This week, NFL Network brings us a pair of games. On Thursday, Brad Nessler, Mike Mayock and Alex Flanagan call the Jacksonville-Atlanta game and then on Saturday, the crew will be on hand for the Dallas-Tampa Bay contest.
But first, we offer NFL Network’s preview of Jags-Falcons. While the Jags haven’t been an offensive juggernaut this season, seeing the Falcons drive for the playoffs will certainly be an incentive to watch. So we provide the NFL Network press release for Thursday Night Football. I’m sure I’ll get a similar one for Cowboys-Bucs on Friday and when it comes, that will be posted on this site.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2011 — 8:00 PM ET
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS AT ATLANTA FALCONS ON NFL NETWORKDeion Sanders Sit Down Interview with Atlanta Falcons QB Matt Ryan on Thursday Night Kickoff Pregame Show at 6:00 PM ET
NOTABLE AND QUOTABLE:
“When you can get a man that can catch an in route like that, get through a tackle and hit the house, that’s exactly why they gave up the picks. Julio Jones, he’s worth every pick they gave up.”
— MICHAEL IRVIN on Atlanta Falcons rookie wide receiver JULIO JONES
- Atlanta rookie wide receiver JULIO JONES had three catches for 104 yards (34.7 average) and two touchdowns in the Falcons’ 31-23 win at Carolina. Jones, who had three catches for 131 yards (43.7 average) and two touchdowns in Week 9, joined RANDY MOSS (1998) as the only rookies in NFL history to have two games with at least 100 receiving yards, a 30.0+ average and two touchdowns.
- Atlanta and Jacksonville were two of the four teams which came back to win games in which they trailed by at least 12 points on Sunday. Atlanta (16 points), Jacksonville (14), Houston (13) and Arizona (12) were the four teams, marking the second time this season that at least four teams overcame 12+ point deficits to win games on the same day (September 18). That is the most such days in a season since 1984.
- This week’s JAX-ATL game is first time in 15 years that both teams coming back from 14+ pts down face off the next week.
FALCONS QB MATT RYAN 1-ON-1 INTERVIEW:
- DEION SANDERS sits down for an interview with Atlanta Falcons quarterback MATT RYAN during Thursday Night Football Kickoff at 6:00 PM ET.
TEAMS: JAGUARS FALCONS ANNOUNCERS Brad Nessler (play-by-play), Mike Mayock (game analyst); Alex Flanagan (sideline) PREGAME (6:00 PM ET) Thursday Night Kickoff
In Atlanta: Rich Eisen, Marshall Faulk, Michael Irvin, Steve Mariucci, Deion Sanders, Stacey Dales, Alex Flanagan
In Los Angeles: Kara Henderson, Kurt Warner, Sterling Sharpe, Jay GlazerPRE-KICK (8:00 PM ET) Pre-Kick Show
Brad Nessler, Mike Mayock, Alex Flanagan, Rich Eisen, Steve Mariucci, Deion Sanders, Michael Irvin, Kurt Warner, Sterling Sharpe, Jay Glazer, Stacey DalesHALFTIME Halftime Show
Rich Eisen, Marshall Faulk, Michael Irvin, Steve Mariucci, Deion Sanders, Stacey Dales, Alex FlanaganPOSTGAME Postgame Show
Rich Eisen, Marshall Faulk, Michael Irvin, Steve Mariucci, Deion Sanders, Stacey Dales, Alex Flanagan
NFL Total Access Postgame Show
In-studio: Andrew Siciliano, Kara Henderson, Kurt Warner, Jamie Dukes, Willie McGinest
Game Site: Stacey Dales, Steve WycheWHERE TO WATCH DirecTV – Channel 212 (SD/HD), DISH Network – 154 (SD/HD)
Verizon FIOS – Channel 88 (SD) 588 (HD), AT&T U-Verse – Channel 630 (SD) 1630 (HD)Check your local cable listings
NFL.com LIVE – live “look-ins” at select moments of game
NFL Mobile Live on Verizon WirelessLOCAL OTA SIMULCAST* Independent Ch. 38 (WTTA) MyNetwork Ch. 36 (WATL) Thursday Night Football
Last week’s Cleveland Browns-Pittsburgh Steelers game on NFL Network was watched by an average of 6.6 million viewers (not including over-the-air stations in Cleveland and Pittsburgh) – up 22 percent from the comparable game last year (Colts-Titans, 5.4 million) and ranking as Thursday’s most-watched program on cable.
This week’s matchup features running back MAURICE JONES-DREW and the Jacksonville Jaguars taking on quarterback MATT RYAN and the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome.
And that does it.
