ESPN: First MNF doubleheader games: Vikings-'Skins; Chargers-Raiders

[WoodysGirl]

ESPN will kick off the new era of Monday Night Football with a doubleheader, NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue announced Monday.

The first game at 7 p.m. ET on Sept. 11, will feature the Vikings, under new coach Brad Childress, facing the Washington Redskins, who added many free-agent additions to an already talented 2005 playoff roster. The second game, at 10:15 p.m. ET will feature the starting debut of quarterback Philip Rivers when the Chargers face the Raiders, led by new coach Art Shell.

A matchup between the Dolphins and defending Super Bowl champion Steelers in Pittsburgh on Thursday, Sept. 7 will officially kick off the 2006 season. The game might be the Dolphins debut for quarterback Daunte Culpepper, if he's healthy enough to start the season.

Other schedule highlights announced Monday:

• The first-ever tripleheader on Thanksgiving. The Dolphins will visit the Lions in the early game (CBS), followed by the Buccaneers at the Cowboys (FOX) and capped off by the Broncos at the Chiefs (NFL Network).

• The Manning brothers will face each other for the first time on Sunday night, Sept. 10 when the Colts visit the Giants. Also on Sept. 10, the Jaguars will host the Cowboys.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2386175

[RCowboyFan]

Double header on MNF, that sucks. Probably for West Coasters to enjoy, but the first game would be real convinient for East Coasters though.

[BrAinPaiNt]

Please tell me this MNF Double header is going to be a one time thing, like only on opening week.

Being on the east coast it already takes forever for a game to end when it starts at 9 and you gotta get up early. Now starting at 10.

And I would not miss a cowboys game even if it came on at 12 but I would be hurting the next day at work.

[RCowboyFan]

Please tell me this MNF Double header is going to be a one time thing, like only on opening week.

Being on the east coast it already takes forever for a game to end when it starts at 9 and you gotta get up early. Now starting at 10.

And I would not miss a cowboys game even if it came on at 12 but I would be hurting the next day at work.

Yeah, when I lived in Detroit, I Never like MNF games. In Dallas it is not too bad, still don't like it that much. Since I get up at 5 am, it sucks any time I have to go to bed later than like 9.30 PM for me.

[BrAinPaiNt]

Yeah, when I lived in Detroit, I Never like MNF games. In Dallas it is not too bad, still don't like it that much. Since I get up at 5 am, it sucks any time I have to go to bed later than like 9.30 PM for me.

Well I don't normally go to bed that early, unless I am ill or something.

However A game can end around 12-1 (depending on penalties and Time outs) and then on average it takes me about an hour to get to sleep after laying down and then getting up between 5-6 AM it can get pretty rough.

[gbrittain]

The double header on Monday night is a whatever for me, but the triple header on Thanksgiving is a great idea.

[superpunk]

Please tell me this MNF Double header is going to be a one time thing, like only on opening week.

Being on the east coast it already takes forever for a game to end when it starts at 9 and you gotta get up early. Now starting at 10.

And I would not miss a cowboys game even if it came on at 12 but I would be hurting the next day at work.

SD v. Oak....something tells me this is gonna be a west coast thing...

[SteveOS]

I hope Brad Johnson can stick it to his former team. :)

[Hoov]

I like the idea of the double header. I hate that almost all the games are on sunday every week and you can only watch two.

I would like 2 games every monday, a game every thursday, one saturday night, and then a few 1pm sunday, a few 4pm, then the sunday night game.

More football to watch, like in other sports where you dont have to wait a whole week to wacth the next game. Spead them out more.

[Jarv]

Cablevision doesn't get the NFL channel, luckily I get DirectTV exclusively for the NFL ticket (I use cable for the rest of my programming). Even tho I don't have a DirectTV package (Besides the Sunday ticket) they are still giving the NFL channel. Thank god...

What other cable companies don't have the NFL channel ? I wonder if that will change with the Thanksgiving game on this year as the 3rd game ?

We could be looking at the NFL being on the NFL channel(s) exclusively some day in the future.

[RCowboyFan]

Cablevision doesn't get the NFL channel, luckily I get DirectTV exclusively for the NFL ticket (I use cable for the rest of my programming). Even tho I don't have a DirectTV package (Besides the Sunday ticket) they are still giving the NFL channel. Thank god...

What other cable companies don't have the NFL channel ? I wonder if that will change with the Thanksgiving game on this year as the 3rd game ?

We could be looking at the NFL being on the NFL channel(s) exclusively some day in the future.

I believe it will be broadcast on a local channel where NFL network channel is not available. Same with ESPN, I believe. I.e. if you have cable then you and do not have NFL Network, you probably get it on UPN or something most likely.

With ESPN, probably it will be ABC local affliate broadcasting it to those without cable.

[nyyanksfan20]

Cablevision doesn't get the NFL channel, luckily I get DirectTV exclusively for the NFL ticket (I use cable for the rest of my programming). Even tho I don't have a DirectTV package (Besides the Sunday ticket) they are still giving the NFL channel. Thank god...

What other cable companies don't have the NFL channel ? I wonder if that will change with the Thanksgiving game on this year as the 3rd game ?

We could be looking at the NFL being on the NFL channel(s) exclusively some day in the future.

I have Cablevision too. I guess now that they are airing games Cablevision should get NFL Network.

As for DirectTV you just pay the $229 or whatever it is for the Sunday Ticket? I would think they would make you at least get basic programming.

[superpunk]

I have Cablevision too. I guess now that they are airing games Cablevision should get NFL Network.

As for DirectTV you just pay the $229 or whatever it is for the Sunday Ticket? I would think they would make you at least get basic programming.

Generally, when football season starts, they have bonuses for sign-ups. Like you get all the channels, and movie channels for free for the 200-some dollars you pay for Sunday Ticket. After the first year, though, it's 200 on top of your regular satellite bill.

And worth EVERY penny.:)

[Little Jr]

Is the Jac/Dal game a night game?

[jcblanco22]

I have Cablevision too. I guess now that they are airing games Cablevision should get NFL Network.

As for DirectTV you just pay the $229 or whatever it is for the Sunday Ticket? I would think they would make you at least get basic programming.

Up to and including the 2002 NFL season I believe, DirecTV allowed one to just activate for a sports subscription package such as Sunday Ticket, without a regular monthly programming package. All your other channels would be blank, and you'd just be able to watch the 700s with the games on them on Sundays. I think they took away this option starting with the '03 campaign.

[jcblanco22]

Is the Jac/Dal game a night game?

In another article today they said it would be a 4pm Eastern/3pm Central start.

[Future]

What other cable companies don't have the NFL channel ? I wonder if that will change with the Thanksgiving game on this year as the 3rd game ?
.

time warner does not have NFL Network

[bbgun]

That Raider game is borderline madness. Since I'm on the East Coast, that's one less game I'll be able to see. The NFL is quickly heading down the road of MLB and the NBA. Football fans shouldn't have to watch an early morning edition of Sportscenter to find out who won the night before.

[Da Hammer]

why the hell are the Raiders on MNF??? they suck bad

[joseephuss]

The Steelers get to open up at home. How nice of the league to do that for them. I will make a bet right now that when Dallas wins the Superbowl again they will then start the next season on the road.

[SmellsLikeTuna]

The Steelers get to open up at home. How nice of the league to do that for them. I will make a bet right now that when Dallas wins the Superbowl again they will then start the next season on the road.

This will be the third consectutive year that the defending SB champ will host the Thursday night opener.......you act like they are doing the Steelers a special favor. :confused:

[31smackdown]

So what happens when the first MNF game runs over time.. does the other one start on ESPN2 or something?

This better be a one time thing.. 10:15EST.. is definitely too late to .. I remember 9:00 games that didn't end until 1:00. Then again maybe it was all the extra commercials/tv timeouts that ABC was throwing in there to get more money.

Are they try to make Sunday night the primetime game now?... MNF is what it is or..was.. because it was the only game in town and everyone could see it.. it should stay that way.. The ABC to ESPN thing doesn't bother me really because I think a large majority of people have ESPN, although I suppose some people still only have basic service.

Oh.. and who is going to be the broadcast team for the second game?... the sunday night crew?

[calico]

For some reason I thought we were playing the skins on Thanksgiving this year...oh well.

[The Fonz]

U know what? I am lost.. who is calling the game please don't tell me thos 3 again what about sundaynight is it on NBC this year or when ?who is calling the game for them beside Madden:confused: :confused: :confused:

[EastDallasCowboy]

Having games exclusively on NFL network is absolute garbage.

I could say more, but the mods wouldn't appreciate the language.

[Future]

Having games exclusively on NFL network is absolute garbage.

I could say more, but the mods wouldn't appreciate the language.

so do i, same thing for ESPN monday nighters...youd be surprised how many people do not have full cable to get it but get ABC

maybe these people dont count, but kids in school who live with their parents that dont want to pay for cable get ABC but not ESPN. There are millions of teenagers who watch the games, and ill bet about 18% of them dont have cable to watch them now.