In the coming weeks, “The Patriot” will take a look at each program’s strengths and weaknesses to give you the best NFL pregame show.
“The NFL Today” on CBS is hosted by James Brown, who will always live on in my heart as the man that asked embattled Tennessee Titans and Dallas Cowboys defensive back Adam “Pacman” Jones, “What is it about strip clubs that you just can’t stay away?” last year.
The rest of the panel includes former Miami Dolphins Hall of Fame quarterback, now NutriSystem spokesman Dan Marino, former Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl winning head coach Bill Cowher, former Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens tight end Shannon Sharpe, and former Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets, and Arizona Cardinals quarterback Boomer Esiason.
All of the anchors have a lot of raw football knowledge, and are extremely capable of breaking down plays effectively.
The whole cast isn’t afraid to poke fun at each other, and Sharpe especially puts himself out there to get laughs and offer a break from the serious football talk, like when he cries to imitate New York Jets’ coach, Rex Ryan.
Brown gets the others back on task and clearly introduces topics. He also does outside interviews, and isn’t afraid to ask the tough questions, such as this week with Cleveland Browns’ head coach Eric Mangini.
Esiason has strong opinions, especially on the NFL concussions policy, and uses good examples to back up everything he says. Cowher looks oddly like a serial killer when he’s not speaking, but I do like the coach’s perspective that he brings to the table. For example, he commented this week on the culture Mangini is creating in Cleveland. Marino can break down plays extremely well.
Although I personally love Sharpe (not just because he played for the Ravens during their championship season), his inability to grasp the English language gets tiring.
The only minor problem is that he sounds like he has just gone to the dentist and had his mouth numbed with Novocain. I need a translator when he speaks. However, it is enjoyable to try to understand him. It becomes like a brainteaser, if you will.
Marino was the best dressed with his American themed suit today, although I did like Esiason and Sharpe’s purple ensembles.
The supporting cast includes former Houston Texans general manager Charley Casserly. I love how the show offers his perspective, because he, besides being able to break down plays, offers his opinions on hot topics like the NFL drug policy because of his long history in the league.
The show utilizes a handful of recurring features. I like the “NFL Vault,” which is a brief look back to a game in history. However, “Football Faceoff” is my favorite. The panelists face off to answer questions while viewers can text in their vote.
Unlike ESPN’s “Sunday NFL Countdown,” they do not use on the field reporters at various stadiums, which would be a nice addition. Also, the program focuses on what happened in the past week, instead of offering constant updates about each game. Luckily, all of their video clips are clear and not grainy, which is surprisingly something not all pregame shows can maintain.
Halfway through the show, I had already seen four Peyton Manning commercials, so CBS might want to find some new advertisers that have different tastes in spokespeople.
But CBS’ “The NFL Today” panel offers a unique combination of effective commentary and humor to create a fantastic pregame show.
Kate Froehlich can be reached for comment at [email protected]