The Wise Guy: Week 1 NFL Announcer Lineup

By: The Wise Guy | Posted: September 09, 2012

Ah, there’s nothing like that feeling of waking up to your first NFL Sunday.  If you’re like me, you go through a morning ritual of popping corned beef in the slow cooker, grabbing a case of ice cold Coors Light (and twins!), doing a set of push-ups (to stay healthy, you know?), setting your fantasy line-up and then, most importantly, checking to see which announcing crew is doing your team’s game.  That last part is the most important because, let’s face it, the quality of the announcing crew often determines the quality of your Sunday experience.  For some reason, however, this information is often difficult to find in one place.  But fear not, because the The Wise Guy is here to help by breaking down the full NFL Week 1 announcer line-up schedule.

CBS

1pm [All Times Eastern]

New England Patriots @ Tennessee Titans:  Jim Nantz, Phil Simms (1)

Indianapolis Colts @ Chicago Bears: Greg Gumbel, Dan Dierdorf  (2)

Miami Dolphins @ Houston Texans:  Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts (3)

Buffalo Bills @ New York Jets:  Marv Albert, Rich Gannon (4)

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Minnesota Vikings: Kevin Harlan, Solomon Wilcots (5)

Notes:

Talk about depth, CBS’ top 5 announcer crews absolutely blow the other networks away.  Kevin Harlan as a #5 announcer? That’s crazy talk.  The only crew I’d quarrel with is Gumbel/Dierdorf at #2, just because Dan Dierdorf is often over the top and just plain wrong, but from top to bottom this group gives you straight football analysis with little fluff.  Well, except for Jim Nantz’s cheesy puns.

No 4:25 games for CBS due to the U.S. Open men’s finals.  I don’t get it; can’t CBS push tennis to the evening?  Why would they voluntarily accept about 1/10 of the ratings they would get from a football game?

If you’re a Dolphins or Texans fan, take note. Eagle/Fouts are probably the most underrated booth in the business.  Insightful analysis and deadpan humor.

FOX

1pm

Washington Redskins @ New Orleans Saints: Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, Tony Siragusa (2)

Philadelphia Eagles @ Cleveland Browns: Dick Stockton, John Lynch & Jennifer Hale (3)

Atlanta Falcons @ Kansas City Chiefs: Thom Brennaman, Brian Billick & Laura Okmin (4)

St. Louis Rams @ Detroit Lions: Chris Myers, Tim Ryan & Jaime Maggio (5)

4:25pm

San Francisco 49ers @ Green Bay Packers: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman & Pam Oliver (1)

Seattle Seahawks @ Arizona Cardinals: Sam Rosen, Heath Evans and Heidi Androl (6)

Carolina Panthers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Ron Pitts, Mike Martz and Kristina Pink (7)

Notes:

Basically, the opposite of CBS.  While I prefer the Buck/Aikman #1 crew to Nantz/Sims, the rest of the line-up is just plain weak.  Dick Stockton is bordering on senile, Tony Siragusa is a joke, Thom Brennaman thinks he’s a color analyst (but doesn’t know the game), and the network is replete with random sideline reporters who bring nothing to the table (except Pam for Oliver).  And don’t even get me started on Mike Martz.

Speaking of Siragusa, I will be waiting with baited breadth to see whether “The Goose Cam,” which was unveiled in the preseason, makes its way onto the regular season broadcast.  Seriously, why does Fox think Tony Siragusa needs more exposure? Don’t you get it Fox; we watch the games in spite of Tony Siragusa, not because of him.

I’m predicting the Panthers-Buccaneers game features a total of 30 sacks just by virtue of Mike Martz’s presence in the booth. (Bitter Bears fan here)

NBC Sunday Night (8:20pm)

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Denver Broncos: Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth & Michelle Tafoya

Notes:

Not much I can say here. Great game, great crew.  Though, for the record, this is the game where I predict the replacement refs will foul something up so badly that the union gains the upper hand in negotiations with the league.  At least that’s my hope, because you know Michaels/Collinsworth will be merciless if it happens, unlike some of the company men on the other networks.

ESPN Monday Night Football

(7pm) Cincinnati Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens: Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden & Lisa Salters

(10:15pm) San Diego Chargers @ Oakland Raiders: Chris Berman, Trent Dilfer & Rachel Nichols

Notes:

If you’ve had a chance to check out my “Positively Gruden” series where I chronicle the Top Ten “Grudenisms” from each MNF broadcast, you know I’m eagerly anticipating Gruden’s first regular season in a two man booth.  More airtime=more positivity!  

And I know I’m in the minority, but I’m actually looking forward to Berman-Dilfer in the late game.  Berman is schticky, but he knows the game and has a quick wit.  And Dilfer is just a solid analyst.  Judging by the preseason game, they also seem to have a pretty good chemistry.

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@SFHCommissioner
Posts: 1

Wiseguy article on tv crews
Reply #1 on : Sun September 09, 2012, 09:11:16

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Appreciate the commentary on CBS crews. They do a lot to teach the game & plays. Your a bit harsh on Fox. As an average fan that watches the Lions, I see most of them through the season. I'll wait on Martz. Aikman is excellent, but Buck just grinds me since he's really a MLB guy. He also needs a little Gus Johnson to get him out of that type of play-by-play mode. Lynch has good defensive insight. Billick can be somewhat one sided, but does decent teaching on nuts&bolts football. Tim Ryan is a real pro. Has honed his craft & studying up the ranks the hard way. His SiriusXM show has garnered him a huge cult following to whatever game he's doing. Probably the best one that nobody knows, except us Siriusfootballheads.
I got a REAL problem with Micheals. Everyone just calls him great because he's been doing it so long. Truth is he's arrogant as all get out, and could care less about helping the audience learn football like Summerall did. Talks down to his audience He has a lack of player knowledge, and is sitting on his laurels. Frankly, I put on the radio for Westwood 1 team.
Brandon Kerr