With a star-studded start (Dallas-Washington in Week 1 and the "Manning Bowl" in Week 2) as well as the ability to adjust its schedule late in the season to ensure compelling matchups if necessary, "Sunday Night Football" easily represents the most high-profile outlet for the NFL from week to week.It's the league's network home in prime time for much of the season, and the broadcast crew -- in studio and on site -- typically meets that responsibility with appropriate still. Plus, NBC Sports has made key changes in recent years that have made the show even better.
Atop that list for this year was cutting Keith Olbermann's role in the show. While his ESPN background gave him chemistry with host Dan Patrick and credibility with some fans, his MSNBC news duties and his hosting approach on "Countdown with Keith Olberman" clearly counteracted that goodwill and trust for other viewers. Without him, the studio show is better.
Also, NBC cut the clutter in its studio in recent seasons, which has allowed former coach Tony Dungy and former player Rodney Harrison to shine. They're insightful and opinionated -- a nice combination.
Once the games begin, proven and steady Al Michaels calls the action. He remains among the best in the game, but does have his idiosyncrasies -- including an incessant need to comment on the video player introductions the network uses to share game lineups, and an over-willingness to offer his opinion about things other than the game.
Thankfully, Chris Collinsworth -- who was overdue in replacing John Madden on broadcasts -- gets enough time to make his points. He's also informed and opinionated. He's not always right, but that hardly matters. He's easy to listen to and makes the games enjoyable. Maybe Michaels could make anyone a success, because he does direct things capably to allow Collinsworth to shine, but the former receiver himself deserves much of the credit. He's just good at what he does.
The entire package works well, but productive tweaks remain possible. Foremost would be limiting the bully pulpit on-site host Bob Costas enjoys from week to week. Or, at least providing some reporting context when Costas takes hold of the broadcast as his own -- usually during the last segment of NBC's halftime production before going to commercial and returning to game action.
This week, Costas' topic was concussions in the NFL. What viewers got was on-air essay/editorial about the dangers of the sport and the need for the league to continue to tread cautiously -- and consistently -- in how players with head injuries are treated. Costas gets the benefit of the doubt in terms of reporting for such commentaries (he's been around a long time and is generally accepted as a great interviewer, so he must've done the legwork on that topic and others, right?), but his opinion in that format just seems out of place in the broadcast.
A bit more on-air reporting, comments from officials, reaction from players -- a complete package on a topic, perhaps concluded by a commentary -- would make the segments better.
NBC could limit its highlights at halftime (people who care already know the results) and use more of the mid-game break to explore such issues if it would like. It could be compelling TV, especially before what might be the largest NFL audience from week to week.
By itself, though, it's just a host who has the ability to get such air time making the least of it.
Plus, when it comes just minutes after a comedy segment/commercial from Toyota, the tone just misses. Or seems suddenly stark compared to everything else.