ESPN’s Weekend and Monday NFL Studio Features
Chris Berman, Cris Carter, Mike Ditka, Tom Jackson, Keyshawn Johnson and Chris Mortensen will host two editions of Sunday NFL Countdown Presented by IBM this weekend beginning with a 30-minute edition Saturday at 10:30 a.m. ET and the two-hour show Sunday at 11 a.m. Saturday’s program will include a preview of that night’s Baltimore Ravens at Dallas Cowboys game, reports from Ed Werder in Dallas, and an extended version of Stephen A. Smith’s interview with Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens from this week.
Sunday will include reports from Bob Holtzman covering the Pittsburgh Steelers at the Tennessee Titans, Wendi Nix at the Cardinals-Patriots game, Rachel Nichols in Detroit for the Saints at Lions game, and Sal Paolantonio covering the Carolina Panthers at New York Giants game. Other highlights:
Pain
Players of the past (Jack Youngblood and Kellen Winslow) and present (Donovan McNabb and Clinton Portis) share their stories with Countdown’s Jackson of the pain they feel or inflict on others in the NFL and how it affects their lives on and off the field.
Dick Lebeau’s “Twas’ the Night Before Christmas”
For nearly two decades, Steelers defensive coordinator Dick Lebeau has hosted an unusual holiday tradition wherever he has coached – gathering his players to read Twas’ The Night Before Christmas. Countdown shows how this tradition has created a unique bond between him and his players, past and present.
Mayne Event: The Worst Game Ever Played
Fresh off the 50th anniversary of “The Greatest Game Ever Played,” Kenny Mayne, in this week’s Mayne Event, offers a unique perspective on “The Worst Game Ever Played” – last year’s rain-soaked 3-0 Steelers home Monday Night Football victory over the Dolphins.
“Soundtracks”: Mike Holmgren/Brett Favre
Quarterback Brett Favre and head coach Mike Holmgren have a long storied history together having shared in the joy of a Super Bowl victory with the Packers and having competed against one another when Favre’s Packers took on Holmgren’s Seahawks. Now a Jet, Favre heads to Seattle for Holmgren’s final home game as Seahawks head coach. Countdown listens in on this unique on-the-field relationship between master and pupil in this week’s “Soundtracks.”
Film Room: Impact of Haynesworth’s Absence
Merril Hoge goes to the film room to explain how the absence of Titans Pro Bowl defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, who’ll miss the final two games of the regular season with a knee injury, will affect the team’s fight for home field advantage in the AFC playoffs.
Start ‘Em or Sit ‘Em with Matthew Berry and Merril Hoge
ESPN’s fantasy football guru Matthew Berry and Hoge preview which players to start or sit Sunday in “Start ‘Em or Sit ‘Em” including, weekly trends and sleepers in the NFL.
Berman, Carter, Ditka, Jackson and Johnson will pick the biggest games of the day and tell fans which players will make the biggest impact in NFL’s Week 16 action. The list of game picks will be posted on http://www.espn.com/sundaycountdown after the show.
Additional segments include Steve Young’s self-titled “Young is Restless” segment; Sunday headlines from Mortensen; and “Sunday Stretch,” which previews some of the day’s key matchups and players as they warm up for their games.
MONDAY NIGHT COUNTDOWN, 7 P.M. ON ESPN
Monday Night Countdown Delivered by UPS with Berman, Carter, Ditka, Jackson, Johnson, and Mortensen (in Bristol), and Steve Young (at the MNF game in Chicago) will review Sunday’s games and preview Monday Night Football. The 90-minute, pre-game show will lead into the kickoff of the Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears (8:30 p.m.), featuring Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski and Tony Kornheiser.
Reporters Michele Tafoya (Packers) and Suzy Kolber (Bears) will cover the teams. Other highlights:
“Soundtracks”: Matt Forte
Bears rookie running back Matt Forte has more than 1,000 rushing yards and is a candidate for rookie of the year honors. Forte is wired for sound in this week’s edition of “Soundtracks.”
ESPN the Magazine’s “For Love or The Game:” Greg Jennings
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Greg Jennings will be the subject of Monday’s “For Love or The Game,” a Countdown segment that pairs a player or coach with a member of his family and a teammate to find out which person knows more about him. Jennings’ wife, Nicole, and his teammate James Jones battle to see who really knows Jennings better.
Images of Monday Night Football
From the shootout in Dallas (Sept. 15 vs. Eagles) to the Browns’ upset of the Giants (Oct. 13), it has been another memorable year of Monday Night Football. Countdown looks back at the images of the 2008 MNF season.
Safe or Out
The 2008 off-season might set a record for head coaching vacancies in the NFL. Mortensen looks at each of the possibilities and predicts which coaches are safe and which ones are out.
“C’mon Man?”
Monday Night Countdown personalities will weigh in on key plays from the NFL’s Week 16 action that left them with the thought – “C’mon Man?”
WEEKLY MONDAY NIGHT COUNTDOWN SEGMENTS
FIELD PASS – Countdown offers an all-access look at pre-game preparations as the players get ready for kickoff. Analysts will also breakdown the important storylines and key players before the game.
TEAMS AT 20 – Every 20 minutes reporters Tafoya and Kolber will update news from the teams in their preparations for the game, beginning with NFL Live at 3:30 p.m.
In addition, Monday Night Football’s Tirico, Jaworski and Kornheiser will preview the night’s match-up, with Mortensen covering breaking news from around the league and the Countdown analysts offering their “Lead Pipe Lock” predictions for the game.
STATE FARM NFL MATCHUP, SUNDAY 3 A.M. AND 7:30 A.M. ON ESPN
State Farm NFL Matchup (Sunday at 3 a.m. and 7:30 a.m.), featuring host Sal Paolantonio and analysts Ron Jaworski and Merril Hoge, will preview the weekend’s games by bringing viewers inside the film room for the Xs and Os analysis of the matchups. The 30-minute program – taped each week at NFL Films in Mt. Laurel, N.J. – highlights team strategy and game planning. This week’s features:
Steelers @ Titans
In the matchup that might decide home field advantage in the AFC playoffs, the Titans’ injury-ridden defense appears to be vulnerable. Hoge reveals how the Steelers can attack with play-action passes.
Panthers @ Giants
The Panthers running game has thrived this season, but they also have a dimension to their offense that few teams do – wide receiver Steve Smith. Jaworski shows how the Panthers can attack the Giants Defense through the air at any given moment, even on running plays.
Dolphins @ Chiefs
The Dolphins’ remarkable turnaround from a year ago is no fluke, having done it with brilliant play design and great execution, and this week is no exception. Hoge highlights how Miami’s offense has been able to generate big plays by dictating mismatches through personnel and alignment.
Eagles @ Redskins
Though the Redskins are mired in a late season slump, they still have a chance against the red hot Eagles. Hoge pulls out his “Coaches Clicker” and explains how the Redskins can attack Philadelphia’s blitz-happy defense with the run.
Cardinals @ Patriots
Quarterback Matt Cassel continues to grow and impress as a quarterback. He’ll need to maintain his level of play in the last two games for the Patriots to have a chance at their sixth straight postseason. Jaworski opens up his “Playbook” and shows how Cassel’s timing and anticipation resemble Tom Brady.
Falcons @ Vikings
Matchup’s “Factor Back,” Hoge, illustrates how Atlanta has generated so much success in the run game with intricate schemes and misdirection, making them the league’s top-ranked rushing attack.
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