The 2009 NFL Playoffs - NFC Wild Card Weekend in HDTV on NBC
Indianapolis Colts at San Diego Chargers
Live from Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA
NBC HD 1080i & DD5.1
8:00 PM ET

Al Michaels, John Madden will have the call, Andrea Kremer serves as the sideline reporter.

From foxsports.com
John Czarnecki

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: The Chargers finished the regular season 31st against the pass and they face Colts QB Peyton Manning, who won his third MVP award (tying Brett Favre) because he was red hot down the stretch. Manning threw 17 TDs and only three INTs during Indy's nine-game winning streak. But while Manning is playing well and has a very talented group of downfield targets, the Chargers haven't generated a consistent pass rush all season without Shawne Merriman. The secondary, even with Ron Rivera taking over the defensive controls, has been mostly a passive bunch in coverage, particularly Antonio Cromartie, who had 10 interceptions last season. He finished with two this season. Remember, it was Cromartie who had three picks of Manning last season in his breakout game. San Diego ILB Stephen Cooper has been playing great down the stretch, collecting his team-high four INTs during the winning streak. The Chargers have had some success creating turnovers against Manning in the past, including nine INTs in three meetings the past two seasons. The key for San Diego is to stuff RB Joseph Addai and thus keep them out of play-action possibilities.

Chargers QB Philip Rivers has been sensational down the stretch and one big reason has been the improved play of LT Marcus McNeil, who might be able to handle Dwight Freeney. The real key may be if Jeromey Clary can stay with Robert Mathis on the other side. The Colts' defensive strength is their team speed and that safety Bob Sanders is healthy, as is much of the rest of their secondary. The big loss is MLB Gary Brackett, who is a tackling machine. RB LaDainian Tomlinson (groin) won't be 100 percent, but San Diego needs him in the lineup. It's too bad that he's been slowed, because L.T. looked like he was back to his 2007 form with the quick cutting and hard running that made him the best back in fantasy football. TE Antonio Gates, who has a severe ankle sprain, will try to play. Rivers needs both players to complete the short passes that lead to the downfield throws to Vince Jackson and Chris Chambers. Backup RB Darren Sproles is one of the league's best screen runners and can also help negate some of the Colts' speed. The Chargers fell to the Colts in the regular season this year at home, 23-20.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/9021158/Countdown:-Previewing-Saturday%27s-wild-card-games

Hi from gray San Diego.

WS

And we're off!

That field looks very ugly. Too much football played in that stadium in the last week or so with all the bowl games.

Noticeably better PQ for this game, and no first down line garbage at the top of the frame. Also hearing much more crowd noise in the surrounds, which is a big plus. Ref's mic sounded like it had some clipping on those penalty calls.

Watching on KXAS Dallas via FiOS.

Stadium's ref mic has been bad to us all day :(

Stadium's ref mic has been bad to us all day :(

Hopefully they'll stay out of it, so it won't matter.

Hopefully they'll stay out of it, so it won't matter.

not this crew

7-0...so far...so good.

Another punt. Now, let's march down the field.

Edit: Or not...

NBC's HD video quality of this game is disappointing. A lot of motion blur/ pixelation on action shots.

NBC's HD video quality of this game is disappointing. A lot of motion blur/ pixelation on action shots.


must be your local or provider , because it looks perfect ota here in Columbia , SC.

It looks alright with the exception of the transition from large graphics to live action. Nothing new there...

It looks alright with the exception of the transition from large graphics to live action. Nothing new there...

No one is exempt from that.

must be your local or provider , because it looks perfect ota here in Columbia , SC.

I see the same problems here, OTA on Channel 11.1 in Atlanta. I agree, it is probably the local affiliate. Weather on 11.2 here, & there is macro blocking galore on the wipes, transitions, fast pans etc.

As noted above, the sound for this game is much more robust, than that sorry Falcons game


As an aside, Ray Parker Jr. is gettin' paid & I can not wait until that Monsters
vs. Aliens movie comes out on blue, if the promos are any indication.

No one is exempt from that.
Nope. Although, some use those enormous graphics more often than others. It annoys me and messes with my eyes a bit. I feel myself having to refocus.

Those guys in the high school powder-puff like uniforms aren't too shabby. :D

Disaster...please be overturned.

Nope. Although, some use those enormous graphics more often than others. It annoys me and messes with my eyes a bit. I feel myself having to refocus.

Consume more alcohol. It won't be a problem.

Consume more alcohol. It won't be a problem.
Either that or it will help induce vomiting.

Disaster...please be overturned.

Consume more alcohol. It won't be a problem.Like I said....

Thank you ref...thank you. That was close...

More Matt Millen. Is there no mercy?

More Matt Millen. Is there no mercy?
The thought of Matt Millen offering his "expert" opinion/analysis makes me laugh.

Here in New Orleans WDSU-OTA has good PQ; although somewhat soft, but no blurring or pixelation on fast motion.

The thought of Matt Millen offering his "expert" opinion/analysis makes me laugh.
Note that he wasn't mentioned by Peter King for the 'open' positions in the NFL.

WNBC-DT NY OTA
Much better than the ATL/AZ game earlier. This is what the past SNF games looked like. Very sharp.

I agree. Matt Millen should be banned from any TV commentator job. He's useless.

Anyone think that the audio on the "Monsters vs. Aliens" (or whatever) trailer sounded like it was at the bottom of a barrel? In addition, talk about a shameless commercial plug...

By the way, NBC had a 3-D halftime show years ago at the Orange Bowl. (Edit: I'll be darned if I can find any info on it, though.)

Anyone think that the audio on the "Monsters vs. Aliens" (or whatever) trailer sounded like it was at the bottom of a barrel? In addition, talk about a shameless commercial plug...

By the way, NBC had a 3-D halftime show years ago at the Orange Bowl.
I've never seen anything in 3-D outside of a theater. I have to admit I am curious and I will probably watch that trailer and I'll watch the 3-D episode of Chuck for the first time.

It pays to have the smartest QB in the league. Caught 'em.

...bomb, on me, baby...

Nice, Wendel.

IMO the video looks better than what I see on most CBS games, especially considering this is an evening game. The amount of blocking is higher on motion compared to the CBS presentation here, but the local station has subs. Much less now with the new network distribution. Minimal if any swimming grass.

Here in Chicago, the PQ is pretty good, but we have had some freeze ups that have lasted several seconds.

Watching OTA (WTHR-HD)....pic suddenly has continuous blocking/tearing effect once a second; antenna adjustments have no effect....practically no wind right now.

Nice use of "Final Countdown" going to break with 2:41 left.

Set up for an exciting finish!

OT

From WDIV-DT NBC Detroit OTA, no issues at all. It's been without issues all night.

Guess we're not finished yet.

OT

From WDIV-DT NBC Detroit OTA, no issues at all. It's been without issues all night.

Seen a few glitches, nothing major, on WDIV via Comcast. Most likely weather related cable problems.

ohhhh my

Bolts win in OT. MVP not so much.

Guess we're not finished yet.

OK -- now you're finished! (Nice sound by the way!) :D

Great production by NBC tonight, looking forward to this crew working the Super Bowl.

Wendel, great audio all night long.

Great production by NBC tonight, looking forward to this crew working the Super Bowl.

Wendel, great audio all night long.

someone in the stands was whistling all night
almost turned my rears off

Good bye Colts, now if only the Steelers and Giants lose next week I will be a happy camper.

Umm, yeah...go Patriots.

someone in the stands was whistling all night
almost turned my rears off

LOL, first time I found my rear sound annoying.

LOL, first time I found my rear sound annoying.

Post it during the game next time. We can have the offender dealt with. :)

it was the cool uniforms.

In what spots do they actually place the microphones? Also is wiring them a PITA? Just curious....:cool:

it was the cool uniforms.

And when they send them out for auctioning again, they should be worth a lot more! :D:cool:

How about a screenshot of thos beautiful unis ?

It looks alright with the exception of the transition from large graphics to live action. Nothing new there...

No one is exempt from that.
Nope. Although, some use those enormous graphics more often than others. It annoys me and messes with my eyes a bit. I feel myself having to refocus.This might be the "focus" or "blur" issue that results from the improper adaptive filtering setting on some local stations' encoders... our CBS affiliate (WKRC) has this problem and hasn't bothered to fix it even though we've notified them several times.

Those powder blue uniforms are awful. The only ones I've seen that are worse or the Texans ketchup unis, Jets "NY Titans" throwbacks, and the Steelers throwbacks with the yellow helmets - just that uni, those yellow helmets would look good with the current Steelers uniforms.

Okay, the powder blues aren't that bad, but it's ridiculous that everyone goes ga-ga over them.

Also, every year when writers rate uniforms they put the Chargers powder blues in the Best category, but put the Denver Nuggets in the Worst category - WTF, they're the same uniforms!