ESPN begins its Conference Championship Sunday coverage with Sunday NFL Countdown at a special time, noon ET. Chris Berman and the gang will be live in Bristol to discuss the AFC and NFC Conference Championships.
They’ll discuss a lot of Tom Brady-Peyton Manning leading up to the AFC Championship including a feature on their Saturday Night Live appearances? C’mon, man!
Anyway, here’s what ESPN has planned for tomorrow.
ESPN NFL Programming Update – Conference Championship Weekend
Chris Berman Conversations with 49ers Offensive Line and Seahawks Russell Wilson to be Featured on Sunday NFL Countdown
Chris Berman traveled to the West Coast this week for interviews with the 49ers offensive line in San Francisco and Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson in Seattle. Both conversations will be featured on ESPN’s three-hour Sunday NFL Countdown (Sunday, Jan. 19, 12 p.m. ET), which will preview the NFC and AFC Conference Championship games.
ESPN’s overall coverage of Conference Championship weekend has reporters assigned to cover each of the four remaining teams in the NFL Playoffs for SportsCenter, Sunday Night Countdown and other news and information programs:
- Wendi Nix (Patriots) and Sal Paolantonio (Broncos)
- Josina Anderson (49ers) and Ed Werder (Seahawks)
ESPN’s Sunday NFL-Themed Programming:
Date Time (ET) Show Networks Sun, Jan 19 6:30 a.m. NFL Matchup
Sal Paolantonio, Merril Hoge and Ron JaworskiESPN
(ESPN2, 7:30 a.m.)8 a.m. Outside the Lines
Bob LeyESPN2
(ESPNEWS, 9 a.m.)12 p.m. Sunday NFL Countdown
Chris Berman, Cris Carter, Mike Ditka, Tom Jackson, Jaworski, Keyshawn Johnson, Mortensen and Adam SchefterESPN 11 p.m. NFL PrimeTime
Berman, Trent Dilfer and Tom JacksonESPN
Sunday NFL Countdown Features:
- Conversations with Chris Berman: Berman interviews the 49ers offensive line in San Francisco and quarterback Russell Wilson in Seattle in advance of the NFC Championship clash between division rivals.
- Brady-Manning, The Beginning: Vignettes with memories from parents and close family members of young Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, as well as insights on how they each fell in love with football.
- Best of SNL: Best moments from Brady and Manning’s appearances as Saturday Night Live hosts.
- Brady-Manning’s Center: Dan Koppen (currently on injured reserve) was Brady’s center for nine seasons and Manning’s last year. He discusses the quarterbacks’ similarities and differences.
- Pick 6s: Ty Law, the only player in NFL history to get a ‘pick 6’ against both Brady and Manning, relives each of his interceptions against the quarterbacks and tells the story of how they both cornered him afterwards and inquired how he was able to read their plays.
- Raising The Flag: The ritual of raising the “12th Man” flag at CenturyLink Field by a Seattle celebrity or former Seahawks player has become a pregame tradition for the franchise and its fans – a tribute to one of the most passionate and loudest fan bases in the NFL. Chris Connelly reports on the origin and purpose of the tradition, and how the act is replicated by Seahawks fans around the world, including soldiers in Afghanistan.
- Omaha! Omaha!: Manning’s pre-snap audible calls – “Omaha! Omaha!” – last Sunday made Nebraska’s largest city a trending topic on Twitter during the game. The city’s tourism board entered the fray with a tweet thanking the Denver quarterback. Countdown essayist Rick Reilly visits Omaha to explore how Manning and the Broncos are helping to boost the city’s profile.
- Blue-Collar Rob Ninkovich: ESPN.com’s Greg Garber reports on where Patriots defensive captain Rob Ninkovich acquired the blue-collar style that reminds many of past Patriot linebackers.
- “We’re Going to the Super Bowl”: One of the most exciting moments in a football player’s career is when he finally realizes he is going to the Super Bowl. From the Cowboys in the 1990s, through Bill Belichick and Tom Brady’s Patriots, to Ray Lewis and the Ravens last year, DJ Porter spins the emotional audio and celebrations from the last 20 championship game winners.
Outside the Lines:
Bob Ley hosts as OTL looks back at Peyton Manning’s ups and downs leading to one of the biggest moments of his NFL career: Sunday’s match-up against rival Tom Brady and the Patriots.
NFL Matchup:
- Coaches Clicker: Merril Hoge shows how the Patriots successfully executed their run game against the Colts by using speed-back Stevan Ridley or power-back LeGarrette Blount on different plays.
- Between the Lines: Ron Jaworski, using the telestrator, projects how the effective Patriots run game will eventually open up the unreliable Denver Broncos secondary on hard-run action passes.
- Hoge Breakdown: After reviewing game film from their week 12 meeting, Hoge breaks down a play where the New England defense dropped eight into coverage and rushed on three defenders, forcing Peyton Manning to check into a run play.
- The Film Room: Jaworski shows how the Patriots defense had success with “two-man” coverage in their regular season game.
- Factor Back: Hoge explains how Seattle running back Marshawn Lynch has been successful running the ball in formations with three wide receivers on the field.
- The Money Down: Jaworski shows how the 49ers defense has been spectacular on third downs, particularly their front seven, using different stunts and linebackers with outstanding speed to the football.
- X and O Files: Hoge breaks down how the Seahawks defense line play has been excellent in their two regular season meetings versus the 49ers run game and shows what they do to win the battle at the line of scrimmage.
- Jaws Playbook: Jaworski goes to the playbook and identifies how the 49ers receiving core would exploit the Seahawks defensive unit, especially when cornerback Byron Maxwell is playing press man coverage.
- Inside the Matchup: Jaworski shows the Seahawks defense in a three-deep shell and explains how the formation will be successful against 49ers leading receiver Anquan Boldin.
Next, we’ll look at CBS’ coverage of the AFC Championship Game.
