Sunday NFL Countdown, Monday Night Countdown Features - Oct. 28-29

October 25 , 2007 -- Sunday NFL Countdown Presented by IBM with Chris Berman and analysts Mike Ditka, Tom Jackson, Keyshawn Johnson and Emmitt Smith will preview the day’s NFL matchups Sunday at 11 a.m. ET. Chris Mortensen will also provide headlines and league news, and Steve Young will contribute his weekly Sunday segment – “Young is Restless” – featuring his opinion on the week's hottest topics.

The pre-game show will include reports from Rachel Nichols in London covering the NFL’s first regular-season game outside of North America between the New York Giants and Miami Dolphins; Bob Holtzman at the Indianapolis Colts at Carolina Panthers game; and Colleen Dominguez reporting on the Houston Texans at San Diego Chargers match-up. Other highlights:

Nichols to Cover Giants-Dolphins in London Beginning Thursday on SportsCenter and NFL Live ESPN’s New York-based bureau reporter Rachel Nichols begins her daily reports today in preparation for Sunday’s Giants-Dolphins game at London’s Wembley Stadium. Also a correspondent for ESPN's new E:60 newsmagazine, Nichols will provide team updates and interviews for SportsCenter, ESPNEWS, NFL Live, and Sunday NFL Countdown. The game is scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m. ET (6 p.m. London time). The NFL assignment in London is one of many international events Nichols has covered in her career, including multiple Wimbledon championships as a writer for the Washington Post (1996-2004).

Patriots Linebackers: The 30 and Over Crowd

Forty linebackers in the NFL are over the age of 30, six of whom play for the New England Patriots. Chris Berman sits down with the senior members of the Patriots’ linebacking corps – Junior Seau, Tedy Bruschi and Mike Vrabel – to discuss why they’ve lasted so long at their position and how playing for coach Bill Belichick has helped sustain their careers.

Mayne Event: Kenny in London

With the Giants and Dolphins in London to play the NFL’s first regular-season game in Europe, Kenny Mayne “hops the pond” to see what Europeans think about the other “football” – American tackle football – in “Mayne Event.”

Soundtracks: Mike Tomlin

In his first season, head coach Mike Tomlin has led the Steelers to an impressive 4-2 record. In “Soundtracks,” the rookie coach is “wired” for sound during training camp as he makes an impression on his new team.

Takin' It To The House

Ten-year-old Jason Krause knows he has the perfect costume for Halloween, but who in the NFL is giving him “tricks” and who is giving him “treats?”

Start 'Em or Sit 'Em with Matthew Berry

ESPN.com Fantasy Football guru Matthew Berry will answer online fantasy football questions posted by fans on www.espn.go.com/sundaycountdown in “Start ‘Em or Sit ‘Em” and will also preview weekly trends and sleepers for Week 8.

Berman, Ditka, Jackson, Johnson and Smith will pick the biggest games of the day and tell fans which players will make the biggest impact in NFL’s Week 8 action.

MONDAY NIGHT COUNTDOWN, 6:30 P.M. ON ESPN

Monday Night Countdown Delivered by UPS with Berman, Jackson, Johnson, Parcells and Mortensen (in Bristol) and Stuart Scott, Young and Smith (at the MNF game in Denver) -- kicking-off at a special time of 6:30 p.m. ET -- will review the outcome of Sunday’s games and preview Monday Night Football. The pre-game show will lead into the kickoff of Monday Night Football – Green Bay Packers at Denver Broncos (starting at 8 p.m.), featuring Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski and Tony Kornheiser with sideline reporters Suzy Kolber and Michele Tafoya.

Ed Werder and Kolber will report on the Packers while Sal Paolantonio and Tafoya will cover the Broncos.

Soundtracks: Brett Favre

“Soundtracks” will feature Brett Favre from the historic day earlier this season when he broke Dan Marino's all-time touchdown record.

The Diary of Donald Driver: My Life, My Words

For NFL players, football is an opportunity to play the game that they love, compete at the highest level, make a name for themselves, and entertain fans across the country. For Donald Driver, football represents more than that – the fulfillment of a "promise" he made to his family when they lived in poverty during his childhood. It’s living up to a vow that they would never have to suffer and struggle again. Monday Night Countdown will feature the story of one of the NFL's most inspirational athletes in his own words.

Field Pass

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

WEEKLY MONDAY NIGHT COUNTDOWN SEGMENTS

READ AND REACT – Parcells and wide receiver Johnson offer their widely differing looks at the game.

BOILING POINT – On the field, Parcells and Mike Ditka were two of the most intense coaches in NFL history. On Monday Night Countdown, they offer their take on which coaches and players have reached their boiling points in the NFL

TEAMS AT 20 – Every 20 minutes reporters Werder, Kolber, Paolantonio and Tafoya will update news from the teams in their preparations for the game.

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

Source: ESPN