ESPN’s Weekend and Monday NFL Studio Features

ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown Presented by IBM will preview the day’s matchups Sunday at 11 a.m. ET with Chris Berman and analysts Cris Carter, Mike Ditka, Tom Jackson and Keyshawn Johnson.  ESPN Senior analyst Chris Mortensen and NFL insider Adam Schefter will provide headlines and league news.

The program will include reports from Rachel Nichols covering the New England Patriots at New York Jets, Sal Paolantonio at the Saints – Eagles game, and Michael Smith in Chicago for the Steelers at Bears.  Other highlights:

Mark Sanchez: New York Quarterback Pressure:  Past Jets quarterbacks Joe Namath, Richard Todd, Ken O’Brien and Chad Pennington offer advice to rookie Mark Sanchez on the pressures of being a quarterback in New York, reports Jeremy Schaap.

Drew Brees’ Pre-Game Chant:  Quarterback Drew Brees’ passionate pre-game chant – “This Is New Orleans” – puts him alongside vocal pre-game leaders the likes of Ray Lewis and Brian Dawkins.  Ed Werder reports the pre-game routine and its effect on his teammates.

Adrian Peterson: Film Session:  Countdown takes viewers inside the ‘film room’ to detail the secrets behind Adrian Peterson’s success.

“Mayne Event”: NFL Twitter Revolution:  While NFL players have embraced social networking sites like Twitter as new ways to reach their fans, the NFL social media policy includes no Tweeting 90 minutes before kickoff until post-game media interviews are complete.  Kenny Mayne snoops around to find out how NFL Tweeters are trying to beat the system in this week’s Mayne Event.

EA Sports Virtual Playbook: Cowboys Tight Ends vs. Giants Pass Rush:  Tom Jackson breaks down how the departure of Terrell Owens forced the Cowboys into adjustments on the offense, using two tight-end – Jason Witten and Martellus Bennett – formations for more flexibility in their passing game.  He also explains how this formation will work against the vaunted Giants’ pass rush.

Soundtracks – Best of Tom Coughlin:  The best sideline audio from the Giants fiery head coach Tom Coughlin will be featured on “Soundtracks.”

Start 'Em or Sit 'Em with Matthew Berry and Merril Hoge:  ESPN’s fantasy football guru Matthew Berry and NFL analyst Merril Hoge debate which players to start or sit this weekend.

Berman, Carter, Ditka, Jackson and Johnson will pick the biggest games of the day and tell fans which players will make the biggest impact in NFL’s Week 2 action.  The list of game picks will be posted on www.espn.com/sundaycountdown after the show.

MNF’s Jon Gruden to Interview Peyton Manning SportsCenter “Sunday Conversation”  

For seven seasons in Indianapolis, Peyton Manning and former head coach Tony Dungy combined to lead the Colts to five straight 1st place finishes in the AFC South and a Super Bowl victory in January 2007.  On the heel of his first Monday Night Football without Dungy in seven years, the Colts’ signal caller sits down with Gruden for an extensive interview to be featured on SportsCenter “Sunday Conversation” at 11 p.m. and Monday Night Countdown (7 p.m.).

MONDAY NIGHT COUNTDOWN, 7 P.M. ON ESPN

Monday Night Countdown Served by Applebee’s with Berman, Carter, Ditka, Jackson, Johnson, Mortensen and Schefter (in Bristol) and Stuart Scott, Matt Millen and Steve Young (at the MNF game in Miami) will review Sunday’s games and preview Monday Night Football.  The 90-minute, pre-game show will lead into the kickoff of the Indianapolis Colts at Miami Dolphins (8:30 p.m.) game, featuring Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden and Ron Jaworski.  Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade will make a special appearance on the set at Dolphins Stadium.

Reporters Michele Tafoya (Colts) and Suzy Kolber (Dolphins) will cover the teams.  Other highlights:

Peyton Manning Soundtracks: The best compilation of Peyton Manning’s in-game audio over the past decade will be featured on “Soundtracks.”

“Unmasked” – Joey Porter:  Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter takes off the helmet to reveal what drives him to be among the best in the league.

EA Sports Virtual Playbook – Manning to Wayne:  Jackson takes viewers on the field to show why Colts quarterback Peyton Manning and wide receiver Reggie Wayne are one of the most dangerous passing combinations in the NFL.

WEEKLY MONDAY NIGHT COUNTDOWN SEGMENTS

TEAMS AT 20 – Every 20 minutes reporters Tafoya and Kolber will update news from the teams in their preparations for the game, beginning with NFL Live at 3:30 p.m.

FIELD PASS – Countdown offers an all-access look at pre-game preparations as the players get ready for kickoff.  Analysts will also breakdown the important storylines and key players before the game.

C'MON MAN – Countdown personalities share their head-scratching plays from Week 2.

In addition, Monday Night Football's Tirico, Jaworski and Gruden will preview the night’s match-up, with Mortensen and Schefter covering breaking news from around the league, and the Countdown analysts offering their “Lead Pipe Lock” predictions for the game.

NFL MATCHUP, SUNDAY 3 A.M. AND 7:30 A.M. ON ESPN

NFL Matchup with host Sal Paolantonio and analysts Merril Hoge and Ron Jaworski will preview the weekend’s games by bringing viewers inside the film room for the Xs and Os analysis of the matchups.  The 30-minute program – taped each week at NFL Films in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey – highlights team strategy and game planning.  This week’s features: 

Patriots @ Jets – Hoge shows a play from last Sunday where the Jets were able to free up three defenders en-route to the quarterback and contends such plays will be key against the Patriots Sunday.

Giants @ Cowboys –  Jaworski goes ‘beyond the film room’ onto the field with Tony Romo to reveal how the Cowboys delivered big plays through the air last Sunday vs. Tampa Bay.

Ravens @ Chargers – Jaworski opens his ‘Playbook’ and displays how Baltimore successfully created and exploited mismatches in what was a much improved passing game Sunday.

Steelers @ Bears – Hoge spotlights how great route running combined with Ben Roethlisberger’s pump-faking make the Steelers offense consistently dangerous.

Saints @ Eagles – Jaworski on how the Eagles defense can take advantage of a vulnerable Saints offensive line from the left tackle position.

Colts @ Dolphins – Jaworski, contending that the Colts offense is better at setting up defenses than any team in the league, unveils how quarterback Peyton Manning and the Colts manufacture big plays in the passing game.

Vikings @ Lions – Hoge pulls out his ‘Coaches Clicker’ to illustrate how a small crevice for Vikings running back Adrian Peterson is like a gaping hole for any other back in the league.

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