“The Chargers will be bound and determined to stop Chris Johnson…” — STEVE MARIUCCI on NFL Network’s Chargers-Titans Christmas Special

CHARGERS-TITANS CHRISTMAS EVENING SPECIAL

FRIDAY AT 7:00 PM ET ON NFL NETWORK

Pregame Show at 5:00 PM ET Features:

Titans RB Chris Johnson Meets Music Icon Faith Hill

‘The Marshall Plan’ Examines Titans RB Chris Johnson

NOTABLE & QUOTABLE…

• “Philip Rivers wins December games. The offensive line has kept Rivers healthy even with some injuries of its own. They’re utilizing LaDainian Tomlinson in a smart way. They have just done a good job of improving as the season progresses.” – STEVE MARUICCI on the key reasons that the Chargers are on a nine-game winning streak
• “The Chargers will be bound and determined to stop Chris Johnson from breaking the rushing record. Ron Rivera’s defense is going to be wound up and will try and put a fence around him.” – STEVE MARIUCCI on how much running room Titans’ RB Chris Johnson will have against the Chargers
• “Since the Chargers clinched, I’m not worried about their momentum, I’m not worried about their December record – to me that’s not a big deal. The biggest thing is health going in to the playoffs. But, the Titans need this win because that’s the only way they’ll keep their playoff hopes alive.” – CHARLES DAVIS on who needs this win the most
• “The Chargers might be the best team in football right now.” – STEVE MARIUCCI

Thursday Night Football

In a special Christmas night game, the final matchup of NFL Network’s live game schedule features the AFC West division champion Chargers versus the Tennessee Titans. San Diego, on a nine-game winning streak, travels to Nashville to face a Titans team that has won seven of its last eight games and must continue to win to have a chance at a Wild Card spot.

NFL Network has assembled an award-winning team to cover its “Run to the Playoffs” slate. This season marks the debut of new game analyst MATT MILLEN who returns to the broadcast booth after a successful NFL analyst stint with FOX and CBS from 1995 to 2000. Millen is joined by second-year NFL Network play-by-play announcer BOB PAPA, the radio voice of the New York Giants who has called a pair of Super Bowls. Papa was also the lead voice for NFL Europa games including the 2007 World Bowl on NFL Network and has worked seven Olympics.  MARK TEITELMAN and CRAIG JANOFF produce and direct Thursday Night Football.

RICH EISEN hosts NFL Network’s Thursday Night Kickoff Presented by Sears, a two-hour pregame show from NFL Network’s Los Angeles studios.  Eisen, a two-time Sports Emmy nominee in the Studio Host category, is joined by fellow Sports Emmy nominee STEVE MARIUCCI, a former NFL head coach with the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions who also served as Brett Favre’s quarterback coach in Green Bay; MARSHALL FAULK, who won a Super Bowl XXXIV ring with the Rams, earned 2000 NFL MVP honors and three Offensive Player of the Year awards (1999-2001) and has been selected to seven Pro Bowls; and DEION SANDERS, a two-time Super Bowl winner who was 1994 Defensive Player of the Year and an eight-time Pro Bowler who holds the NFL record with 18 career return touchdowns. Coverage also includes on-site reports from insider JASON LA CANFORA, who is in his first season with NFL Network after an award-winning newspaper career with The Washington Post and reporter SCOTT HANSON, host of NFL Network’s NFL RedZone channel that airs every Sunday. Senior producer BARDIA SHAH-RAIS joins coordinating director JEN LOVE on the pregame, halftime and postgame shows.  MIKE MURIANO is coordinating producer of the pregame, halftime and postgame shows.  ERIC WEINBERGER is executive producer of NFL Network.

NFL.com LIVE features live programming including live “look-ins” of Thursday Night Football, game highlights and instant analysis from NFL Network talent. From the NFL Network studios in Los Angeles, FRAN CHARLES, JAMIE DUKES, BUCKY BROOKS and MICHAEL FABIANO provide expert analysis, commentary and fantasy information with contributions from Faulk, Mariucci and Sanders. Hanson, along with PAUL BURMEISTER provides live reports from the stadium. New this year, Playbook analyst MIKE MAYOCK gives instant X & O analysis of key plays right after they happen from NFL Films headquarters.

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