ESPN Features for Sunday NFL Countdown, NFL Matchup and Monday Night Countdown

November 15, 2007 -- Sunday NFL Countdown Presented by IBM featuring Chris Berman, Mike Ditka, Tom Jackson, Keyshawn Johnson and Emmitt Smith will preview all the day’s NFL games Sunday at 11 a.m. ET. Chris Mortensen will provide headlines and league news, and Steve Young will contribute his weekly Sunday opinion segment, “Young is Restless.”

The pre-game show will include reports from Sal Paolantonio covering the Chiefs at Colts game; Bob Holtzman in Green Bay covering the Panthers against the Packers, and Ed Werder in Dallas for the Redskins at Cowboys. Planned features:

Romo Improvisation

Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo is a master of improvisation after taking the snap from center - making some his best plays on his own and not drawn by the offensive coordinator. Greg Garber talked to Romo’s teammates and sought out another master of improvisation – rapper Snoop Dogg - to get a better feel for how and why Romo appears most successful when things are most chaotic on the field.

Third and Ben

Whether it’s a basic completion, turning an almost-definite sack into a positive play or scrambling his way to move the sticks – “Big Ben” has made a habit of making big plays on third down – making him the NFL’s highest-rated quarterback on third down. Rachel Nichols reports on how Roethlisberger’s performance in these situations has been one of the keys to his resurgence this season.

Mayne Event: Maurice Jones-Drew

Jaguars’ running back Maurice Jones-Drew has become known for a few things in his NFL career – his size (5’7”), his big-play ability and his hyphenated name. Kenny Mayne went to Jacksonville to learn that Maurice is a Jones-Drew by many other names – Mighty Mouse, The Pinball, Pocket Hercules and more. He also finds out which names might not have made the cut.

Demo: Stopping Romo Outside the Pocket

The Countdown crew shows how to keep Romo from making big plays when the pocket breaks down.

Soundtracks: Best of Redskins-Cowboys

The Redskins and Cowboys, one of the NFL’s most storied rivalries, meet again Sunday. “Soundtracks” covers the best audio from past match-ups between these NFC East teams.

Takin' It To The House

Dr. Krause is in the house, as 10-year-old commentator Jason Krause plays psychiatrist to those NFL teams in need. What does psychoanalysis sound like from a 10-year old? Stay tuned.

Start 'Em or Sit 'Em

ESPN.com fantasy expert Matthew Berry takes questions from fantasy players across the globe 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 11.

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 11 action.

STATE FARM NFL MATCHUP, SUNDAY, 3 A.M. AND 8:30 A.M. ON ESPN

State Farm NFL Matchup (Sundays at 3 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.) with host Sal Paolantonio and analysts Ron Jaworski and Merril Hoge will preview week 11 of the NFL season by bringing viewers inside the film room. The 30-minute X’s and O’s program – taped each week at NFL Films in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey -- highlights team strategy and game-planning. This week’s features:

Panthers at Packers

Brett Favre may be playing like a three-time MVP, but he’s not the only reason opposing defensive coordinators are having nightmares. Jaworski illustrates how Packers head coach Mike McCarthy uses formations and personnel packages to expose defenses.

Chiefs at Colts

Injuries have left the Colts air attack grounded over the last few weeks. With defensive end Jared Allen and the vaunted Chiefs pass rush coming to Indianapolis this Sunday, Hoge shows why the Colts need to utilize their running game to regain their Super Bowl form.

Titans at Broncos

Scheme and tactics in the run game? What happened to just plowing ahead and lowering your shoulder? Jaworski will point out the game-planning involved in running the football as he goes to his X and O files to reveal how the Titans must attack the Broncos’ 31st-ranked rushing defense.

Giants at Lions

The Giants and Lions have surprised everyone this year, but to Hoge, the key matchup in this game comes as no shock – the Lions offensive line has trouble against pressure, while the Giants defense is based on attacking the quarterback. This Sunday the big men in the trenches will determine the winner.

Redskins at Cowboys

The Redskins pass defense looked vulnerable against the Patriots in week 8 and the team could have a similar problem this Sunday in Dallas. Jaworski opens up his Playbook to diagram how the Cowboys have routinely broken down the exact same coverage that the Redskins love to play.

Steelers at Jets

“Big Ben” Roethlisberger has something Peyton Manning and Tom Brady don’t have -- the ability to scramble. We’ll display how the Cleveland Browns game-planned to stop Roethlisberger’s Elway-like abilities last week, yet still got burned for the biggest play of the game, and how that may carry over into Sunday’s Jets game.

Patriots at Bills

Attacking quarterback Tom Brady is the key to stopping the Patriots, but it’s easier said than done. Hoge will clarify what Buffalo needs to do to win via their defensive pressure schemes.

Chargers at Jaguars

With the Chargers lacking a consistent passing threat, teams have ganged up against the run all season. Hoge goes to the coaches’ clicker to demonstrate exactly how the Jaguars will do the same this Sunday.

Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens’ offense may be struggling, but their defense is still as physical as any unit in the league. Watch as defensive end Haloti Ngata throws aside a lineman, pummels Rudi Johnson, and then sends Carson Palmer crashing to the turf on one play against the Bengals.

Philadelphia Eagles

Brian Westbrook’s game-winning touchdown catch and run may have saved the Eagles’ season, but we’ll show some smelling-salt-inducing blocks on the play that could only be noticed on the coaching tape.

MONDAY NIGHT COUNTDOWN, 7 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) 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 – Tennessee Titans at Denver Broncos (starting at 8:30 p.m.), featuring Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski and Tony Kornheiser with sideline reporter Michele Tafoya. Also on the sidelines will be Rachel Nichols reporting on the Titans while Ed Werder will cover the Broncos.

Vince Young: In his own words

You've seen what Vince Young likes to do on the field, but what does the Titans quarterback like off of it? Find out what songs are playing in his iPod, who his favorite entertainer is and more.

Dre Bly: A Day in the Life

Go behind the scenes with Broncos cornerback Dre Bly as cameras capture a day in his life as he prepares for Monday’s game against the Titans.

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 Johnson had different views while on the football field, now offer their widely differing analysis of the game in studio.

BOILING POINT – Former NFL head coaches Parcells and Ditka were two of the most intense coaches in NFL history. They offer their take on which coaches and players have reached their boiling points in the NFL;

TEAMS AT 20 -- Reports on the participating teams every 20 minutes from the stadium before the MNF game.

Additionally, Monday Night Football's Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski and Tony Kornheiser will preview the night’s match-up, with Mortensen reporting on all the breaking news from around the NFL, and the Countdown analysts giving their “Lead Pipe Lock” predictions for the game.

Source: ESPN

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