Rob Hyland, who simply accomplished his first NFL common season as coordinating producer of NBC’s “Sunday Night Football,” will produce Cincinnati’s AFC Wild Card Round sport towards Baltimore on Sunday evening.
Not together with final yr’s Super Bowl, it is going to be the fifth Bengals’ playoff sport offered by NBC Sports since kicking off “Sunday Night Football” in 2006 – with Hyland producing all 5 (the earlier 4 being Jets-Bengals in 2010, Bengals-Texans in 2012, Bengals-Texans in 2013 and Raiders-Bengals final yr).
NBC Sports introduced Wednesday that “Sunday Night Football” – that includes Mike Tirico alongside former Bengals nice Cris Collinsworth – concluded the NFL’s common season on tempo to be tv’s No. 1 primetime present for the twelfth consecutive yr.
In an unique Q&A with The Enquirer, Hyland talked about visiting Cincinnati, his recollections of the Bengals’ first playoff win in additional than three many years, and extra:
Cris Collinsworth joked with Mike Tirico after Sunday Night Football – when playoff sport instances and networks had been introduced – that you just guys may crash at his place or one thing alongside these strains. Will there be something particular that you just guys do that weekend earlier than the sport, provided that Collinsworth is a long-time Northern Kentucky resident and his history with the Bengals?
It is feasible that there might be a number of graphic components commissioned that embody No. 80’s achievements as a Cincinnati Bengal. Cris and Joe Burrow have one thing in frequent past the Bengals that could possibly be showcased as properly on Sunday: They each have a menu merchandise named after them at Jeff Ruby’s in downtown Cincinnati.
Does it make your sport prep – or the printed itself – any simpler provided that these two groups met on Sunday Night Football in the course of the common season, even when it was in Baltimore as a substitute of Cincinnati?
The undeniable fact that these two groups had been featured on “Sunday Night Football” in Week 5 of the common season is unquestionably a profit. While each groups have advanced since that sport, having coated the primary matchup helps to cut back among the preliminary prep work.
Among the 4 Bengals playoff video games you have produced, final yr’s sport towards Las Vegas was Cincinnati’s solely win. Do you assume there was a way forward of that sport that this Bengals crew may lastly win a postseason sport after 31 years, and even anybody amongst your colleagues anticipating them to attain the Super Bowl?
Prior to final yr’s Wild Card sport towards the Raiders, all of us thought the Bengals had the potential to win the sport. After attending the Bengals’ apply and assembly with the gamers and coaches, we walked away with the impression that this was a assured crew prepared for the problem. The ’21 Bengals offense was explosive, main the NFL with 17 TDs of 25+ yards. Joe Burrow led the league that yr in each completion share and yards per try. Ja’Marr Chase had set the franchise file for receiving yards. Last yr’s crew was loaded with expertise and performed with a swagger and perception that they had been turning into one thing particular.
What stands out most about your expertise visiting Cincinnati final yr or in 2010? Have you had every other event to go to, for work or pleasure?
Last yr’s Wild Card sport vs. Las Vegas might be one thing I keep in mind eternally. The sport got here down to the very finish: It took a Germaine Pratt interception with about 14 seconds remaining to safe the win. I’ll all the time keep in mind the celebration scene after the sport. Specifically, the photographs of the gamers and followers rejoicing on the finish of an extended playoff victory drought.
I’ve been to Cincinnati a variety of instances for work; the 2010 Wild Card, the Spiral Stakes (now Jeff Ruby Steaks), which has been a Derby prep race for a variety of years in addition to quite a few journeys to the Pro Football Focus world headquarters for offseason conferences.
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