NFC EAST RIVALS GIANTS & EAGLES CLASH ON 'NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL'
NBC�s Bettis: �A backyard fist fight.�
NBC�s Madden: �One of those division rivalries that brings out the best in everyone�
NEW YORK � September 26, 2007 � Donovan McNabb leads the Eagles (1-2) into the Meadowlands to face Eli Manning and the Giants (1-2) in an important early-season match-up on "NBC Sunday Night Football." Both team won last week after starting the season 0-2 and this game will send the loser home 1-3 with an uphill climb in the competitive NFC East. Coverage begins Sunday night at 7 p.m. ET with the "Football Night in America" studio show.
Al Michaels (play-by-play), John Madden (analyst) and Andrea Kremer (sideline reporter) will call all the action. Bob Costas (host) and Cris Collinsworth (co-host), Keith Olbermann (co-host), analysts Tiki Barber and Jerome "The Bus" Bettis, and reporter Peter King of Sports Illustrated, comprise the "Football Night in America" studio team.
BETTIS ON THE EAGLES-GIANTS: "It's just a backyard fist fight."
MICHAELS ON NFC EAST GAMES: "Any time you've got any of these NFC East teams meeting head to head, it makes for a great show."
MADDEN ON THE RIVALRY: It's one of those division rivalries that bring out the best in everyone. Then you put it on Sunday Night and I'll tell you, Donovan McNabb on a big stage like this, usual comes up big."
TIKI ON GIANTS RB DERRICK WARD: "I'm not surprised at all. This guy has ability and surprising speed. The Giants stole him off the Jets practice squad and that's the right word for it -- it was a steal."
TIKI ON ELI: "Eli's been phenomenal through the first three games. He's definitely been one of the Giants bright spots."
"NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL" TOP TV DRAW:
"NBC Sunday Night Football" has been the No. 1 primetime program in all of television for the three consecutive weeks, the first time in Nielsen People Meter history (September 1987) that the NFL's premier primetime franchise has been the top show for three straight weeks. (NBC Sunday Night Football 2006-present or ABC Monday Night Football 1970-2005)
EAGLES AND GIANTS IN PRIMETIME:
This is the Giants second appearance this season on "NBC Sunday Night Football" having lost to the Cowboys 45-35 in Week 1 in Dallas. Overall the Giants are 16-31-1 on the NFL's premier primetime network franchise (NBC SNF 2006-Present, ABC MNF 1970-2005) including two losses last season on SNF; 26-21 to the Colts in the much-hyped "Manning Bowl" in Week 1, the highest-rated game in SNF's year-plus history, and 38-20 to the Bears in Week 10
The Eagles also appeared twice on SNF last season, losing to the Colts 45-21 in Week 12, and defeating the Cowboys 23-7 in Week 16 on Christmas Day. Overall, the Eagles are 23-21 on the NFL's premier primetime network franchise.
EAGLES VS. GIANTS:
The Eagles and Giants met three times last season splitting the two regular season games with the Giants overcoming a 17-point fourth quarter deficit to record a 30-24 OT victory in Philadelphia in Week 2 and the Eagles evening the score with a 36-22 win at the Meadowlands in Week 15. They then faced off in an NFC Wild Card game where Eagles kicker David Akers nailed a 38-yard FG as time expired to give the Eagles a 23-20 win.
The Giants hold a 76-66-2 edge in the regular season series, a rivalry that dates back to 1933. They have met three times in the playoffs with the Giants holding a 2-1 edge in those games.
WAITING ALL DAY FOR SUNDAY NIGHT:
Five-time Grammy Award-winner and multi-platinum recording artist, Faith Hill, performs the opening theme each week for "NBC Sunday Night Football," "Waiting All Day for Sunday Night." The song is set to the original Joan Jett song, "I Hate Myself for Loving You" was recorded with her longtime producer Byron Gallimore at Legacy Recording Studios in New York City. The video was shot at The Wiltern theatre in Los Angeles.
"NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL":
"NBC Sunday Night Football" the premier primetime game of the week, is preceded by the "Football Night in America" studio show, which kicks off NBC's regular season coverage each Sunday at 7 p.m. ET. NBC has assembled the most honored broadcast team ever: Joining Al Michaels, the commentator called "TV's best play-by-play announcer" by the Associated Press, and John Madden, the most honored NFL broadcaster of all time with 15 Emmy Awards, are Bob Costas, the most honored studio host of all time with 19 Emmy Awards, who hosts NBC's "Football Night in America" studio show alongside co-host Cris Collinsworth, the most honored studio analyst in history with eight Emmy Awards; co-host Keith Olbermann, named one of the Top Ten Most Powerful People in TV News for 2007 by Television Week; and analysts Tiki Barber, a three-time NFL Pro Bowler for the New York Giants, and Jerome Bettis, one of the most popular players in recent NFL history. "NBC Sunday Night Football" coverage also includes sideline and feature reporter Andrea Kremer, whom the Los Angeles Times has called "the best TV interviewer in the business of covering the NFL." Peter King, who covers the NFL for Sports Illustrated and is considered one of the country's foremost NFL reporters, serves as a reporter for the "Football Night in America" studio show.
"NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL" REMAINING 2007 NFL SCHEDULE:
Sunday, Sept. 30 � Philadelphia at New York Giants
Sunday, Oct. 7 � Chicago at Green Bay
Sunday, Oct. 14 � New Orleans at Seattle
Sunday, Oct. 21 � Pittsburgh at Denver
Sunday, Oct. 28 � No game scheduled due to World Series Game 5 (FNIA airs 7-8 p.m.)
Sunday, Nov. 4 � Dallas at Philadelphia
Sunday, Nov. 11 � Indianapolis at San Diego
Sunday, Nov. 18 � Chicago at Seattle (Flex Week, Teams Subject to Change)
Sunday, Nov. 25 � Philadelphia at New England (Flex Week, Teams Subject to Change)
Sunday, Dec. 2 � Cincinnati at Pittsburgh (Flex Week, Teams Subject to Change)
Sunday, Dec. 9 � Indianapolis at Baltimore (Flex Week, Teams Subject to Change)
Sunday, Dec. 16 � Washington at NY Giants (Flex Week, Teams Subject to Change)
Sunday, Dec. 23 � Tampa Bay at San Francisco (Flex Week, Teams Subject to Change)
Sunday, Dec. 30 � Kansas City at New York Jets (Flex Week, Teams Subject to Change)
CREDITS: Fred Gaudelli is the producer of "NBC Sunday Night Football" and Drew Esocoff is the director. This is Gaudelli and Esocoff's second season at the helm of "Sunday Night Football." The Emmy Award-winning duo came from ABC where they worked together for five seasons on "Monday Night Football."
|