chess. Curtis is so good at detecting them that it is difficult to call plays that will take him out of the way. He doesn't go for fakes...."
Gary Cuozzo, St Louis Cardinals: "I have the old standard problems, Curtis and Butkus. The image of the big, strong middle linebacker is changing. It is going more to guys like Curtis; fast, with maybe 4.6 or 4.7 speed for 40 yards. You can even let them cover a tight end all the way down the field so you can double-cover wide receivers...."
Roman Gabriel, Los Angeles Rams: "....There are many linebackers in the same category as Butkus. Curtis - he just started at middle linebacker a couple of years ago; he has the same assets as Butkus. He is not as big, but he is quicker."
Bart Starr, Green Bay Packers: "The first thing I want to say is that I look at middle linebacker, with the exception of Curtis - I don't know Lanier - basically like every other position. The middle linebackers have become bigger and more mobile over the years....Curtis is scarier than Butkus."
Daryle Lamonica, Oakland Raiders: ".... Mike Curtis is not that big, at 232 pounds, but he is a real buzz-saw. He is excellent against the pass because of his speed. He gets 18 to 20 yards deep on a pass and that is unusual for a middle linebacker."
Jim Plunkett, New England Patriots: "Of course, I did not play against that many middle linebackers; it was only my first season. But there is Mike Curtis. Just looking at that guy across the line of scrimmage scares you a little. He is tough, he hits, and when he does, he puts everything into it. I like to stay away from that guy as much as possible the way he gambles and blitzes.... Nick Buoniconti is smart. He blitzes at just the right time. If the guards are going to pull, he seems to know it beforehand and shoots the gap. He is always in the right spot to meet an offensive play. The ones who give me the trouble are the quick guys, who can move, get into pass coverage quickly and maybe take the tight end away from you if you are going to him."
Bob Davis, New York Jets: ".... Curtis sometimes is a little too physical..."
Pete Liske, Philadelphia Eagles: "The physical types are not much problem. They may devastate you on one play, then maybe on the next two plays you gain on them. Curtis, Lanier and Jordan are the types who cause you the most problems. They seldom make mistakes and are hard to control. The two I really respect are Curtis and Jordan. Even if you catch them out of position they recover very well."
Bill Nelsen, Cleveland Browns: "My thought of today's middle linebacker is an outside linebacker type moved to the middle. The outside linebacker playing the middle has the edge. In the old 4-3 defense, the middle linebacker had to be big and strong. Today, he has to be that and do other things, like Curtis, Lucci and Buoniconti, but Nick is not quite tall enough on pass coverage; you can throw over him. Lucci is tough. He's the only one who really bothers me. His yelling breaks my count...."
Greg Landry, Detroit Lions: "The guys I have the most concern about are Lanier and Curtis. Lanier is very intelligent; Curtis very physical, maneuverable, quick, especially in a zone defense.... Butkus is the last carry-over from the past. He gambles, breaks his own defenses and is so physical he can put the fear of God in you across that line when he growls."
Dennis Shaw, Buffalo Bills: "First, I want to say that I don't fear anybody. I have been the Bills' quarterback for only two years but I have played against Buoniconti in four games. He is so quick that he is hard to block out. He is especially good against the run.... Mike Curtis of the Colts is the one who gives us the most problems. He covers the pass as well as he covers the run. In the quarterback situation you choose plays like playing chess. Curtis is so good at detecting them that it is difficult to call plays that will take him out of the way. He doesn't go for fakes...."
Gary Cuozzo, St Louis Cardinals: "I have the old standard problems, Curtis and Butkus. The image of the big, strong middle linebacker is changing. It is going more to guys like Curtis; fast, with maybe 4.6 or 4.7 speed for 40 yards. You can even let them cover a tight end all the way down the field so you can double-cover wide receivers...."
Roman Gabriel, Los Angeles Rams: "....There are many linebackers in the same category as Butkus. Curtis - he just started at middle linebacker a couple of years ago; he has the same assets as Butkus. He is not as big, but he is quicker."
Bart Starr, Green Bay Packers: "The first thing I want to say is that I look at middle linebacker, with the exception of Curtis - I don't know Lanier - basically like every other position. The middle linebackers have become bigger and more mobile over the years....Curtis is scarier than Butkus."
Daryle Lamonica, Oakland Raiders: ".... Mike Curtis is not that big, at 232 pounds, but he is a real buzz-saw. He is excellent against the pass because of his speed. He gets 18 to 20 yards deep on a pass and that is unusual for a middle linebacker."
