52 preseason games in 29 days ...only on NFL Network
* Hall of Fame Game kicks off coverage Aug. 5
* First-ever live preseason doubleheaders
* Preseason schedule includes record eight live games
Get your depth charts, fantasy rosters and DVRs ready! Beginning with the exclusive live telecast of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 5 with Bryant Gumbel and 2006 Sports Emmy winner Cris Collinsworth in the booth, it's wall-to-wall action ... 52 preseason games in 29 days ... only on NFL Network.
During the 2007 NFL preseason, NFL Network televises 52 games -- all but the 13 televised nationally by the NFL's other network partners (CBS, ESPN, FOX & NBC).
NFL Network carries a record eight games live, including a pair of live preseason doubleheaders -- an NFL preseason first -- on Saturday, Aug. 25 and Thursday, Aug. 30 with 7 p.m. ET and 10 p.m. ET kickoffs.
NFL Network produces two of the eight live games -- the Hall of Fame Game (New Orleans vs. Pittsburgh) and Washington at Tennessee on Aug. 11 -- while simulcasting the others.
For most simulcast games, NFL Network uses the television feeds of local broadcasters and makes use of both sets of announcers. For example, if Houston is playing at Arizona, NFL Network will use the announcers from the Cardinals (home team) for the first half, and then switch to the Texans' (away team) crew for the second half. The simulcast games will be available live nationwide (to all but the two competing team markets in most instances).
NFL.com is the exclusive internet home of NFL Network. Log on to NFL.com to view the entire NFL Network preseason television schedule.
Each of the eight live games airing on NFL Network has an interesting storyline:
New Orleans at Pittsburgh
(Hall of Fame Game: Sunday, Aug. 5 at 8 p.m. ET)
Pittsburgh Steelers rookie head coach Mike Tomlin makes his debut on the sidelines against a New Orleans Saints team which advanced to the NFC Championship Game last year behind Sean Payton, a rookie coach who earned AP Coach of the Year honors.
Washington at Tennessee
(Saturday, Aug. 11 at 8 p.m. ET)
Redskins head coach Joe Gibbs makes his first trip to Tennessee where quarterback Vince Young opens the season as the Titans starter after winning six of his final seven starts, AP Offensive Rookie of the Year honors, and becoming the first rookie QB to play in a Pro Bowl.
Houston at Arizona
(Saturday, Aug. 18 at 4 p.m. ET)
New Houston quarterback Matt Schaub leads the Texans against the Cardinals in the first game to be played this season at University of Phoenix Stadium -- site of Super Bowl XLII in February. Cardinals tackle Levi Brown, the team's first-round draft choice in April, makes his debut in front of the home fans.
Detroit at Indianapolis
(Saturday, Aug. 25 at 7 p.m. ET -- Doubleheader Game 1)
Detroit wide receiver Calvin Johnson, a consensus All-America at Georgia Tech and the second overall selection in the 2007 NFL Draft, will get a closer look at future Hall of Fame receiver Marvin Harrison when the Lions visit the Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts.
San Diego at Arizona
(Saturday, Aug. 25 at 10 p.m. ET -- DH Game 2)
A new head coach (Norv Turner, San Diego & Ken Whisenhunt, Arizona), a top 10 drafted quarterback (Philip Rivers, San Diego & Matt Leinart, Arizona), and a former NFL rushing champion (LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego & Edgerrin James, Arizona) will take part for each team when the Chargers visit the Cardinals.
Buffalo at Detroit
(Thursday, Aug. 30 at 7 p.m. ET -- Doubleheader Game 1)
The Bills and Lions meet to conclude the preseason for the sixth consecutive year. Buffalo's Marshawn Lynch, the second running back drafted in April, gets his final prep work as he aims to become the first Bills rookie to rush for 1,000 yards in more than two decades.
San Francisco at San Diego
(Thursday, Aug. 30 at 10 p.m. ET -- DH Game 2)
San Francisco quarterback Alex Smith takes the field against new San Diego head coach Norv Turner, who as 49ers QB coach in 2006 oversaw Smith's marked improvement from his rookie to second year. This also serves as the final tune-up for San Francisco's nine 2007 draftees, including two first rounders.
Indianapolis at Cincinnati
(Friday, Aug. 31 at 7:30 p.m. ET)
Meeting of high-powered offenses featuring the AFC's only 4,000-yard passers in 2006 -- Peyton Manning of Indianapolis and Carson Palmer of Cincinnati.
NFL NETWORK AIR TIMES FOR 2007 PRESEASON GAMES
(ALL TIMES EASTERN/BOLD INDICATES LIVE)Sunday, August 5
Pro Football Hall of Fame Game; Canton, Ohio
- 1. New Orleans vs. Pittsburgh (LIVE) 8 p.m.
WEEK 1
Friday, August 10
- 2. Cincinnati at Detroit 4 p.m.
- 3. Atlanta at New York Jets 11:59 p.m.
Saturday, August 11
- 4. St. Louis at Minnesota 10 a.m.
- 5. New England at Tampa Bay 1 p.m.
- 6. Washington at Tennessee (LIVE) 8 p.m.
- 7. Chicago at Houston 11:59 p.m.
Sunday, August 12
- 8. Kansas City at Cleveland 11 a.m.
- 9. Carolina at New York Giants 2 p.m.
- 10. Green Bay at Pittsburgh 5 p.m.
- 11. Arizona at Oakland 11 p.m.
Monday, August 13
- 12. Jacksonville at Miami 1 p.m.
Wednesday, August 15
- 13. Philadelphia at Baltimore 4 p.m.
WEEK 2
Friday, August 17
- 14. Tennessee at New England 11:59 p.m.
Saturday, August 18
- 15. Atlanta at Buffalo 10 a.m.
- 16. Carolina at Philadelphia 1 p.m.
- 17. Houston at Arizona (LIVE; blacked out in local markets) 4 p.m.
- 18. Seattle at Green Bay 11:59 p.m.
Sunday, August 19
- 19. Tampa Bay at Jacksonville 8 a.m.
- 20. New Orleans at Cincinnati 11 a.m.
- 21. Pittsburgh at Washington 2 p.m.
- 22. Denver at Dallas 5 p.m.
- 23. Detroit at Cleveland 11 p.m.
Tuesday, August 21
- 24. Oakland at San Francisco 12:30 p.m.
WEEK 3
Friday, August 24
- 25. New Orleans at Kansas City 3:30 p.m.
Saturday, August 25
- 26. Tennessee at Buffalo 10 a.m.
- 27. St. Louis at Oakland 4 p.m.
- 28. Detroit at Indianapolis (LIVE; blacked out in local markets) 7 p.m.
- 29. San Diego at Arizona (LIVE; blacked out in local markets) 10 p.m.
Sunday, August 26
- 30. Minnesota at Seattle 1 a.m.
- 31. Baltimore at Washington 8 a.m.
- 32. Dallas at Houston 11 a.m.
- 33. Cleveland at Denver 2 p.m.
- 34. New York Jets at New York Giants 5 p.m.
- 35. San Francisco at Chicago 11 p.m.
Tuesday, August 28
- 36. Tampa Bay at Miami 9:30 a.m.
WEEK 4
Thursday, August 30
- 37. Buffalo at Detroit (LIVE; blacked out in local markets) 7 p.m.
- 38. San Fran. at San Diego (LIVE; blacked out local markets) 10 p.m.
Friday, August 31
- 39. Houston at Tampa Bay 9 a.m.
- 40. Kansas City at St. Louis Noon
- 41. Oakland at Seattle 3 p.m.
- 42. Indianapolis at Cincinnati (LIVE; blacked out local markets) 7:30 p.m.
- 43. Baltimore at Atlanta 11:30 p.m.
Saturday, September 1
- 44. Washington at Jacksonville 8 a.m.
- 45. Miami at New Orleans 11 a.m.
- 46. New York Jets at Philadelphia 2 p.m.
- 47. Dallas at Minnesota 5 p.m.
- 48. New York Giants at New England 8 p.m.
- 49. Cleveland at Chicago 11 p.m.
Sunday, September 2
- 50. Green Bay at Tennessee 8 a.m.
- 51. Pittsburgh at Carolina 11 a.m.
- 52. Arizona at Denver 10 p.m.
