ESPN’s Weekend and Monday NFL Studio Features
ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown Presented by IBM will preview the weekend’s NFL matchups with two shows Saturday at 11:30 a.m. ET and Sunday at 11 a.m. featuring host Chris Berman and analysts Cris Carter, Mike Ditka, Tom Jackson and Keyshawn Johnson. ESPN senior analyst Chris Mortensen and NFL insider Adam Schefter will provide headlines and league news.
Saturday’s 30-minute program will include reports from Ed Werder (Cowboys) and Michael Smith (Saints) covering the Dallas Cowboys at undefeated New Orleans Saints. Sunday’s normal two-hour show will include reports from Sal Paolantonio at the Patriots – Bills game, Rachel Nichols covering the Atlanta Falcons at New York Jets, and Bob Holtzman in San Diego, for the Bengals at Chargers.
Saturday’s highlights:
The flavor of New Orleans: How much is the city of New Orleans caught up in the Saints’ undefeated season? ESPN reporter and New Orleans native Michael Smith visits his hometown to take the temperature of fans in “Who Dat” nation.
Additionally, the analysts will offer insights on the Saints’ pursuit of perfection and the Cowboys’ recurring slide in the month of December for the past three seasons.
Sunday’s highlights:
Ray Lewis: Bonded to Baltimore: In a city grappling with a high crime rate, drugs and homelessness, Ravens linebacker and leader Ray Lewis wants to bring some measure of hope to Baltimore. During the season, Lewis conducts weekly workout boot camps for different groups in the community including the Baltimore Police Department and residents of a local homeless shelter, reports Rachel Nichols.
Wes Welker: Little Big Man: For the third straight season, 5 ft., 9 in; 185-pound Wes Welker has 100 catches. Berman visits with the Patriots wide receiver to find out why he dominates the middle of the field in spite of his size and why he is so effective gaining yards after the catch.
DeSean Jackson Unmasked: The pre-eminent “big-play guy” in the NFL today is Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson. He tied an NFL record – eight touchdowns of 50 yards, or more – last week. To find out what makes the wideout so elusive, Countdown unmasks Jackson.
Mayne Event – Ballboy vs. Waterboy: The Bears and Ravens aren’t the only big matchup in Baltimore Sunday. Kenny Mayne, in this week’s Mayne Event, breaks down a rivalry-in-the-making between a speedy ballboy and a washed-up waterboy on opposing sides of the field.
Chargers Tall Wide Receivers: The Chargers field a receiving corps reminiscent of a starting basketball lineup – 6-5 Vincent Jackson, 6-5 Malcolm Floyd, 6-4 Antonio Gates, 6-2 Legedu Naanee. Former NFL receivers and Countdown analysts Keyshawn Johnson and Cris Carter, who are 6-4 and 6-3 respectively, use the demo field to show how height plays a significant part in San Diego’s passing game.
Film Room: Protecting Aaron Rodgers: After getting sacked 37 times in the first half of this season, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has gotten used to standing upright more during the team’s five-game winning streak. Tom Jackson goes into the film room to breakdown what adjustments the Packers made to protect Rodgers better and whether it can continue against the Steelers Sunday.
Start 'Em or Sit 'Em with Matthew Berry and Merril Hoge: ESPN’s fantasy football guru Matthew Berry and NFL analyst Merril Hoge debate which players to start or sit this weekend.
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 15 action. The list of game picks will be posted on www.espn.com/sundaycountdown after the show.
MONDAY NIGHT COUNTDOWN, 7 P.M. ON ESPN
Monday Night Countdown Served by Applebee’s with Berman, Carter, Ditka, Jackson, Johnson, Mortensen and Schefter (in Bristol) and Stuart Scott, Matt Millen and Steve Young (at the MNF game in Washington, DC) will review Sunday’s games and preview Monday Night Football. The 90-minute, pre-game show will lead into the kickoff of the New York Giants at Washington Redskins (8:30 p.m.) game, featuring Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden and Ron Jaworski
Reporters Michele Tafoya (Giants) and Suzy Kolber (Redskins) will cover the teams. Other highlights:
Best of Giants’ Soundtracks: After opening the season with five straight wins, the Giants have only won two games in their last eight. This week’s Soundtracks will feature the best of the Giants in-game audio of the season.
WEEKLY MONDAY NIGHT COUNTDOWN SEGMENTS
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.
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.
C'MON MAN – Countdown personalities share their head-scratching plays from Week 15.
In addition, Monday Night Football's Tirico, Jaworski and Gruden will preview the night’s match-up, with Mortensen and Schefter covering breaking news from around the league, and the Countdown analysts offering their “Lead Pipe Lock” predictions for the game.
NFL MATCHUP, SUNDAY 3 A.M. AND 7:30 A.M. ON ESPN
NFL Matchup with host Sal Paolantonio and analysts Merril Hoge and Ron Jaworski 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, New Jersey – highlights team strategy and game planning. This week’s features:
Bengals @ Chargers: Bengals Passing Game – Jaworski shows how Cincinnati must create big plays in the passing game this Sunday against San Diego to be successful.
Bengals @ Chargers: Attacking the Bengals Defense – Hoge reveals how the Bengals’ linebackers could have problems covering San Diego’s running backs.
Vikings @ Panthers – Hoge displays how E.J. Henderson’s replacement with the Vikings, linebacker Jasper Brinkley, showed signs of inexperience that the Panthers can exploit in the run game.
Dolphins @ Titans – Matchup goes ‘Beyond The Film Room’ provide an inside look at Tennessee running back Chris Johnson during one of his routine three-touchdown performances.
Giants @ Redskins – Jaworski exposes the Giants’ problem on the defensive side of the ball, individual breakdowns within well conceived coverage schemes, and how it has plagued the Giants all season.
Packers @ Steelers – Hoge reveals how the defensive concepts of Green Bay’s defensive coordinator, Dom Capers, could cause problems for Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers offense Sunday.
49ers @ Eagles – Jaworski clarifies how the Eagles’ strength and identity on the offense is to attack downfield with wide receiver DeSean Jackson.
Falcons @ Jets – Hoge pulls out his ‘Coaches Clicker’ and shows how the Jets’ ability to run the ball in short yardage situations will serve them well in their quest for a playoff spot.
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Related Items:
- ESPN’s Weekend and Monday NFL Studio Features
- ESPN’s Weekend and Monday NFL Studio Features
- ESPN’s Weekend and Monday NFL Studio Features
- ESPN’s Weekend and Monday NFL Studio Features
- ESPN’s Weekend and Monday NFL Studio Features
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