Time to do our NFL previews for Week 16. Here’s ESPN’s content previews for its shows.
ESPN NFL Content Highlights – Week 16
Chris Berman and Tom Jackson to Host Special NFL Primetime on Christmas Eve
Chris Berman and Tom Jackson, the duo who hosted the critically-acclaimed NFL PrimeTime — annually cable television’s highest-rated studio show — every fall Sunday night from 1987-2005, will team up again for a special Christmas Eve presentation of the one-hour highlights and analysis program Saturday, Dec. 24, at 8 p.m., live on ESPN2 (re-aired with updates on ESPN on Sunday, Dec. 25, at 1 a.m.). On Monday, Dec. 26, at 3 p.m., Trey Wingo, Tim Hasselbeck and Merril Hoge, return to host the program on ESPN (re-aired with updates Tuesday, Dec. 27, at 1 a.m.) Archive photos of Berman and Jackson on NFL PrimeTime.
Sunday NFL Countdown: Giants-Jets in Battle of the Backpage; The Sack Artists; Charles Tillman’s Daughter; and More
ESPN Sunday NFL Countdown with Chris Berman and analysts Cris Carter, Mike Ditka, Tom Jackson, Keyshawn Johnson (on the main set), and Suzy Kolber, Bill Parcells and Merril Hoge (on the second set), will preview NFL’s week 16 games Saturday, Dec. 24, at 10 a.m. NFL Insider Adam Schefter and senior analyst Chris Mortensen will provide headlines and up-to-the-minute league news.
In addition, reporting from key games will be: Mark Schwarz – Broncos at Bills; Pedro Gomez – Chargers at Lions; Sal Paolantonio – Giants at Jets; and Ed Werder – Eagles at Cowboys. On Sunday, Rachel Nichols will be in Green Bay, Wisc., reporting from the Bears at Packers game. Highlights:
- Battle for the Backpage: From “Broadway Schmoo” to “Deja-Blue,” the New York tabloids are notorious for sensational headlines. ESPN.com senior writer Greg Garber reports Saturday’s Giants at Jets game will set a new bar for unvarnished headline writing in New York as the NFL’s “Battle of the Backpage.”
- Sack Artists: The Eagles’ Jason Babin (18 sacks) and the Cowboys’ DeMarcus Ware (16.5) are two of the league’s top sack artists. In their own words, the two defenders discuss the differences in rushing the passer from a three-point stance (Babin) vs. rushing the passer from a stand-up position (Ware).
- DJ Steve Porter Spins Sounds of the Year: DJ Steve Porter puts a spin with a unique Christmas beat on a special “NFL Sounds of the Year.”
- Soundtracks – Bill Belichick and Tom Brady: Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady were wired for sound during their recent game against the Indianapolis Colts. In this week’s “Soundtracks,” Countdown presents in-game audio between the coach and his quarterback.
- Charles Tillman’s Daughter: Rachel Nichols reports the story of how Chicago Bears cornerback Charles Tillman and his wife Jackie dealt with the health of their daughter Tiana, who, in 2008, received a heart transplant as a three-month-old suffering from cardiomyopathy – an enlarged heart.
- “Mayne Event” – The Afternoon Before Christmas: In this week’s “Mayne Event,” Kenny Mayne attempts to sort out which teams in the wild and unpredictable AFC West should anticipate a stocking stuffer that includes a playoff berth.
MNF Season Finale: Clash of NFC South Rivals – Brees and Saints Host Ryan and Falcons
Drew Brees and the NFC South-leading New Orleans Saints (11-3) host Matt Ryan and division rivals Atlanta Falcons (9-5) in the Monday Night Footballseason finale December 26, at 8:30 p.m. ET. Brees needs 305 passing yards to surpass Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino’s single-season record of 5,084 yards, which has stood for 27 years.
The Saints are vying for the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs seeding, while the Falcons hope to secure a playoff berth of their own. The teams met last year in ESPN’s 2010 MNF season finale with the Saints winning 17-14. The game was the most-viewed MNF game last season — and the third-most-viewed MNF game all-time on ESPN – with 19.1 million viewers.
This week’s MNF opening video will feature legendary 89-year-old actress Betty White, star of the TV Land sitcom Hot in Cleveland and the upcoming NBC show Off Their Rockers.
Play-by-play voice Mike Tirico will call the game with analysts Jon Gruden and Ron Jaworski, and sideline reporter Suzy Kolber. Preceding the matchup, Chris Berman hosts Monday NFL Countdown in studio at 7 p.m. He’ll be joined by analysts Cris Carter, Trent Dilfer, Mike Ditka, Tom Jackson, Keyshawn Johnson, and NFL Insiders Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter. Steve Young will also join the discussion from the Superdome in New Orleans.
Additionally, MNF will air live on ESPN Deportes.
ESPN to Make Pan Am Plaza in Indianapolis Home during Super Bowl XLVI
ESPN has chosen Pan American Plaza (201 South Capitol Avenue, Indianapolis, Ind.) in downtown Indianapolis as its production headquarters for Super Bowl XLVI. In all, more than 110 hours of ESPN television coverage, as well as ESPN Radio shows, and other related content across the company’s multimedia platforms will originate from the host city under the banner “ESPN Indianapolis” from Monday, January, 30 – Sunday, Feb. 5, 2012. The location is just steps from the Super Bowl Village on Georgia Street and adjacent to the NFL Experience in the Indiana Convention Center. ESPN will have a set, a demo field and two pod camera locations in the plaza that offer views of the downtown skyline, Union Station and Lucas Oil Stadium. A “flycam” suspended 30 feet in the air and traversing some 300 feet will also provide aerial views during ESPN programs. Full release.
Guest NFL Analyst: Six-time All-Pro and Super Bowl Champion Darren Sharper
Six-time All-Pro and Super Bowl champion safety Darren Sharper will visit ESPN on Tuesday, Dec. 27, to serve as a guest NFL analyst for the day. The 14-year NFL veteran (1997-2010) who played for the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints, will appear on SportsCenter (ESPN, 12 p.m.) and NFL Live (ESPN, 4 p.m.).
NFL Films Presents Heaven Can Wait
Heaven Can Wait, an NFL Films production about former Rams’ quarterback Vince Ferragamo and longtime Jets special teams coach Mike Westhoff, will air Tuesday, Dec. 27, at 1:30 a.m. on ESPN2. The program will re-air Wednesday, Dec. 28, at 1:30 a.m. on ESPN2.
ESPN.com Hot Read: Booing Santa
Forty-three years ago at the Philadelphia Eagles’ home Franklin Field, Frank Olivo, a 20-year-old wearing a Santa costume, cemented his place in Philadelphia sports history when he was booed and pelted with snowballs by fans at the game. Olivo, who has been known since as “the Booed Santa,” is a man who, much like his taunters, is simply a long-suffering Eagles fan. In this week’s ESPN.com Hot Read “Booing Santa,” which posts Thursday, Dec. 22, senior writer Elizabeth Merrill talks to former Eagle Vince Papale — who was a young fan at Franklin Field that day in 1968 — on the reputation the incident gave to the city and the frustrations that still simmer.
CBS’ preview is next.
