NFL Network and NFL.com highlights for 1/5-1/11

Published: Jan 05, 2011 at 09:09 AM

NFL NETWORK & NFL.COM PROGRAMMING NOTES (1/5 - 1/11)

NFL GAMEDAY MORNING IS THE GO-TO DESTINATION FOR WILD CARD COVERAGE WITH SPECIAL EDITIONS ON SATURDAY & SUNDAY

Warner, Faulk, Woodson & Billick on No Huddle: The Road to Dallas Presented By Mercedes-Benz Thursday, Jan. 6 at 8:00 PM ET

Hall of Fame Coach John Madden, Green Bay WR Greg Jennings and Seattle Head Coach Pete Carroll on NFL Total Access This Week

Charles Barkley and Urban Meyer Featured Guests on "The Rich Eisen Podcast" on NFL.com

THIS WEEK ON NFL GAMEDAY MORNING: Special Wild Card Editions of NFL GameDay Morning on Saturday, Jan. 8 at 12:00 PM ET and Sunday, Jan. 9 at 9:00 AM ET

With more than 20 hours of live NFL GameDay programming, NFL Network is the destination for the most comprehensive coverage of Wild Card weekend. NFL GameDay Morning airs twice this weekend to provide you with all of the information and analysis you need to prepare for the first round of the playoffs. Host Rich Eisen joins Steve Mariucci, Marshall Faulk, Michael Irvin and Warren Sapp beginning Saturday, Jan. 8 at 12:00 PM ET. The crew previews the two Wild Card matchups on Saturday - Saints-Seahawks and Jets-Colts - as well as the two remaining games on Sunday.

On Sunday, Jan. 9 at 9:00 AM ET, the NFL GameDay Morning crew recaps the previous day's action, previews Ravens-Chiefs and Packers-Eagles, and looks ahead to the Divisional games next week.

Additionally, veteran stage and television actor Dan Lauria, who currently portrays legendary Green Bay Packers coachVince Lombardi in the critically-acclaimed Broadway drama "Lombardi", reprises his role as the Hall of Fame coach for a series of inspirational monologues featured throughout the playoffs only on NFL GameDay Morning. Below is a rough cut of the first vignette on Saturday: Lombardi preview

» Kara Henderson reports from Seattle on Saints-Seahawks

» Albert Breer reports from Indianapolis on Jets-Colts

» Scott Hanson reports from Kansas City on Ravens-Chiefs

» Steve Wyche reports from Philadelphia on Packers-Eagles

Capping off each day of the playoffs is NFL GameDay Final, providing the definitive exclamation point on the day's action with unlimited highlights of the games, post-game press conferences, interviews from the field and locker room and expert analysis. On a special Saturday edition, Jan. 8 at 9:30 PM PT,Hall of Famer Rod Woodson joins host Fran Charles and analyst Deion Sanders to recap Saints-Seahawks and Jets-Colts, as well as look ahead to Sunday's games. On Sunday, Jan. 9 at 8:30 PM ET, the regular NFL GameDay Final crew of Charles, Sanders, Steve Mariucci and Michael Irvin provide the final analysis of Wild Card weekend and look ahead to the matchups in the Divisional round.

No Huddle: The Road to Dallas Presented by Mercedes-Benz Returns on Thursday, Jan. 6 at 8:00 PM ET

No Huddle: The Road to Dallas Presented by Mercedes-Benz, a new weekly roundtable show in which NFL Network analysts discuss and debate the hot topics heading into the playoffs, returns with a new episode on Thursday, Jan. 6 at 8:00 PM ET. This week's analysts include former Super Bowl winners Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk, Rod Woodson and Brian Billick.

Below are video links to segments from Thursday's show in which the analysts discuss the players who will make the difference in Saturday's Wild Card games:

- New York Jets at Indianapolis Colts

- New Orleans Saints at Seattle Seahawks

Here are select quotes from Thursday's show:

"When Mark Sanchez was going really well in the middle part of the season, he found a rhythm with Dustin] Keller on the inside at the tight end position." ***- Brian Billick on the [New York Jets*

"Whoever it is in the backfield, that's the x-factor for the Colts to make a run." - Kurt Warner on the Indianapolis Colts

"If they can't run the football and Gregg Williams can tee-up that defense on the quarterback, it's going to be a long day for the quarterback." - Rod Woodson on what Seattle must do against New Orleans

"He can definitely give them a chance." - Marshall Faulk on Seattle return specialist Leon Washington

No Huddle airs every Thursday throughout the playoffs at 8:00 PM ET featuring discussion, debate and answering fan questions via Twitter.

Former NBA Great Charles Barkley, former University of Florida Head Coach Urban Meyer and Academy Award Winning Director Steven Soderbergh Featured Guests on the Latest Edition of "The Rich Eisen Podcast," now available on NFL.com and iTunes

With the first round of the playoffs this weekend, Rich Eisen steps up his game with a new episode of "The Rich Eisen Podcast" packed with high-profile guests. Leading off the episode is former NBA great Charles Barkley, who returns for the second time as a guest on the podcast. Sir Charles breaks down the NFL playoffs, filling out an NCAA tournament-style bracket until he reveals which team will win Super Bowl XLV in Dallas in February. Next up is two-time BCS National Championship winning head coach Urban Meyer, who coached his final game as the head coach of the University of Florida in the team's 37-24 win over Penn State in the 2011 Outback Bowl. Meyer reflects on his time at the University of Florida and discusses his relationship with New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. Wrapping up the podcast is Academy Award winning director Steven Soderbergh, who has become quite a fan of the pregame and postgame shows on NFL Network.

Below are select quotes from this week's episode:

"Michael Vick went to prison. He paid his dues. Some people are going to forgive him, some people are not." - Charles Barkley on Philadelphia QB Michael Vick

"The opportunity to coach a guy like Tim Tebow is once in a lifetime, and I [already] had that shot." - Urban Meyer on Denver QB Tim Tebow

"I've watched sports all over the world - [football] does this stuff better than anyone." - Steven Soderbergh on the quality of football shows and broadcasts

For more information on "The Rich Eisen Podcast," please visit richeisen.nfl.com or go to iTunes to download the latest episode.

NFL Fantasy Playoff Challenge on NFL.com

Thought your fantasy football season was over? Think again! Satisfy your fantasy football craving with NFL.com's NFL Fantasy Playoff Challenge, the official playoffs fantasy football game of the NFL. Create a team of eight players each week and collect the most fantasy points throughout the postseason. Earn bonus points for selecting players that go deep into the playoffs. It's free and easy to play, with official player news, information, updates and free live-scoring during games.

The top scoring user wins a trip to Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis next year. The grand prize includes a four day/three night round trip stay for the winner and one guest to attend Super Bowl XLVI. Included are two tickets to the game, two tickets to the NFL Tailgate Party and two gift bags consisting of NFL merchandise and admission at a football clinic.

To sign-up, please visit: Playoff Challenge

THIS WEEK ON AROUND THE LEAGUE and NFL TOTAL ACCESS: Hall of Fame Coach John Madden, Green Bay Wide Receiver Greg Jennings and Seattle Head Coach Pete Carroll

Wednesday, January 5

Around the League: