NEWS - SEPTEMBER 2016
The Experts Network (TXN) Preview the 2016 NFL Season for Sports Illustrated
Boomer Esiason, Cris Collinsworth, Howie Long and Phil Simms of The Experts Network preview the upcoming 2016 NFL season for Sports Illustrated.
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Chris Long Selected as Edge Defender for PFF NFL Team of The Week: Defense for Week 1
Chris Long has been selected to Pro Football Focus (PFF's) NFL Team of the Week: Defense for NFL Week 1 as an edge defender. Chris recorded two sacks in his debut for New England suggest that Long still has plenty of pass-rush left in the tank. He added a hurry to those sacks and even showed up in coverage.
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Boomer Between the Games: Week 1 Preview With Phil Simms
By DJ Sixsmith September 8, 2016
The NFL season is finally here! This season, NFL fans will be able to hear even more about their favorite teams in a brand new digital show called Boomer Between the Games. Hosted by NFL on CBS analyst and WFAN radio host Boomer Esiason, the former NFL quarterback gives his thoughts on the week that was in the National Football League and chats with an all-star roster of guests about the upcoming week of games.
On the premiere episode of Boomer Between the Games, Boomer is joined by his good friend and NFL on CBS lead analyst Phil Simms. Simms sounded off on several hot topics across the league including the injury concerns for the stars of the Baltimore Ravens, the challenges facing the Philadelphia Eagles after trading Sam Bradford and what the Patriots offense will look like during Tom Brady’s four game suspension. Additionally, Esiason explained why Kirk Cousins won’t be a one hit wonder and Simms let everyone know that the Steelers offense will be one of the best and most explosive in all of football.
Speaking of the Steelers and the Redskins, the two quarterbacks provided an extensive preview of the Monday Night Football game between Pittsburgh and Washington. Boomer has been a staunch supporter of Kirk Cousins since his strong finish to the 2015 season. The 1988 NFL MVP believes the Redskins will be able to take advantage of a Steelers defense that has had trouble covering top-flight receivers. In fact, Boomer sees both DeSeason Jackson and Jordan Reed having big nights against a Steelers defense that has some holes. Meanwhile, Simms doesn’t have the same concerns with Pittsburgh’s defensive because of their strong defensive line and athletic linebackers. Phil even went as far to say that second year receiver Sammy Coates can fill the role of Martavis Bryant if he can learn the playbook and stay on the field.
Esiason and Simms also chatted about one of the more intriguing games of the week between the Eagles and the Browns. Boomer doesn’t care one bit that Cleveland has a new head coach and a new quarterback. The co-host of Boomer & Carton in the Morning on WFAN doesn’t see the Browns competing for a playoff spot anytime soon. Simms doesn’t see the Browns making the playoffs anytime soon either, but the former New York Giants quarterback believes the Cleveland defense can have major success against rookie signal caller Carson Wentz. The playbook will be pretty vanilla for Wentz in his first career start, but both Boomer and Phil have high praise for new Eagles head coach Doug Pederson in the way he’ll be able to prepare his new starting quarterback.
Finally, Boomer and Phil grabbed a fan question from Twitter to discuss the most surprising move of the NFL preseason in Sam Bradford being traded to the Minnesota Vikings. Like his colleague at Showtime Brandon Marshall, Esiason believes the Vikings are actually a better team with Bradford under center as opposed to Teddy Bridgewater. Bradford completed 65% of his passes last season and Simms called the new Vikings quarterback one of the most accurate passers in the entire league. This week’s guest was also quick to note that Bradford has one of the most underrated arms in all of football and can be good in Minnesota if the offensive line properly protects him.
Boomer Between the Games will be available every week here on CBS Local Sports. Throughout the entire season, Boomer will be joined by guests like CBS Sports Radio’s Brian Jones, former NFL quarterback Chris Simms and former Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Mike Quick. Join the conversation with Boomer each week by using #BoomerBTG and one of your tweets could be included in next week’s show.
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Tailgate Nation: Ford Signs Three-Year Deal To Become Official Truck Of NFL
By Terry Lefton, Editor-at-Large September 7, 2016
Ford Trucks has signed a three-year sponsorship with the NFL and will activate its new designation as the league's official truck by linking the strength, performance and durability of its trucks with the NFL's top offensive lines. The lead activation platform will be the "Ford Tough Offensive Line of the Week" recognition, which will culminate in an Offensive Line of the Year that will be awarded at NFL Honors during Super Bowl week. Ford also will have dedicated ads supporting the sponsorship, including one Ford VP/U.S. Marketing, Sales & Service Mark LaNeve said should be ready within a few weeks. Pro Football HOFer Anthony Munoz has been signed as a spokesperson for the program. Bears G Kyle Long also has signed as part of a content program for next year, where he will be helping instruct top collegiate linemen on the rigors of the NFL before they are drafted. Also planned are the Toughest Ticket and Toughest Tailgate promotions, where local dealers can tie in. LaNeve was the principal architect of the deal for Ford, and he said, "We think it’s a great brand fit for us, and the NFL is more popular than ever. This just allows us to take better advantage of our promotional and media resources across all platforms. The NFL also is one of the few places we could really get scale across all of our key demos. Our core truck buyers are clearly huge fans, but the NFL is also one of the few places that also delivers scale across key demos, including multicultural, women. It works across the country, and as some of the last appointment television left, viewers are much more likely to watch the commercials."
KEEP ON TRUCKIN': The deal includes rights for trucks, like Ford's F-150 and the Super Duty, along with its lineup of top-selling commercial vans. LaNeve orchestrated GM's NFL sponsorship deal 15 years ago, then largely supporting the Cadillac brand, when it was the official car of the Super Bowl. Steve Rosner of 16W Marketing helped craft the activation strategy and negotiate the deal for Ford. WPP’s dedicated “Global Team Blue” Ford agencies (not coincidentally, LaNeve’s old shop) are handling activation. Former Lions VP/Marketing & Partnership Activations Jennifer Cadicamo will direct the sponsorship as Senior VP/Dir of Sports Marketing at GTB. Ford has 16 NFL team sponsorships of various sizes, and recently added a 10-year title sponsorship of the Cowboys’ new training facility in Frisco, Texas. Ford is also a principal sponsor of the Pro Football HOF. "Having NFL rights will just allow us better integration of all of those,’’ LaNeve said.