Over to Fox which not only has a doubleheader this weekend, but also the annual game in London, England pitting the Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Bucs at the venerable Wembley Stadium. The late games at 4:15 p.m. ET are nothing to write home about based on records. Green Bay at Minnesota at St. Louis at Dallas look like mismatches on paper, but as the saying goes, “On any given Sunday…”
Here’s Fox’s preview for Week 7.
FOX SPORTS NOTES, QUOTES & ANECDOTES
NFL on FOX Broadcasts From Wembley Stadium in London This Sunday
Albert: Schwartz & Harbaugh Were Respectful During Pregame Production MeetingANOTHER TRIP TO ENGLAND AND THE NFL’S LONE UNBEATEN HEADLINE NFL ON FOX DOUBLEHEADER – Week 7 of the 2011 NFL on FOX season kicks off on Sunday, Oct. 23 (1:00 PM ET) as FOX Sports presents doubleheader coverage of six games—each presented in true HD. FOX Sports takes a trip across the pond as the NFL stages another regular season game in London as Jay Cutler and the Bears face-off with Josh Freeman and the Bucs. Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston and Tony Siragusa call all the action from Wembley Stadium. Coming off their first loss of the season, Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson and the Lions look to rebound as they welcome Matt Ryan and the Falcons to Detroit. In Charlotte, Cam Newton and the Panthers look to notch their second win at home as they host the Redskins. Also, the Seahawks travel to Cleveland to take on Colt McCoy and the Browns. The second half of FOX Sports’ doubleheader kicks off with the last remaining undefeated team in the NFL when Aaron Rodgers and the high-powered Packers take on their divisional rival Minnesota Vikings who give rookie Christian Ponder his first career start at QB. Thom Brennaman, Troy Aikman & Pam Oliver call all the action from Mall of America Field in Minneapolis, MN. Also in the late window, Tony Romo and the Cowboys host Sam Bradford and the Rams.
Coverage begins at 12:00 PM ET with America’s most-watched Sunday afternoon pregame show, FOX NFL SUNDAY. Terry Bradshaw and Curt Menefee co-host the Emmy Award-winning program and are joined by analysts Howie Long, Michael Strahan and Jimmy Johnson. NFL Insider Jay Glazer presents the latest league news and scoops from the FOX NFL SUNDAY studio while comedic prognosticator Frank Caliendo contributes his weekly “Frank’s Picks” segment. FOX Sports rules analyst Mike Pereira is also on hand to go over any impactful officiating issues. This week’s edition of “The Journey,” which opens the show, is narrated by pop star and actor Justin Timberlake. Future Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez is interviewed by his 10-year-old son Nikko.
For instant updates during the week and games from the entire NFL on FOX crew, follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/NFLONFOX. Follow the NFL on FOX on-air personalities @Jay_Glazer, @JimmyJohnson, @CurtMenefee, @MikePereira, @MichaelStrahan, @TroyAikman, @KennyAlbert, @CoachBillick, @TimBrewster, @CFD22 (Charles Davis), @DarylJohnston, @The_ChrisMyers, @LauraOkmin, @ChadPennington, @TimRyan99 & @TonySiragusa on Twitter as they provide insight and analysis all weekend. Fans can gain more access to exclusive FOX Sports content by logging on to www.facebook.com/foxsports.
KENNY ALBERT: HARBAUGH/SCHWARTZ COMPLIMENTARY OF EACH OTHER BEFORE ALTERCATION –Prior to last week’s postgame dust-up between Lions head coach Jim Schwartz and 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh separately had very complimentary things to say about one another to NFL on FOX play-by-play broadcaster Kenny Albert during the broadcast team’s production meeting leading up to coverage of the game. “I asked each of them about the other since they were together in 1998 with the Ravens (Schwartz as a 32-year-old defensive assistant, Harbaugh, started 12 games at QB) and they had mutual respect of one another,” said Albert. “Schwartz said that he had ‘no doubt’ Harbaugh would go into coaching. Schwartz continued, ‘he was always picking somebody’s brain. He spent a lot of time with the coaches during practices and asked a lot of questions.’” Meanwhile, Harbaugh was complimentary of coach Schwartz to Albert saying, ‘he was a go-getter for (defensive coordinator) Marvin Lewis. A very hard worker.’”
Atlanta Falcons at Detroit Lions, Sam Rosen, Brian Billick & Laura Okmin, going to 40% of USA, 1:00PM
Ford Field – Detroit, MI
MARKETS INCLUDE: Atlanta, Birmingham, Boston, Buffalo, Denver, Detroit, Hartford, Kansas City, Knoxville, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Louisville, Memphis, Minneapolis, Mobile, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Providence, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, Tulsa
Washington Redskins at Carolina Panthers, Chris Myers, Tim Ryan & Jaime Maggio, going to 19% of USA, 1:00PM
Bank of America Stadium – Charlotte, NC
MARKETS INCLUDE: Baltimore, Charlotte, Dallas, Greensboro, Greenville, Houston, Norfolk, Oklahoma City, Raleigh, Richmond, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, Washington
Chicago Bears vs. Tampa Bay Bucs, Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston & Tony Siragusa, going to 17% of USA, 1:00PM
Wembley Stadium – London, UK
MARKETS INCLUDE: Albuquerque, Chicago, Fort Myers, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Milwaukee, Orlando, Phoenix, St. Louis, Tampa, West Palm Beach
Seattle Seahawks at Cleveland Browns, Ron Pitts, Jim Mora & Drea Avent, going to 11% of USA, 1:00PM
Cleveland Browns Stadium – Cleveland, OH
MARKETS INCLUDE: Austin, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Portland, SeattleGreen Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings, Thom Brennaman, Troy Aikman & Pam Oliver, going to 83% of USA, 4:15PM
Mall of America Field – Minneapolis, MN
MARKETS INCLUDE: Atlanta, Baltimore, Birmingham, Boston, Buffalo, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Denver, Detroit, Fort Myers, Greensboro, Greenville, Hartford, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Louisville, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Mobile, Nashville, New Orleans, New York, Norfolk, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Portland, Providence, Raleigh, Richmond, Sacramento, San Diego, Seattle, Tampa, Washington, West Palm BeachSt. Louis Rams at Dallas Cowboys, Dick Stockton, John Lynch & Jennifer Hale, going to 15% of USA, 4:15PM
Cowboys Stadium – Arlington, TX
MARKETS INCLUDE: Albuquerque, Austin, Dallas, Houston, Knoxville, Memphis, Oklahoma City, San Antonio, St. Louis, Tulsa
CBS’ stuff for Week 7 is next.
