Keeping Up With All The Industry Press Releases
ESPN’s Monday Night Football Delivers More than 12.6 Million Viewers
The post ESPN’s Monday Night Football Delivers More than 12.6 Million Viewers appeared first on ESPN Press Room U.S..
Undefeated Steelers Host Ravens in AFC North Showdown on Thanksgiving Night; Coverage Begins Thursday at 8 p.m. ET on NBC
Tony Dungy Interviews Ryan Shazier at Halftime on Thanksgiving Night
NFC North-Leading Packers Face Second-Place Bears in Storied Rivalry on Sunday Night Football on NBC
Fans Can Participate in “Sunday Night 7” Free-to-Play Game on Thursday and Sunday, Featuring $100,000 Jackpot for Both Holiday Week Contests
STAMFORD, Conn. – Nov. 24, 2020 – AFC North and NFC North division rivals will face off in a pair of holiday week NFL games on NBC, beginning this Thursday when the NFL’s lone undefeated team, the 10-0 Pittsburgh Steelers, host their AFC North-rival Baltimore Ravens (6-4) at 8 p.m. ET on Thanksgiving night. Three nights later, the NFC North-leading Green Bay Packers (7-3) host the second-place Chicago Bears (5-5) at 8:20 p.m. ET on Sunday Night Football in the franchises’ 201st meeting. Sunday’s coverage begins with Football Night in America at 7 p.m. ET on NBC.
THANKSGIVING NIGHT: RAVENS (6-4) AT STEELERS (10-0) AT 8 P.M. ET ON NBC
Two-time Super Bowl winner Ben Roethlisberger and the undefeated Steelers will host reigning NFL MVP Lamar Jackson and the Ravens on Thursday in the first-ever Thanksgiving game in Pittsburgh. Ravens-Steelers marks the ninth meeting between the clubs in the NBC SNF package – the most among any AFC matchup.
Pittsburgh holds a three-game advantage in the AFC North, and Baltimore is involved in the competitive AFC Wild Card race. The teams met in Week 7 when the Steelers came back from a 17-7 deficit to defeat the Ravens 28-24 and remain undefeated at 7-0. The Steelers hold a slight 28-24 advantage in the all-time series between the division rivals.
An interview between Pro Football Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy and former Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier will be featured during halftime. The four-minute conversation details Shazier’s remarkable journey in recovering from a spine injury in 2017 and his work in creating the Ryan Shazier Fund for Spinal Rehabilitation. Shazier also visits the first recipient of his new initiative to help spread hope and thankfulness around the holiday season.
Mike Tirico joins 16-time Emmy Award-winner Cris Collinsworth (analyst) in the booth at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh on Thanksgiving night. Three-time Emmy Award-winner Michele Tafoya will report from the sidelines and award — via social distancing — a postgame “Turkey Leg Trophy,” in lieu of the traditional turkey legs. Three-time Super Bowl referee Terry McAulay serves as the rules analyst.
Ravens-Steelers caps a Thanksgiving stuffed with tradition-filled programming on NBC, beginning with the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade at 9 a.m. ET, followed by the National Dog Show at Noon ET.
SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: BEARS (5-5) AT PACKERS (7-3) AT 8:20 P.M. ET ON NBC; FNIA COVERAGE BEGINS AT 7 P.M. ET
The NFC North-leading Packers host the second-place Bears in the first meeting of the season between the rivals on Sunday Night Football. Two-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers, who owns an 18-5 career record against Chicago, currently ranks second in the league in touchdown passes (29). Green Bay looks to keep pace with the NFC-leading New Orleans Saints (8-2), while the Bears are only one game out of the NFC Wild Card hunt following their bye week.
In the most-played rivalry in NFL history, the Packers lead the all-time series 99-95-6 as the franchises will meet for the 201st time on Sunday. In last year’s NFL Kickoff matchup on NBC, the Packers defeated the Bears 10-3 in a defensive affair, as part of their season sweep of Chicago.
Tirico will call SNF alongside Dungy at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. The duo currently call Notre Dame on NBC games together. Notre Dame on NBC sideline reporter and NHL on NBC host Kathryn Tappen will make her NFL sideline reporting debut on Bears-Packers. McAulay will serve as the rules analyst.
NBC’s coverage of Sunday Night Football is led by executive producer Fred Gaudelli and director Drew Esocoff. SNF is the only show to win 10 Sports Emmy Awards for Outstanding Live Sports Series.
Liam McHugh hosts FNIA prior to Bears-Packers from NBC Sports Group’s Studio 1 in Stamford, Conn., alongside two-time Super Bowl-winner Rodney Harrison and former NFL quarterback Chris Simms. NFL Insider Mike Florio joins Football Night remotely from his home studio. Jac Collinsworth co-hosts FNIA on-site from Lambeau Field. Football Night is produced by Rob Hyland and directed by Mike Sheehan.
NBCSPORTS.COM & NBC SPORTS APP TO LIVE STREAM ALL NBC NFL GAMES
NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app will stream all NBC games to desktops, mobile, tablets, and connected TVs via “TV Everywhere,” giving consumers additional value to their subscription service, and making high-quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms. The full HD-quality video stream will come directly from NBC’s broadcasts. NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app are available on the iTunes App Store, Google Play, Windows Store, Roku Channel Store, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Samsung Smart TVs, Xbox, and Chromecast.
TELEMUNDO DEPORTES PRESENTS FULL SEASON OF SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
Telemundo Deportes will televise the entire NBC Sunday Night Football package live including all Sunday night regular-season games, the NFL Kickoff game, the annual Thanksgiving night game and three Playoff Games. Universo will televise 21 games, with Telemundo to broadcast the newly-added primetime NFL Wild Card playoff game on Sunday, January 10. Coverage of the 2020 NFL season across both Telemundo and sister network, Universo, mark the first time ever that the full SNF schedule is available in Spanish-language in the U.S.
“SUNDAY NIGHT 7” FREE-TO-PLAY GAME AVAILABLE ON THURSDAY AND SUNDAY WITH $100,000 JACKPOT FOR BOTH HOLIDAY WEEK CONTESTS
Fans can participate in NBC Sports’ free-to-play game, Sunday Night 7, on Thursday and Sunday, which features a $100,000 jackpot for both holiday week contests. Sunday Night 7 is available for download NOW on the NBC Sports Predictor app (available in the App Store and Google Play Store) and at NBCSports.com/Predictor.
Last week, three users tied for first place with a score of 55 points, each taking home $600.
PETER KING’S NFL COLUMN “FOOTBALL MORNING IN AMERICA” DEBUTS EVERY MONDAY EXCLUSIVELY ON NBCSPORTS.COM
A new “Football Morning in America” will post every Monday morning exclusively on NBCSports.com. It was announced in May 2019 that King signed an exclusive agreement with NBC Sports Group that included writing a weekly Monday morning NFL column for NBCSports.com; making regular appearances on PFT Live with Mike Florio; and continuing to contribute to Football Night in America, the most-watched studio show in sports.
CHRIS SIMMS UNBUTTONED
NBC Sports’ Chris Simms examines everything happening in the NFL and around the sports world. Along with a rotation of NBC Sports hosts including Ahmed Fareed, Paul Burmeister and Liam McHugh, Chris Simms Unbuttoned analyses the NFL with in-depth Xs and Os breakdowns; one-on-one interviews with players, coaches and executives; and game recaps and preview.
ROTOWORLD
Rotoworld offers comprehensive fantasy football coverage throughout the 2020 NFL season across NBC Sports’ platforms. Rotoworld’s Fantasy Football Draft Guide and premium tools are available for purchase now via Rotoworld’s new subscription model, beginning at only $3.99 per month. The industry-leading source for fantasy football news and information, the 2020 Rotoworld Fantasy Football Draft Guide features more than 450 extensive player profiles, ‘Sleepers and Busts,’ player projections, positional rankings and tier groupings from Rotoworld’s NFL experts, and more. For the first time, Rotoworld’s Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet is downloadable and available for free by registering on Rotoworld.com. The Cheat Sheet, which includes top 200 PPR rankings, PPR positional rankings, dynasty rookies, and more, is also available as part of the 2020 Draft Guide.
PFT LIVE – WEEKDAYS AT 7 A.M. ET ON PEACOCK
Mike Florio and co-host Chris Simms bring fans the latest NFL news and interviews with players and coaches every weekday morning with PFT Live streaming live on Peacock at 7 a.m. ET. Peter King and NBC Football Night in America analyst Rodney Harrison also contribute regularly to PFT Live’s coverage throughout the season.
The two-hour PFT Live is known for delivering inside information and comprehensive analysis from an independent perspective. The show covers all the latest news around the league, breaks down reports and rumors and features interviews with players, coaches and executives. The show will be re-aired on NBCSN from 9-11 a.m. ET.
PODCASTS
NBC Sports’ football podcasts provide extensive weekly offerings from NBC Sports’ most popular personalities and present special guests, exclusive interviews, and robust conversations across all of football on The Peter King Podcast, Chris Simms Unbuttoned, PFT PM, and Rotoworld Football. While The Peter King Podcast features intimate discussions with the NFL’s top players, Chris Simms Unbuttoned and PFT PM dive into deep conversations around the sports’ hottest topics, and Rotoworld Football explores fantasy implications for fans. New episodes of NBC Sports podcasts are available for download each week on all major podcast platforms including: NBCSports.com/podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Podcasts, TuneIn and iHeart.
SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL SOCIAL MEDIA
NBC SPORTS REGIONAL NETWORKS
NBC Sports Regional Networks, which serve top NFL markets such as New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Chicago, and San Francisco, will surround the 2020 NFL season with in-depth news, analysis and original programming on the teams that matter most in 32 million U.S. households.
SNF GRILL RETURNS FOR A FOUR-DAY ROAD TRIP TO THANKSGIVING NIGHT
The SNF Grill, NBC Sports’ mobile concession stand setup which thanked first responders and frontline workers in host cities of each Sunday Night Football game through Week 7, returns this week with a special, four-day road trip to Thanksgiving night.
The SNF Grill’s four-stop trip began yesterday, Nov. 23, in Baltimore and will travel to D.C. and Harrisburg before arriving in Pittsburgh ahead of the Steelers hosting the Ravens on Thursday night.
The SNF Grill provided over 3,000 meals for doctors, nurses, fire departments and other essential workers in prior host cities; Kansas City, LA, Seattle, New Orleans and San Francisco.
In accordance with health and safety standards, social distancing and masks will be required at all stops.
CARRIE UNDERWOOD
Seven-time Grammy Award-winner and multi-platinum recording artist Carrie Underwood stars in the show open for NBC’s Sunday Night Football.
Working within social-distancing parameters, the 2020 Sunday Night Football show open was uniquely produced without extras in a studio or stadium, while also celebrating the millions who watch the games.
For the first time, the SNF show open will feature user-generated content from fans showcasing their team spirit. In addition, cameos from some of the NFL’s biggest stars, also recorded remotely, will be highlighted.
NBC’S SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL IS PRIMETIME TELEVISION’S NO. 1 SHOW FOR RECORD NINE CONSECUTIVE YEARS: NBC’s Sunday Night Football finished the 2019-20 TV season as primetime’s #1 TV show in all key metrics for an unprecedented ninth consecutive year – adding to its record for the most consecutive years atop the charts (since 1950), based on official live plus same day data provided by Nielsen. Sunday Night Football also ranked as the No. 1 show in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic for the 10th consecutive TV season.
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*Flex Week
** Thanksgiving Night Game
FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING: Flexible scheduling will be used in Weeks 11-17. Additionally, in Weeks 5-10, flexible scheduling may be used in no more than two weeks. In Weeks 5-16, the schedule lists the games tentatively set for Sunday Night Football on NBC. Only Sunday afternoon games are eligible to be moved to Sunday night, in which case the tentatively scheduled Sunday night game would be moved to an afternoon start time. Flexible scheduling will not be applied to games airing on Thursday or Monday nights.
For Week 17, the Sunday night game will be announced no later than six days prior to January 3. The schedule does not list a Sunday night game in Week 17, but an afternoon game with playoff implications will be moved to that time slot. Flexible scheduling ensures quality matchups in all Sunday time slots in those weeks, and gives “surprise” teams a chance to play their way into primetime.
– SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL –
Game Averaged Total Audience Delivery of 20.2 Million Viewers – Best Week 11 NBC SNF Viewership Since 2017 & Up 17% from Last Year
Raiders Register Highest Local Market Rating in First Season in Las Vegas; Chiefs Deliver Second-Best NBC SNF Rating in Kansas City
STAMFORD, Conn. – November 24, 2020 – The Kansas City Chiefs’ down-to-the-wire 35-31 victory over their AFC West-rival Las Vegas Raiders on NBC Sunday Night Football averaged a Total Audience Delivery of 20.2 million viewers across NBC TV, NBC Sports Digital and NFL Digital Platforms – to rank as television’s most-watched primetime show since the NFL Kickoff Game on Thurs., Sept. 10, according to official data released today by Nielsen, and digital data from Adobe Analytics.
Sunday night’s viewership average of 20.2 million viewers is the best for an NBC SNF Week 11 game since 2017, and topped by 17% last year’s Week 11 SNF game (17.3 million viewers for Bears-Rams).
Viewership on NBC peaked at 20.9 million viewers from 9:30-9:45 p.m. ET, and also topped 20 million (20.6 million) for the exciting conclusion from 11:15-11:27 p.m. ET, as Patrick Mahomes led the Chiefs on the game-winning, seven-play scoring drive, culminating with a 22-yard touchdown pass to Travis Kelce with 28 seconds remaining.
The Average Minute Audience (AMA) for last night’s live stream via NBC Sports digital platforms, NFL Digital platforms, Chiefs and Raiders mobile properties, and Verizon Media mobile properties was 647,000 viewers – the third-most streamed Sunday NBC NFL regular-season game ever – and up 85% from last year’s Week 11 (350,000).
Sunday night’s game (8:23 p.m.-11:27 p.m. ET) registered a national TV household rating of 10.8/23.
Local Market Milestones
The Chiefs delivered a 50.0/74 local rating in Kansas City, marking their second-highest home market performance in 17 games since the NBC SNF package debuted in 2006. The Raiders registered a 22.6/38 local rating in Las Vegas – the highest figure in their inaugural season in the city.
TOP METERED MARKETS FOR CHIEFS-RAIDERS (based on 44 markets available):
| 1. | Kansas City | 50.0/74 |
| 2. | Las Vegas | 22.6/38 |
| 3. | Sacramento | 19.5/35 |
| 4. | San Diego | 17.0/32 |
| 5. | Denver | 16.5/31 |
| T6. | Seattle | 16.4/31 |
| T6. | San Francisco | 16.4/34 |
| 8. | Pittsburgh | 15.1/26 |
| 9. | Portland | 14.5/29 |
| 10. | Indianapolis | 13.8/25 |
– NBC SPORTS –
“That play, that situation, those are the moments competitors love. These are the moments you dream of. Honestly, I dreamed of nights like this when I was a kid.” – Mahomes to King on his game-winning touchdown pass against the Raiders on Sunday Night Football
“You know what people think of him – they think he’s a runner. I think he’s a quarterback. And I wanted him to play quarterback early.” – Payton on QB Taysom Hill’s first start
“It’s still so surreal to me that I get to lace up cleats and put a helmet on. Yeah, I gotta wear this brace to do it, but…how awesome that it’s progressed this far.” – Smith on returning to play this season from his 2018 leg injury
STAMFORD, Conn. – Nov. 23, 2020 – Peter King speaks with Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes following the Chiefs’ Sunday Night Football win and New Orleans head coach Sean Payton after the Saints’ victory over Atlanta in this week’s edition of Football Morning in America, available now exclusively on NBCSports.com. King also speaks with Washington Football Team quarterback Alex Smith about his return to the field this season, hands out his weekly awards, and discusses the news and notes from around the league in Week 11.
Across NBC Sports this week, Peacock’s weekday block of NFL programming from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. ET includes PFT Live featuring Mike Florio and Chris Simms live at 7 a.m. ET, followed by The Dan Patrick Show at 9 a.m. ET, The Rich Eisen Show at Noon ET, Brother From Another, with Michael Holley and Michael Smith, at 3 p.m. ET, and PFT PM at 5 p.m. ET. On Monday, Safety Blitz, featuring Rodney Harrison and Jac Collinsworth, streams at 6 p.m. ET, and Chris Simms Unbuttoned streams at 6 p.m. ET Tuesday-Friday. ProFootballTalk.com continues to provide the latest offseason news, and the Rotoworld Football Podcast and Chris Simms Unbuttoned podcast discuss Week 11.
The following are highlights from this week’s edition of Football Morning in America:
PATRICK MAHOMES & THE CHIEFS
King on the Chiefs’ game-winning drive last night: “The pesky Raiders were becoming a problem, and they were up 31-28 in their new stadium in Nevada, threatening to sweep the season series, when the Chiefs called their last timeout. Second-and-seven, ball on the Vegas 22, just 34 seconds left…Mahomes came to the sideline with a definite idea – just like in the Super Bowl. He had a play he really wanted to run.”
Mahomes to King on how the Chiefs called the game-winning play coming out of the timeout: “Actually, there was a funny moment in that timeout…Coach (Eric) Bieniemy said to me, ‘Well, I like that play, but I really like this other one better.’ He tells me the play, and I think about it for a second. I said, ‘Hey, I like that play a lot.’ That’s what I love about our offense. We communicate. We’re a good team.”
King on the Chiefs’ game-winning touchdown: “For defenses, this play is the dilemma of the Kansas City offense. Four weapons spread across 45 yards of field near the goal line. If the quarterback was a stationary target, or just moderately mobile, the defense wouldn’t have to spy him…What’s a defense to do?”
Mahomes: “That play, that situation, those are the moments competitors love. These are the moments you dream of. Honestly, I dreamed of nights like this when I was a kid.”
King on the Raiders: “Las Vegas is going to be trouble for AFC power brokers down the stretch. The Raiders are just 6-4, and their spot in the playoffs isn’t assured, but they’re going to be a very hard out if they get there.”
Mahomes on the Chiefs-Raiders rivalry: “Our franchise has a deep history with the Raiders, and we can feel it come back now.”
THE SAINTS
King on the Saints starting QB Taysom Hill: “Coach Sean Payton picked Hill to start over the first pick of the 2015 draft, Jameis Winston, for a couple of reasons: He felt he owed it to him and told him he was next in line; and Payton truly felt Hill had a chance to be a new-wave quarterback, runner and thrower.”
King on Payton and Hill’s meeting Saturday night: “‘The Dot Meeting,’ Payton called it. Payton would have maybe 225 plays on his laminated play sheet in different categories (red zone, short-yardage, etc.). Payton liked most of them. (Drew) Brees would pick his favorites, maybe 40, and Payton would put a black Sharpie dot next to the play, then try to call most of them the next day. Ditto with Hill.”
Payton to King on Hill’s first play of the game yesterday: “Box Right Nasty, X Out, Q-8 Smash, and Taysom called it wrong! He forgot the motion!! First play of the game!”
Payton on his game plan for Hill as a starter: “I didn’t want to run him early. You know what people think of him – they think he’s a runner. I think he’s a quarterback. And I wanted him to play quarterback early.”
Hill to King: “I always felt I was capable of playing quarterback, and starting, in this league, but of course, until you do it, that’s just talk.”
ALEX SMITH
King: “We need Thanksgiving in our country this year, for so many reasons…We need Smith and his family and his story to remind us that in the midst of whatever craziness we all have in our lives, we have much to be thankful.”
Smith to King on what he is thankful for after returning to play from his leg injury two years ago: “So tough to put into words…I think certainly first and foremost, grateful for my health right now and my family’s health. You realize looking back what a privileged life I led and had never really faced a challenge like that.”
Smith on returning from his injury: “It’s still so surreal to me that I get to lace up cleats and put a helmet on. Yeah, I gotta wear this brace to do it, but how amazing it is that every day I get to go do this, how awesome that it’s progressed this far. I’m just lucky.”
Smith on when he first returned to the field in Week 5: “It’d been two years since I had been hit. The last time I did, my leg broke. I just spent the previous almost two years doing everything I could to protect my leg, and then all of a sudden now I’m running out onto a field to play tackle football again…Aaron Donald jumping on my back. How was I gonna handle that?”
King: “At 36, there’s been some good, there’s been some bad, and with the warm-and-fuzzies wearing off, Smith knows he has to play well to keep his job for this year and beyond…That’s the thing about football. It’s sentimental for about five minutes, and then you’ve got to play well.”
WEEK 11 NEWS & NOTES
King on the Steelers: “Pittsburgh, with a four-game lead over Baltimore entering Thanksgiving Week. Now that’s a stunner…Ben Roethlisberger with a 24-to-5 TD-to-pick ratio, a defense that can be suffocating at all three levels. That’s a legit 10-0 team.”
King on Saints RB Alvin Kamara: “I’m not normally a fan of second contracts for running backs, but I’ll make an exception for Alvin Kamara…Drew Brees is very likely gone after this year, and whoever quarterbacks this team is going to need that great all-purpose security blanket that Kamara is.”
King on Titans WR A.J. Brown’s go-ahead fourth-quarter touchdown yesterday: “It’s one of the best touchdowns of the year, one of the most football-perfect touchdowns of the year, coming at a time when the AFC South is there to be won for the Titans.”
Brown to King on the play: “So I go the line and get ready to run my route, and Ryan (Tannehill) kind of gave me the look. Everyone knows that look. He double-winked at me. Gave me those big eyes. Like, the ball’s coming to you. At the time, we just really need the first down.”
King on his most underrated receivers in the NFL: “1) Tyler Lockett, and it’s not close. 2) Cole Beasley. 3) Darius Slayton. 4) Willie Snead. 5) Tre’Quan Smith.”
King on Cardinals rookie Isaiah Simmons: “The eighth pick of the April draft, monster defensive back Isaiah Simmons, is out of the witness protection program. He could be a big factor for the Cards in the last six weeks.”
King on former Falcons head coach Dan Quinn: “The fired Falcons coach has done something I think is really bright…He asked TV journalist/analyst Laura Okmin to reach out to 30 to 40 people Quinn had either coached with, coached, or knew well in his NFL life. Quinn asked Okmin to talk to these 30 or so people about what the coach needed to do better. No names; Quinn wanted honesty, and told Okmin to grant anonymity.”
Quinn to King: “I did a 360 on myself…I wanted to know my blind spots. Most often, when you’re the head coach, people tell you what they think you want to hear. I wanted to get the truth, right between the eyes.”
King on what Quinn learned: “One thing he discovered is he didn’t have the kind of pipeline that a coach needs to have to last a long time in one place. He needed to develop – as coaches like Bill Belichick, Mike Tomlin and Andy Reid have done – an ethos that every coach and player in the organization buys into.”
KING’S WEEK 11 AWARDS
Offensive Players of the Week: A.J. Brown, Tennessee, P.J. Walker, Carolina, & Taysom Hill, New Orleans.
King on Hill: “Hill’s waited three-and-a-half years for this moment, since being bypassed in the 2017 draft and waived by the Packers as an undrafted free agent and signing with the Saints and waiting, waiting, waiting…It wasn’t a flashy debut, but the Saints will take a 15-point win over their most hated rival any day.”
Defensive Players of the Week: Justin Simmons, Denver, Olivier Vernon, Cleveland, J.J. Watt, Houston, & Carlos Dunlap, Seattle.
King on Vernon: “The Browns are 7-3, and good teams don’t fold when their best defensive player suddenly is lost for the game. (Myles Garrett has COVID-19.) Excellent time for Vernon to play his best game as a Brown.”
Special Teams Player of the Week: Logan Woodside, Tennessee.
King: “On fourth-and-seven from the Tennessee 49, Woodside lined up as the upback in punt formation, took the snap, rolled right, and found gunner Nick Westbrook-Ikhine for seven yards. Three minutes later, the Titans snuck in a field goal before halftime. Good roster management. Two undrafted free-agents combine for a key play in a very tight game.”
Coaches of the Week: Phil Snow, Carolina (defensive coordinator), & Matt Eberflus, Indianapolis (defensive coordinator).
King on Snow: “Snow, who came from Baylor with coach Matt Rhule this season, let loose with some different blitzes and not being so married to his three-man front. Terrific job all around in Charlotte.”
Read the full FMIA column here and catch the weekly Peter King Podcast here.
The following are additional highlights of NBC Sports’ NFL coverage:
A new “Football Morning in America” posts every Monday morning exclusively on NBCSports.com through the NFL season. It was announced in May 2019 that King signed an exclusive agreement with NBC Sports Group that included writing a weekly Monday morning NFL column for NBCSports.com; making regular appearances on PFT Live with Mike Florio; and continuing to contribute to Football Night in America, the most-watched studio show in sports.
—NBC SPORTS—
“He would call some plays and I would be like, ‘I mean I’ll try it, but I don’t know how that’s going to work.’ … But it seems like every single time I had that thought, it was a wide-open touchdown.” – Mahomes on Andy Reid
“Ferrari Right kind of started as a joke…All of a sudden, I was like, ‘Man, I think this can really affect a defense. Let me see if this is legal.’” – Mahomes on designing ‘Ferrari Right’ play, in which he caught the snap while in motion for a touchdown in Week 9
Interview to Air on Football Night in America Beginning Sunday at 7 p.m. ET on NBC
WATCH: Entire Eight-Minute Mahomes-McHugh Conversation on NBCSports.com
Kansas City Chiefs Visit Las Vegas Raiders Sunday on NBC’s Sunday Night Football
STAMFORD, Conn. – Nov. 20, 2020 – Kansas City Chiefs QB and Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes speaks with NBC Sports host Liam McHugh on Sunday’s edition of Football Night in America, which begins at 7 p.m. ET on NBC leading into Chiefs-Raiders on Sunday Night Football at 8:20 p.m. ET.
In the interview, Mahomes discusses playing in head coach Andy Reid’s innovative offense, designing plays of his own, offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy’s potential as a future NFL head coach, and more.
The entire eight-minute conversation is available now on NBCSports.com.
Mike Tirico will host Football Night in America on Sunday at 7 p.m. ET alongside Hall of Fame head coach Tony Dungy, two-time Super Bowl champion Rodney Harrison, former NFL quarterback Chris Simms, and NFL Insider Mike Florio. McHugh will co-host FNIA on-site from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev.
Below are excerpts from McHugh’s interview with Mahomes. If used, please note the mandatory credit: “In an exclusive interview airing on Football Night in America.”
WATCH: Full eight-minute Mahomes-McHugh conversation on NBCSports.com.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM MCHUGH’S INTERVIEW WITH MAHOMES
Mahomes on playing in Andy Reid’s offense: “My first and second year here, he would call some plays and I would be like, ‘I mean I’ll try it, but I don’t know how that’s going to work with the defense and how they’re playing.’ But it seems like every single time I had that thought, it was a wide-open touchdown. So nowadays, whatever he draws up, I’m just ready to go and ready to go out there and execute it.”
Mahomes on designing plays of his own: “There’s always been plays here and there that Coach Reid does a good job of letting me kind of help create and help design in a certain sense. He has his white board, he just draws up plays all day and so every once in a while I’ll go in there and say, ‘Can we do this?’ And he usually gives me the green light.”
Mahomes on designing and executing ‘Ferrari Right,’ in which he caught the snap while in motion for a touchdown in Week 9: “Ferrari Right kind of started as a joke. It started as I was taking snaps pre-practice and I would start running in jet motion and catching it. And all of a sudden, I was like, ‘Man, I think this can really affect a defense. Let me see if this is legal.’ So, I took it to some coaches and then took it to Coach Reid and we helped design it and make something happen out of it, and it worked out and I was able to score a touchdown on it.”
Mahomes on Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy: “I would say that he has everything it takes to be a head coach, and I think that’s a big thing being a head coach in the NFL. Being able to lead men, being able to hold people accountable but at the same time holding himself accountable even more than that…He’s obviously a great offensive mind but he’s even a better a leader of men. I think that says a lot.”
Mahomes on what he learned from the Chiefs’ Week 5 loss to the Raiders: “I think the biggest thing we learned going into the following weeks is that we’ve got to be patient within our offense. Obviously, we want to have the big play and we want to have the big play every play, but you have to be able to drive the ball down the field play by play. It really, I think, kind of woke us up and showed us that we can win games different ways. And if you’ve seen how we’ve played since that game, we found ways to do just that.”
–FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA–
The latest ESPN Cover Story featuring Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf debuted today across the network’s digital, linear and social platforms. ESPN Cover Story is the sports fan’s monthly ticket to the biggest stories on the most captivating athletes – told with inside access, bold reporting and unforgettable visuals.
The post ESPN Cover Story: DK Metcalf Debuts Today Across ESPN appeared first on ESPN Press Room U.S..
Coverage Begins with Football Night in America at 7 p.m. ET; Followed by 8:20 p.m. ET SNF Kickoff
NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports App to Live Stream All Sunday Night Football Games
Universo to Televise All SNF Games in Spanish-Language
“Sunday Night 7” Free-to-Play Game Features $100,000 Jackpot Every Contest
New Episode of “Sports Uncovered” Podcast Series Hosted by Michele Tafoya Drops this Thursday, Nov. 19, Featuring Raiders Coach Jon Gruden
STAMFORD, Conn. – Nov. 18, 2020 – Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes and the first-place Kansas City Chiefs (8-1) visit Derek Carr and the second-place Las Vegas Raiders (6-3) in a crucial AFC West showdown on NBC’s Sunday Night Football, which marks SNF’s first trip to Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev. Coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET with Football Night in America on NBC, followed by kickoff at 8:20 p.m. ET from Allegiant Stadium.
The Chiefs lead the AFC in points scored per game (31.8), while the Raiders rank third (28.3). The teams met in Week 5 as the Raiders handed the Chiefs their first and only loss of the season, 40-32. Carr passed for 347 yards with three touchdowns and running back Josh Jacobs had two rushing touchdowns to lead the Raiders to their first win over Kansas City since 2017. Mahomes passed for 340 yards and accounted for three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) in the game.
The Raiders carry a three-game winning streak into this weekend’s important divisional matchup, after defeating the Broncos 37-12 last week. Las Vegas is two games behind Kansas City and currently in Wild Card position in the tightly-contested AFC. The Chiefs, who are coming off a bye in Week 10, have won four consecutive games since losing to the Raiders and are one game behind 9-0 Pittsburgh for the best record in the NFL.
Mahomes is once again in the MVP conversation this season, ranking in the Top Five in the league in passing yards, touchdown passes, and passer rating.
Calling Chiefs-Raiders is Al Michaels (play-by-play), in his record 35th season as the voice of the NFL’s premier primetime package; 16-time Emmy Award-winner Cris Collinsworth; and three-time Emmy Award-winning sideline reporter Michele Tafoya. Three-time Super Bowl referee Terry McAulay is the Sunday Night Football rules analyst.
NBC’s coverage of Sunday Night Football is led by executive producer Fred Gaudelli and director Drew Esocoff. SNF is the only show to win 10 Sports Emmy Awards for Outstanding Live Sports Series.
Mike Tirico will host Football Night in America at 7 p.m. ET alongside Hall of Fame head coach Tony Dungy, two-time Super Bowl champion Rodney Harrison, former NFL quarterback Chris Simms, and NFL Insider Mike Florio. Liam McHugh will co-host FNIA on-site from Gillette Stadium. Football Night is produced by Rob Hyland and directed by Mike Sheehan.
Michele Tafoya hosts the second season of NBC Sports’ “Sports Uncovered” podcast series, which debuts this Thursday, Nov. 19 with a new episode featuring Raiders head coach Jon Gruden. Podcast episodes are available for download now on all major podcast platforms, including: NBCSports.com/podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Podcasts, TuneIn and iHeart.
NBCSPORTS.COM & NBC SPORTS APP TO LIVE STREAM ALL NBC NFL GAMES
NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app will stream all NBC games to desktops, mobile, tablets, and connected TVs via “TV Everywhere,” giving consumers additional value to their subscription service, and making high-quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms. The full HD-quality video stream will come directly from NBC’s broadcasts. NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app are available on the iTunes App Store, Google Play, Windows Store, Roku Channel Store, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Samsung Smart TVs, Xbox, and Chromecast.
TELEMUNDO DEPORTES PRESENTS FULL SEASON OF SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
Telemundo Deportes will televise the entire NBC Sunday Night Football package live including all Sunday night regular-season games, the NFL Kickoff game, the annual Thanksgiving night game and three Playoff Games. Universo will televise 21 games, with Telemundo to broadcast the newly-added primetime NFL Wild Card playoff game on Sunday, January 10. Coverage of the 2020 NFL season across both Telemundo and sister network, Universo, mark the first time ever that the full SNF schedule is available in Spanish-language in the U.S.
“SUNDAY NIGHT 7” FREE-TO-PLAY GAME RETURNS WITH $100,000 JACKPOT EVERY CONTEST
Once again this season, in the build-up to each week’s Sunday Night Football matchup, fans can participate in NBC Sports’ free-to-play game, Sunday Night 7, which features a $100,000 jackpot every contest over the course of the regular season and NBC NFL playoff games. Sunday Night 7 is available for download NOW on the NBC Sports Predictor app (available in the App Store and Google Play Store) and at NBCSports.com/Predictor.
Last week, one user finished in first place with a score of 55 points and took home $1,000.
PETER KING’S NFL COLUMN “FOOTBALL MORNING IN AMERICA” DEBUTS EVERY MONDAY EXCLUSIVELY ON NBCSPORTS.COM
A new “Football Morning in America” will post every Monday morning exclusively on NBCSports.com. It was announced in May 2019 that King signed an exclusive agreement with NBC Sports Group that included writing a weekly Monday morning NFL column for NBCSports.com; making regular appearances on PFT Live with Mike Florio; and continuing to contribute to Football Night in America, the most-watched studio show in sports.
CHRIS SIMMS UNBUTTONED
NBC Sports’ Chris Simms examines everything happening in the NFL and around the sports world. Along with a rotation of NBC Sports hosts including Ahmed Fareed, Paul Burmeister and Liam McHugh, Chris Simms Unbuttoned analyses the NFL with in-depth Xs and Os breakdowns; one-on-one interviews with players, coaches and executives; and game recaps and preview.
ROTOWORLD
Rotoworld offers comprehensive fantasy football coverage throughout the 2020 NFL season across NBC Sports’ platforms. Rotoworld’s Fantasy Football Draft Guide and premium tools are available for purchase now via Rotoworld’s new subscription model, beginning at only $3.99 per month. The industry-leading source for fantasy football news and information, the 2020 Rotoworld Fantasy Football Draft Guide features more than 450 extensive player profiles, ‘Sleepers and Busts,’ player projections, positional rankings and tier groupings from Rotoworld’s NFL experts, and more. For the first time, Rotoworld’s Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet is downloadable and available for free by registering on Rotoworld.com. The Cheat Sheet, which includes top 200 PPR rankings, PPR positional rankings, dynasty rookies, and more, is also available as part of the 2020 Draft Guide.
PFT LIVE – WEEKDAYS AT 7 A.M. ET ON PEACOCK
Mike Florio and co-host Chris Simms bring fans the latest NFL news and interviews with players and coaches every weekday morning with PFT Live streaming live on Peacock at 7 a.m. ET. Peter King and NBC Football Night in America analyst Rodney Harrison also contribute regularly to PFT Live’s coverage throughout the season.
The two-hour PFT Live is known for delivering inside information and comprehensive analysis from an independent perspective. The show covers all the latest news around the league, breaks down reports and rumors and features interviews with players, coaches and executives. The show will be re-aired on NBCSN from 9-11 a.m. ET.
PODCASTS
NBC Sports’ football podcasts provide extensive weekly offerings from NBC Sports’ most popular personalities and present special guests, exclusive interviews, and robust conversations across all of football on The Peter King Podcast, Chris Simms Unbuttoned, PFT PM, and Rotoworld Football. While The Peter King Podcast features intimate discussions with the NFL’s top players, Chris Simms Unbuttoned and PFT PM dive into deep conversations around the sports’ hottest topics, and Rotoworld Football explores fantasy implications for fans. New episodes of NBC Sports podcasts are available for download each week on all major podcast platforms including: NBCSports.com/podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Podcasts, TuneIn and iHeart.
SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL SOCIAL MEDIA
NBC SPORTS REGIONAL NETWORKS
NBC Sports Regional Networks, which serve top NFL markets such as New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Chicago, and San Francisco, will surround the 2020 NFL season with in-depth news, analysis and original programming on the teams that matter most in 32 million U.S. households.
CARRIE UNDERWOOD
Seven-time Grammy Award-winner and multi-platinum recording artist Carrie Underwood stars in the show open for NBC’s Sunday Night Football.
Working within social-distancing parameters, the 2020 Sunday Night Football show open was uniquely produced without extras in a studio or stadium, while also celebrating the millions who watch the games.
For the first time, the SNF show open will feature user-generated content from fans showcasing their team spirit. In addition, cameos from some of the NFL’s biggest stars, also recorded remotely, will be highlighted.
NBC’S SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL IS PRIMETIME TELEVISION’S NO. 1 SHOW FOR RECORD NINE CONSECUTIVE YEARS: NBC’s Sunday Night Football finished the 2019-20 TV season as primetime’s #1 TV show in all key metrics for an unprecedented ninth consecutive year – adding to its record for the most consecutive years atop the charts (since 1950), based on official live plus same day data provided by Nielsen. Sunday Night Football also ranked as the No. 1 show in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic for the 10th consecutive TV season.
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*Flex Week
** Thanksgiving Night Game
FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING: Flexible scheduling will be used in Weeks 11-17. Additionally, in Weeks 5-10, flexible scheduling may be used in no more than two weeks. In Weeks 5-16, the schedule lists the games tentatively set for Sunday Night Football on NBC. Only Sunday afternoon games are eligible to be moved to Sunday night, in which case the tentatively scheduled Sunday night game would be moved to an afternoon start time. Flexible scheduling will not be applied to games airing on Thursday or Monday nights.
For Week 17, the Sunday night game will be announced no later than six days prior to January 3. The schedule does not list a Sunday night game in Week 17, but an afternoon game with playoff implications will be moved to that time slot. Flexible scheduling ensures quality matchups in all Sunday time slots in those weeks, and gives “surprise” teams a chance to play their way into primetime.
– SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL –
ESPN’s Monday Night Football Scores Audience of 11.5 Million Viewers
The post ESPN’s Monday Night Football Scores Audience of 11.5 Million Viewers appeared first on ESPN Press Room U.S..
“Last-second, I mean, this is the highest level. Hail Mary, last play of the game…I really have had a lot of moments in my life…but this one, none can compare.” – Murray to King on his game-winning Hail Mary
“For one Sunday, and one day in the desert, Hail Murray – for a few golden moments – allowed everyone to get lost in a great sporting moment. We needed it.” – King
“Wentz is giving the Eagles significant reason to question his huge contract.” – King on Carson Wentz
“The Rooneys opened their minds, opened their eyes and got one of the best coaches in recent NFL history. Open minds can lead to great decisions.” – King on the Steelers’ hiring of Mike Tomlin in 2007
STAMFORD, Conn. – Nov. 16, 2020 – Peter King speaks with Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray following his game-winning Hail Mary touchdown pass to wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins in this week’s edition of Football Morning in America, available now exclusively on NBCSports.com. King also speaks with New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones and Tampa Bay offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, hands out his weekly awards, and discusses the news and notes from around the league in Week 10.
Across NBC Sports this week, Peacock’s weekday block of NFL programming from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. ET includes PFT Live featuring Mike Florio and Chris Simms live at 7 a.m. ET, followed by The Dan Patrick Show at 9 a.m. ET, The Rich Eisen Show at Noon ET, Brother From Another, with Michael Holley and Michael Smith, at 3 p.m. ET, and PFT PM at 5 p.m. ET. On Monday, Safety Blitz, featuring Rodney Harrison and Jac Collinsworth, streams at 6 p.m. ET, and Chris Simms Unbuttoned streams at 6 p.m. ET Tuesday-Friday. ProFootballTalk.com continues to provide the latest offseason news, and the Rotoworld Football Podcast and Chris Simms Unbuttoned podcast discuss Week 10.
The following are highlights from this week’s edition of Football Morning in America:
KYLER MURRAY
King on the Cardinals’ final play against the Bills: “Eleven seconds left. No timeouts. Ball at the Buffalo 43. Bills up four…The play-call was for a 1-by-3 formation, with Hopkins the lone receiver left and Murray rolling left, trying to find Hopkins deep. The Cardinals, hoping the three receivers to the right would take some of the traffic off Hopkins.”
Kyler Murray to King on the play setup: “I mean, the play was kind of in shambles…When I got ready to take the snap, I’m trying to diagnose the defense, see if there’s any holes. Anything easy. I still figured I probably had two plays, two shots at it.”
King on the Hail Mary play call to DeAndre Hopkins: “Hail Marys count on traffic, and the benefits of crowds. Why? The more people in red jerseys in the end zone, the better chance for a fluky pop-up touchdown. One guy in the end zone? Not good. But that one guy? Good.”
Murray: “I looked downfield, I locked in on Hop. And what was weird was, he was the only player on our team in the end zone.”
Murray on his throw: “I’ve never done a Hail Mary before…I felt really good about it when it left my hand. I knew it would get to the end zone.”
Murray on Hopkins’ catch: “We were joking about it in the locker room. Like, there were all these white gloves, and everybody just saw two black gloves come out from that pile. They were above everybody else’s hands. Hop wears like 5X’s so yeah. Crazy.”
Murray: “That’s my first one [Hail Mary]…In high school we had a lot of moments. Never like this one, though. Last-second, I mean, this is the highest level. Hail Mary, last play of the game. I really have had a lot of moments in my life…but this one, none can compare.”
King on the play: “For one Sunday, and one day in the desert, Hail Murray – for a few golden moments – allowed everyone to get lost in a great sporting moment. We needed it.”
WEEK 10 NEWS & NOTES
King on the New York Giants: “By all accounts this is a better team right now with a defense playing better every week, and a quarterback finally – the franchise hopes – cutting down on the turnovers…If Sunday wasn’t an outlier and Jones can fix the giveaways, that Giants can be the best team in this bad division.”
Giants QB Daniel Jones to King: “Protecting the ball is an important part of the game, and something I need to do better. I’m continuing to focus on that and working to improve that week in and week out. There’s drills we’ve worked on and protecting the ball in the pocket.”
King on the Buccaneers: “Craziest team in the NFL: The Bucs lose to New Orleans by 35, crush Carolina by 23…within seven days.”
Tampa Bay offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich to King: “Against the Saints, we did everything wrong. I mean everything. Looking at it, watching the tape, we’re lucky the score wasn’t worse.”
King on how Leftwich approached the team following the loss to the Saints: “He said when the team came in to the training facility Monday, instead of showing the offensive players the entire game against the Saints on tape, he picked out eight or 10 plays. He said he didn’t want to bludgeon them.”
Leftwich on Tom Brady’s reaction to last week’s loss to the Saints: “The night after the game, I didn’t sleep at all. I don’t think he slept at all…He’s that type player that’s gonna easily bounce back from these things. He won’t let things linger. He’s been through everything so much that he could pull the young guys along with his leadership, guys who’ve never been part of a game like that.”
King on the Dolphins: “Remember the raised eyebrows accompanying Tua Tagovailoa replacing Ryan Fitzpatrick? Fins are 3-0 with Tua playing, and he hasn’t thrown an interception, and his passer rating is 10 points higher than Fitzpatrick’s.”
King on the AFC East: “Miami’s 6-3, a half-game behind Buffalo (7-3), and the Dolphins play at Denver, at the Jets and Cincinnati at home in the next three weeks. Sunday’s loss could really hurt Buffalo’s division title chances.”
King on the Panthers: “The Panthers are way too good to be on a five-game losing streak.”
King on Eagles QB Carson Wentz: “His line’s not helping, but Wentz is giving the Eagles significant reason to question his huge contract.”
MIKE TOMLIN & THE HIRING PROCESS
King on the NFL’s head coach hiring practices: “It’s significant only if teams survey the full field, and not just the regular candidates. It was impossible for the Steelers to know in 2007 what a good job (Mike) Tomlin would be doing well into his second decade as coach. But the Rooneys opened their minds, opened their eyes and got one of the best coaches in recent NFL history. Open minds can lead to great decisions.”
King: “Ten lessons Mike Tomlin can teach the NFL about fixing the head-coach hiring process, which includes increasing the inclusiveness for people of color:”
King: “Survey the entire field, not just the candidates you know…When 34-year-old Tomlin walked into the Steelers offices in Pittsburgh in January 2007, he shook hands with club czars Dan Rooney and Art Rooney II for the first time. They’d never met.”
King: “Don’t care about winning the press conference…The Rooneys didn’t care in 1969 when they were openly questioned for hiring (Chuck) Noll, a little-known assistant for the Colts. They didn’t care when locals thought Grimm should have been the call in 2007, and the choice of Tomlin would unintentionally shake up the coaching staff.”
Art Rooney to King on hiring Tomlin: “We hired Mike because he was the best candidate for the job, and really, nothing else mattered.”
King: “Hire a coach who is a leader of people, and a good teacher…Tomlin wasn’t hired because he worked under (Tony) Dungy for one season, or because in his lone season as a coordinator he bossed the 14th-best scoring defense in the NFL. It was his presence, his knowledge of the game, and his ability to coach and deal with the modern player.”
KING’S WEEK 10 AWARDS
Offensive Players of the Week: DeAndre Hopkins, Arizona, Nick Chubb, Cleveland, & Ronald Jones, Tampa Bay.
King on Hopkins: “Catch of the year. Hail Mary of the Year. That catch, those hands, in that moment. Now you know why the Cardinals leaped at the chance to trade for the undervalued receiver.”
Defensive Player of the Week: Darius Williams, Los Angeles Rams.
King: “Williams was the most valuable defensive player for the Rams, in the game that propelled them into a tie for the tip of the NFC West.”
Special Teams Players of the Week: Tyler Bass, Buffalo, Keelan Cole, Jacksonville, Andrew Van Ginkel, Miami, Justin Watson, Tampa Bay, & E.J. Speed, Indianapolis.
King on Bass: “I think it’s pretty safe to say Bass had the best quarter by a kicker in NFL history in the second quarter at Arizona. He kicked 54, 55 and 58-yard field goals in the second period, sending the Bills into halftime with a 16-9 lead.”
Coaches of the Week: Josh McDaniels, New England, & Frank Reich, Indianapolis.
King on McDaniels: “New England is a surprising 4-5, and McDaniels is doing one of his best coaching jobs by figuring out odd things his players can do that foes have not seen. That’s good coaching.”
Read the full FMIA column here and catch the weekly Peter King Podcast here.
The following are additional highlights of NBC Sports’ NFL coverage:
A new “Football Morning in America” posts every Monday morning exclusively on NBCSports.com through the NFL season. It was announced in May 2019 that King signed an exclusive agreement with NBC Sports Group that included writing a weekly Monday morning NFL column for NBCSports.com; making regular appearances on PFT Live with Mike Florio; and continuing to contribute to Football Night in America, the most-watched studio show in sports.
—NBC SPORTS—
“Not Hail Mary, Hail Murray!” – Mike Tirico on Kyler Murray’s game-winning TD pass to DeAndre Hopkins
“There’s a newsflash. Tom Brady is not dead.” – Tony Dungy
“I don’t think there’s anything that opponents playing the Patriots are fearful of.” – Chris Simms
STAMFORD, Conn. – Nov. 15, 2020 – NBC Sports’ presentation of Week 10 of the 2020 NFL season began tonight from Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., with Football Night in America leading into coverage of Ravens-Patriots on Sunday Night Football on NBC.
Mike Tirico hosted FNIA from NBC Sports Group’s Studio 1 in Stamford, Conn., and was joined by Pro Football Hall of Fame head coach Tony Dungy and former NFL quarterback Chris Simms. NFL Insider Mike Florio joined Football Night remotely from his home studio. Liam McHugh co-hosted the show on-site from Gillette Stadium and was joined by Sunday Night Football analyst Cris Collinsworth. Two-time Super Bowl champion Rodney Harrison was not feeling well and did not appear on the show.
In addition, McHugh interviewed Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, and Michael Holley and Michael Smith from Peacock’s Brother From Another commented on Ravens QB Lamar Jackson.
Al Michaels (play-by-play), Collinsworth (analyst), Michele Tafoya (sideline reporter) and Terry McAulay (rules analyst) are calling tonight’s Ravens-Patriots game.
***
Following are highlights from tonight’s edition of Football Night in America on NBC:
ON THE IMPACT OF THE LEAGUE’S YOUNG QUARTERBACKS
Dungy: “I have to credit the NFL coaches for saying, you know what, I’m going to look at these college young men and bring them in and do what they do best…It’s exciting for us and you know who else it’s exciting for, young kids.”
Simms: “It’s been the most popular sport in our country by far for so long, all the best athletes want to play quarterback…These young kids right now, reps, reps, reps, reps. Flag football, seven-on-seven…They’re more ready when it comes time to play in the NFL.”
Dungy: “It used to be, ‘you’ve got to learn the defenses and you’ve got to read.’ Now, defensive coordinators are scared. ‘I can’t play all these coverages, I’ve got to spy the quarterback, I’ve got to play man-to-man.’”
Tirico: “And they take advantage of it because they know how to run…Russell Wilson has shown these guys how you can run and stay healthy, get out of bounds, get down. They’re using the rules to keep themselves on the field.”
ON PATRIOTS
Collinsworth: “They’re changing philosophies here a little bit. They’re having Cam Newton be a lot more conservative. No turnovers from him last week for the first time all season.”
Tirico: “This is a week where if the Patriots were the Patriots that we’ve come to know for the last decade-plus, you’d expect to see a blueprint for how to stop Lamar Jackson, and something that the rest of the league would be watching real closely for the rest of the season. Do the Patriots have that mystique about them that they can give you a way to stop these elite offenses?”
Dungy: “The mystique is gone. We used to go into Foxboro and say, ‘we’ve got to do something special, we’ve got to step up our game.’ The Ravens know they just have to go in there and play. But here is one thing I would be worried about – when you play the Patriots, you can throw out the last four or five games. You don’t know what you’re going to see. What is Bill Belichick going to dial up, trying to stop this Ravens offense?”
Simms: “I don’t think there’s anything that opponents playing the Patriots are fearful of…what Coach brings up there with the roster and, ‘we don’t know what the (Patriots defense) is going to do to us this week’…That flexibility is gone. We mentioned all of the players they’ve lost on their roster. It’s not the same team…they’re a little stuck right now and they’re not able to do that…they don’t have big people in New England, and they’re going to be physically overmatched by one of the biggest offensive lines in football, let alone keeping track of No. 8 running around everywhere.”
ON RAVENS
Collinsworth on the Ravens’ rushing attack: “It’s exciting. It all starts with power football…what do you do with this thing? Does Gus Edwards have it? Does Lamar Jackson have it? What does the unblocked defensive guy do? The unblocked (defensive player) is always the key guy, and he can never be right. If Lamar Jackson is on his game, whatever that guy does is wrong. These defensive players have to have their head on a swivel and they’re not sure where the ball is going. If you’re hesitating as a linebacker trying to figure out where the ball is, and Lamar Jackson gets on the edge, you’re never catching that guy.”
Collinsworth on Lamar Jackson’s comments of opposing defenses calling out plays: “Guys like Tony Dungy were calling out plays back when we played. You call them out, you take a shot, and once in a while you get one right…maybe Tony got a few more right.”
Dungy: “We did call out plays, but you’re just guessing for the most part – and you’re definitely guessing on this Baltimore offense because even if you know the play, you don’t know where it’s going.”
ON STEELERS
Simms: “Joe Burrow was harassed all day. This defense got back to its basics. They really took away the short passing game and pressured Burrow. We didn’t see that last week.”
Simms on Chase Claypool: “He is a matchup nightmare.”
ON RAMS
Dungy: “The Rams’ focus knowing the Seattle running backs were out was to bring pressure and get the ball out of Russell Wilson’s hands.”
Tirico: “I think the Rams got back in the mix significantly with today’s performance.”
Simms: “Agreed. The Rams have a little of everything. They play good defense, they can run the ball, and of course we know they are going to throw the ball with the bootlegs…the other teams have other flaws to me. Arizona is all Kyler Murray and of course Seattle is all Russell Wilson.”
ON 49ERS
Dungy: “Special teams haunted the 49ers.”
ON BUCCANEERS
Dungy: “There’s a newsflash. Tom Brady is not dead. Last week, only three points. What happened? They got back to Ronald Jones and the running game, 46 points and 544 yards. The Bucs are back.”
Simms on Bucs’ return to run game: “Today was two tight ends and ‘we’re going to run the ball and beat you at the line of scrimmage’…and it opens up the play action pass and the ability to max protect for Brady and throw the ball down the field. They’re at their best under center and imposing their physical will on people.”
ON BROWNS
Simms on RB Nick Chubb: “He is special. The best thing the Browns do is run the ball with that offensive line and Nick Chubb is awesome between the tackles.”
Florio: “I spoke to Nick Chubb after the game…on that 59-yard run at the end of the game, he told me in the huddle before the play, Baker Mayfield told him if you get the first down, don’t score, let’s just end the game and go home. He told me how hard it was as the end zone was approaching to not score the points.”
ON TEXANS
Simms: “They were handicapped by the weather more than Cleveland because they have to rely on (DeShaun) Watson’s arm and his receivers to throw the football. They never could get it going consistently today.”
ON PACKERS
Tirico: “That’s one of those games where you’ve got to get it, and they did – but they didn’t look great doing it.”
Simms: “I especially worry about the interior part of their defense. They can rush the passer, but we’ve seen when teams can run the football and have a good offensive line and running attack, man do they struggle slowing that down. Jacksonville ran the ball on them just about every series.”
CARDINALS
Tirico on the game-winning play: “Not Hail Mary, Hail Murray!”
Dungy on DeAndre Hopkins: “The strongest hands in football in terms of catching the ball.”
ON BILLS
Dungy on game-ending Hail Mary defense: “What I don’t like here is that no one is jamming these receivers. They are getting free access off the ball to get down to the end zone.”
Simms: “I don’t understand that approach either. What I also don’t understand is their aggression (to cover) underneath receivers. There’s no timeouts. Let them throw the ball 15 yards down the field.”
ON GIANTS
Simms on QB Daniel Jones: “He played really well. He became a meme the last time he ran the ball against the Philadelphia Eagles. Not today. He got the last laugh.”
ON EAGLES
Dungy: “You’ve got a chance to really stretch your lead in the NFC East and put the Giants away and the defense really didn’t come through.”
Simms: “I don’t know what to think of the Eagles. I keep waiting for them to take hold of this division, but between (Carson) Wentz being inconsistent, the run game being hit or miss, and the defense has been inconsistent all year…I still think they’re the leader in the clubhouse in the NFC East, but it’s not a very pretty clubhouse.”
ON BRONCOS
Simms on QB Drew Lock’s red zone INT: “This is the biggest issue with Drew Lock’s game right now. You’re there in field goal position before the half. Don’t be so aggressive. He really needs to dial it back in that category.”
–FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA