ESPN’s NFL Previews For Week 12

As we move to the home stretch of the NFL season, we move to ESPN’s previews for their programming on Sunday and Monday for Week 12.

ESPN NFL Content Highlights – Week 12

Sunday NFL Countdown: Winning the “Tebow” Way; Knowing Patriots “The Gronk;” Arian Foster; Mayne Event on “Reinventing the Raider Nation;” and Brad Meester’s Inspiration

Chris Berman and analysts Cris Carter, Mike Ditka, Tom Jackson, Keyshawn Johnson (on the main set) and Suzy Kolber, Trent Dilfer and Merril Hoge (on the second set), will preview week NFL’s 12 games on Sunday NFL Countdown on November 27, at 10 a.m. NFL Insider Adam Schefter and senior analyst Chris Mortensen will provide the day’s headlines and league news. In addition, reporting from key games: Rachel Nichols -– Bills at Jets; Josina Anderson –- Bears at Raiders; Sal Paolantonio –- Patriots at Eagles; and Bob Holtzman -– Broncos at Chargers. Highlights:

Winning the “Tebow” Way: Since becoming the quarterback of the Denver Broncos, Tim Tebow has rallied his team to win four of his five starts including two dramatic comeback wins. Tebow’s play has drawn both praise and criticism as the Broncos transformed their offense to suit his skill-set. Ed Werder reports what it means to win the “Tebow Way.”

Getting to know “The Gronk”: Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is a fan favorite and a favorite target for quarterback Tom Brady. He is arguably the best red zone target in the NFL – Nos. 1 and 2 in touchdowns and receptions, respectively. ESPN’s Tedy Bruschi, who won three Super Bowl rings with the Patriots, sits down for a one-on-one conversation with the Patriots touchdown machine, known amongst his teammates and fans as “The Gronk.”

E:60 Presents Arian Foster: Arian Foster, now a fantasy football superstar who had his breakout game week 1 last season with a 231-yard, three-touchdown performance vs. the Colts, was undrafted in the 2009 NFL Draft. The Houston Texans took a chance on Foster and placed him on the practice squad. In a self-narrated feature for ESPN’s award-winning newsmagazine E:60, Foster tells the story of his journey to become one of the league’s top running backs.

“Mayne Event” – Reinventing the Raider Nation: For decades, the members of “Raider Nation” have been known as some of the NFL’s most visibly intimidating fans. Dressed in silver and black, these inhabitants of the “Black Hole” convey an aura of lawlessness that has become a major part of the Raiders’ identity over the years. So why has a group of fans so infamous for being hard and tough hired a PR firm to help soften their public image? Kenny Mayne heads to Oakland for answers in this week’s “Mayne Event.”

Jaguars Center Brad Meester and Young Luke Akerstrom: On New Year’s eve, five-year old Luke Akerstrom was driving with his parents when he had a silent seizure in the back seat of the car. Doctors told his parents he may never walk or talk again. When Jaguars center Brad Meester found out about the Akerstrom family’s story, unsolicited, he began to frequently visit Luke in the hospital. Meester invited Luke and his family to Jaguars camp this past summer. At the camp, Luke took his first steps again. ESPN’s Rick Reilly tells the inspirational story of the bond between Luke Akerstrom and Jaguars Brad Meester, culminating in Luke being named an honorary captain for the Jaguars’ Week 5 game against Cincinnati, where he took part in the coin flip.

NFL Matchup: Ron Jaworski on Quarterbacks – Ryan Fitzpatrick and Tom Brady

Host Sal Paolantonio and analysts Ron Jaworski and Merril Hoge will preview Sunday’s key games on NFL Matchup. Each NFL Sunday morning (ESPN – 3 a.m. and 7:30; ESPN2 – 8:30 a.m.), the trio brings viewers inside the film room for the Xs and Os of the matchups. Highlights:

Ryan Fitzpatrick vs. the Jets defense: Looking at the last meeting between the Jets and the Bills, Jaworski shows how Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick needs to do a better job reading rush and coverage indicators if he is to avoid dangerous turnovers that will hurt his team.

Tom Brady vs. the Eagles defense: Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has the ability to read the coverage from a defense before the ball is snapped and a very strong arm, a lethal combination for most successful quarterbacks, contends Jaworski, as he explains what areas the Eagles defense must pay close attention to when Brady has the ball.

Monday Night Football: Battle in New Orleans – Manning & Giants vs. Brees & Saints

Eli Manning returns to his hometown of New Orleans to quarterback the New York Giants (6-4), who are tied for first in the NFC East, against Drew Brees and the Saints (7-3) – first in the NFC South – on Monday Night Football on Nov. 28 at 8:30 p.m. ET. Brees has won his last five starts on MNF and is on pace to surpass Hall of Famer Dan Marino’s single-season passing yards record. Saints legend Archie Manning will appear in the MNF open on the night that Eli faces his father’s former team.

From the Superdome in New Orleans, Mike Tirico will call the game along with analysts Jon Gruden and Ron Jaworski and sideline reporter Ed Werder. Leading into the telecast at 7 p.m., Chris Berman will host Monday Night Countdown in studio with analysts Cris Carter, Mike Ditka, Tom Jackson, Keyshawn Johnson, and NFL insiders Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter. The 90-minute program will offer the latest in NFL news and preview the MNF matchup with on-site host Stuart Scott, analysts Trent Dilfer, Steve Young and contributor Rick Reilly. ESPN Deportes will also televise MNF.

The Grey Cup: Winnipeg Blue Bombers vs. British Columbia Lions on ESPN3

ESPN3 will carry the 99^th Grey Cup – a matchup between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the British Columbia Lions in Vancouver, British Columbia – on Sunday, Nov. 27 at 6 p.m. ET. Ten-time winners, the Bombers’ most recent Grey Cup victory came in 1990, while the Lions captured their fifth title in 2006. The Lions hope to become just the third team in 34 years to win the Canadian Football League championship at home. Play-by-play announcer Chris Cuthbert and analyst and former Saskatchewan Roughriders Grey Cup champion Glen Suitor will call the TSN telecast which will be available on ESPN3.