ESPN’s ‘Sunday NFL Countdown’ to broadcast from Philly ahead of Eagles vs. Cowboys

ESPN’s ‘Sunday NFL Countdown’ to broadcast live from Philly ahead of Eagles vs. Cowboys

Philadelphia will be the center of the NFL universe this weekend as two prominent ESPN shows will make their way to the city to join in on the Eagles-Cowboys hype.

Taking a cue from their Monday Night Football counterparts and for the first time this season, ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown is going on the road from its studio in Bristol, Conn., to Xfinity Live across the street from Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia ahead of the Birds playoff-like match-up against the Dallas Cowboys per a press release.

“With the playoffs on the line this week in Philadelphia, there is nowhere we would rather be on Sunday morning,” said Matthew Garrett, ESPN coordinating producer. “We have taken Countdown on the road to some of the NFL’s biggest matchups in recent years and this Cowboys-Eagles rivalry game certainly fits that bill. The passion of Eagles fans is extraordinary and we can’t wait to put it on display this Sunday at Xfinity Live!”

ESPN reporters Sal Paolantonio and Ed Werder will report live from Lincoln Financial Field, while NFL insiders Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter will handle their roles from ESPN headquarters in Bristol.

Randy Moss is 1st WR named to NFL’s all-time team

Moss will be one of 10 wide receivers on the team.

The NFL is putting together an all-time team to celebrate its 100th season.

There will be 10 wide receivers on the team. While we don’t know who all of them are, but we do know that Randy Moss will be on the team.

Moss played 14 seasons in the league. He was at his best with the Vikings, catching 587 passes for 9,316 yards and 92 touchdowns over 113 games. Throughout his career, Moss finished with 982 catches for 15,292 yards and 156 touchdowns.

The Vikings already have Alan Page, John Randle, Jan Stenerud and Randall McDaniel on the team.

It will be interesting to see if Cris Carter is a nominee for the team as well.

Former Vikings guard Randall McDaniel makes NFL’s all-time team

On Friday, the NFL announced that former Vikings guard Randall McDaniel was one of seven guards to make the team.

The Vikings now have four former players who have made the NFL’s all-time team to celebrate its 100 seasons.

On Friday, the NFL announced that former Vikings guard Randall McDaniel was one of seven guards to make the team.

McDaniel was a first-round pick in the 1988 draft by the Vikings. He was with the Vikings from 1988-1999 and with the Buccaneers from 2000-2001. McDaniel made 12 Pro Bowls and seven All-Pro teams. He was inducted into the NFL’s Hall of Fame in 2009.

McDaniel now joins John Randle, Alan Page and Jan Stenerud as former Vikings to make the team.

The next position group to be unveiled will be wide receivers. You get the feeling that Randy Moss and perhaps Cris Carter will be finalists to make the team.

Hall of Famer Randy Moss shows Mike Evans love on Twitter

Hall of Famer Randy Moss paid respect to Buccaneers receiver Mike Evans on Twitter after the Buccaneers player accomplished this feat.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers manhandled the Atlanta Falcons in Week 12, upsetting their division rival 35-22 on the road.

Head coach Bruce Arians said it was their best complete team game this season, and it’s hard to argue against that. After throwing two first-quarter interceptions, quarterback Jameis Winston calmed down, finishing the day with three touchdown passes — two to wide receiver Chris Godwin and one to ** double checks box score** Vita Vea!

And, even though he finished with just four catches for 50 yards and no touchdowns, Bucs receiver Mike Evans made history of his own during the win. Evans needed just seven yards yesterday to join Hall of Famer Randy Moss as the only receivers in NFL history to begin their careers with six-straight 1,000-yard seasons. With his 50, Evans now has 1,043 yards on the year.

After Evans reached the milestone yesterday, he took to Twitter afterwards, where he and Moss had a great exchange.

Take a look.

I wrote over the weekend how Evans could potentially make a run at Jerry Rice’s seemingly unbreakable record of 11-straight 1,000-yard seasons. Evans is just entering the prime of his career and shows no signs of slowing down, barring injury, of course.

Remember, Rice’s streak only came to an end in 1997 because he tore up his knee in the season opener after Warren Sapp tackled Rice by the face mask  during a reverse.

Hopefully, Evans won’t suffer a freak injury like that anytime soon.

Let’s just hope, too, that the Bucs can start winning on a consistent basis. Evans has had nine career games with 150-plus receiving yards, but the team is just 1-8 in those games.

For a guy like Evans, winning is what matters most. Still, it’s nice to see him and Moss acknowledging each others’ greatness. After all, they are in a class of their own.

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Mike Evans looking for bounce-back performance against Saints in Week 11

Bucs wide receiver Mike Evans has a shot at making history in Week 11, but will need to exorcise some demons from Week 5’s loss to Saints.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans has 924 receiving yards through the first 10 weeks, meaning he’s just 76 away from another 1,000-yard season.

Hitting that mark would make Evans one of only two wide receivers in NFL history — the other being Hall of Famer Randy Moss — to have six-straight 1,000-yard seasons to start their careers.

It seems like almost a given that Evans will get 76 yards on Sunday, especially when you consider the fact that he’s averaged 139.0 yards per game over the team’s last four games.

But, you may want to pump the brakes on the celebratory confetti for now, especially when you consider that Week 11’s opponent is the New Orleans Saints.

When these two teams last met back in Week 5, not only did New Orleans hand the Bucs the first of four-straight losses, but Evans was held without a reception for just the second time in his career.

The only other time it happened?

Week 2 of the 2015 season against — you guessed it — the Saints.

The good news for Evans is that both those performances came in New Orleans. Sunday’s game will be played in the friendly confines of Raymond James Stadium.

Evans has been a tear in the four games since laying that goose egg on the stat sheet. Sunday’s game will be his chance at both redemption and history.

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