Don't know how many people out there have NFL Network (or better yet...care about this game), but I'll be live-blogging the thing tonight starting around 7ish/8ish. I need a break from the Mitchell Report so hopefully you can join in.

See you then.

"Coach Shanhan came over and asked me if I could give him 30 snaps and I said I am under contract with the NFL. I am not Bobby Petrino I will not leave my post."- Deion Sanders

Pretty funny actually, but immediately after Rich Eisen asked him a question about the tallest receivers he had to cover and he could only up with Michael Irvin and "That Guy From Detroit". The only person I could think of was Herman Moore.

Yep, good follow up Eisen. Moore's a winner.

The NFL Network has been airing this same College Football Now commercial for about a month now and they play it about 40 times each game. Can we change it up guys?

"I thought you were getting ready to give us a Lee Corso there. Wear the head gear of the team you were picking."- Rich Eisen to Deion after the Texans' Trainer gave him a Texans' beanie.

"John's been the "Lynch" pin of this Broncos' Defense."- Denver Poetry Slam Guy

Clever.

Ooh....George Bush is in the house and it's "Battle Red Day". Seriously....what is with all of the Led Zepplin lately? God Bless them, but did anyone see the highlights from the concert??? Ugh. Kickoff coming up....

"Anyone see the blimp outside their window?" (Via Anon)

Good question. Someone find that thing and give me a review.

Tom Hammond is looking daper tonight and Cris is sporting a Bengals-like tie.

"I've played against you in Baseketball, the way you cheat and hold out there."- Cris Collinsworth to Tom Hammond

Wow....the NFL Network just actually played the National Anthem on TV. Kimberly Caldwell on the anthem....another American Idoler. Bravo NFL-N.

"Big fan of Tom Hammond already. Maybe he'll bring up some horse racing references for me too. Or maybe even better he will officially replace Bryant Gumbel" (Via Brett)

Seriously....I'm actually calm and ready to watch Football. Not typing furiously about his "Kermit" like voice.
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Kickoff time. Texans get the ball first. Davis returns it to the 30 for Houston....here comes Sage!

Great, first play of the game and the Wendy' Sky Cam is blocking the QB. I think it was a pass for a yard. 2nd and 8...Rosenfels to Owen Daniels and a first down. Play action pass complete to Andre Johnson and add another 5 yards for a face mask on Dre Bly.

1st down at Denver's 40, and Johnson gets the pass over the middle and fights his way out of a tackle and falls down at the 20. Darius Walker with the run for two on first down. Walker on 2nd and 8 follows his blockers for a nice run and another first down at the five. First and Goal Texans.

TOUCHDOWN TEXANS!!! Sage Rosenfels on the naked bootleg. Great play and run.

7-0 Houston.

"I've always been a closet Texans fan...who wouldn't love to see these guys pull this off?" (Via Shane)

I'm with you there. I have a man crush on Andre Johnson. One drive in and I also have a man crush on Tom Hammond. I never knew how much Pat Haden dragged him down on ND coverage.

Denver ball at the 20. Cutler throws to Graham on first down for about 3. Cutler follows that with a quick toss to Marshall who pushes his way for a first down. He comes up a little woozy after his head was driven into the turf. Huge run by Selvin Young on first down that goes for 20.

Another throw from Jay hits Martinez for 17 and it's 1st and 10 from the Texans' 30. A run on first down is followed by a Cutler lob out to Young and that one should have been picked. 3rd and 9 for the Broncos.....add a false start to that as well. 3rd and 14.

"There's no Football out there!"- Tom Hammond

Ha...that was kinda funny. Everyone was ready to go. Incomplete to Marshall....good defense. Elam on for the FG.....

Wait, no.....pooch punt. Downed at the five. Houston Ball.

"I'm pretty sure Shanoff said it before, and I'll say it again: Sage Rosenfels. The hope of Jewish athletes everywhere." (Via RandomRanting)

He's like Football's Sandy Koufax.

First and 10 for the Texans. Drive starts with a Walker run for nothing and that's followed by a screen to Leach for about 3 yards. 3rd and 6. Rosenfels hits Daniels short of the marker, but Abdullah misses on the tackle and O.D. rips off a first down out past the 20.

Walter with the reverse on first down. Hammond points out that Sage is 6 for 6 and he immediately follows with an almost interception from Champ Bailey. Incomplete and Bailey is shaken up.

Bailey looks okay...just a stinger. 3rd and two and a toss to Walter picks up a nice gain for a first down....13 yards there. Rosenfels throws incomplete on 1st.

"Rosenfels finally misses one."- Tom Hammond

That actually makes two Tom, but who's counting?

Walker for 4 on 2nd and 10, and it'll be third and long from the 46. Rosenfels hits Walker over the middle and DJ Williams just blasts him as he grabs it. Incomplete....Texans punt....

Martinez fakes a fair catch, but Davis is on his toes and grabs it out of the air at the five. Great play. First down Broncos.

Just flipped on the NFL.com/Live broadcast and they're talking about the Vikings. That's good for the fans of these two teams.

Travis Henry gets a carry and picks up two new kids yards. Texans blitz on 2nd down and Cutler and he hits his TE out to the 35.

"And a deflection. Actually from this angle it looked like a deflection, but it wasn't."- Tom Hammond

Wow and announcer correcting himself. That's a welcome change. Back to back Henry runs and it's another Denver first out at the 47. A screen to Marshall on first down and he's tackled by about 11 Red Jerseys. No gain. That's the end of the first.

Great quarter. I'm actually enjoying the game thanks to these two.

"Hammond is the Anti-Bryant Gumbel, or is Gumbel the Anti-Hammond?" (Via Chris)

I think it's the former. 2nd and 11...Young for a nice run. He's averaging about 14 yards a carry this year. 3rd and 4....Complete! Marshall from Cutler for about 6 over the middle.

1st down. Mario Williams sack! Reggie Bush who? Just an athletic play to avoid the low block. 2nd and 13 is a screen to Young for a few and it's third and long for the Broncos again. Great pass! Cutler hits Marshall again over the middle and that's a gain of 14 or so.

Young for zero on 1st.

"If you want to talk to John you may have to caddy for him."- Cris Collinsworth referring to Jay Cutler trying to talk to Elway.

Javon Walker gets an 8 yarder and it'll be third and short. Run up the middle....first down. Quick hitter to Marshall but he drops it...almost a lateral there. 2nd and 10....at the Texans 13. Cutler on the sneak, but there's a flag. Delay of game....it'll be 2nd and 15.

"Take that microphone away from him! He's talking more than I am now. Oh forget it, I don't even remember what it was."- Cris Collinsworth referring to the Ref discussing the penalty.
"I'm sure it was important."- Tom Hammond

Selvin Young goes backwards and it's 3rd and long again.....Over the middle....Oh! Almost picked by Demps. FG attempt from Elam.

GOOD! The Broncos are on the board.....

7-3.

Davis returns it across midfield! One guy to beat, but he's tackled.....great return by Andre. Texans ball at the Denver 44. Davis follows that up with a catch inside the 25. It's the Andre Davis show folks!!!

The play action is killing the Broncos but Rosenfels can't hit Johnson near the endzone. 2nd and 10....another play action pass over the middle. Just missed. 3rd and 10....incomplete. FG attempt....

Kris Brown nails it!

10-3 Texans.

"I'm so happy that I don't have to listen to Bryant Gumbel for 3 hours. I can't figure out if Hammond is that good or if it's just because I'm comparing him to Gumbel's usual brutal attempt at the play-by-play and overall smugness" (Via Noce)

That's a good question. I've never really had a problem with Hammond before. He seems like a perfect compliment to Collinsworth though.

Martinez brings it out just past the 20. First down Denver. Cutler fades away on a pass to the sideline, but Marshall is there and picks up a first. Henry for not much, but a defensive holding adds five. Cutler to Marshall again on the sideline, and Marshall has a problem with his arm. Looks to be a stinger. 1st down.

Jay to Brandon again, this time over the middle for 17 yards and Denver has the ball at the Houston 27. Dayne goes backwards on first and Cutler follows that with a bounce to Walker. Collinsworth points out that could have been interference....I agree. 3rd and 12.....

Cutler deep to Marshall! Fletcher breaks it up.....great play!!! Another FG attempt for Denver....

GOOD! 10-6 Texans. 4:31 left in the half.

Denver cannot score TDs to save their lives. Davis out to the 35 and he's been stellar on the returns tonight. 1st down Texans...

Play action pass by Rosenfels over the middle to Johnson, and Cris Collinsworth points out that they've ran this same route most of the game. Good info.

"Do you still hold the record for longest touchdown at Florida?- Tom Hammond
"Enh, I don't like to brag, but yes."- Cris Collinsworht
"And you threw it. Good trivia question."- Tom Hammond

Wow didn't know that. Rosenfels almost throws two picks and the Texans are punting from their 50. Martinez let's it bounce, but for some reason Dre Bly picks it up and runs it nowhere. Denver ball at their own 23. 2:39 left....

Screen to Marshall nets about 8, but there's a flag on the play. Face mask will add five yards. Young is swallowed up by Mario Williams on first down and that's the 2 minute warning.

"No complaints on Hammond at all I am just not sure if I have ever heard him announce anything other than the Olympics." (Via GMan)

Good point. I think Football is similar to the Olympics in that there are a ton of stops and you have to fill in those spots with pertinent info. Tom might be perfect for the NFL.

2nd and 9 and Cutler has it picked! No....Demps drops it. Another fadeaway throw by Cutler, and threw it right to Demps. 3rd and 9....Blitz! And another horrible throw by Cutler. They should really send pressure every single down. JC is throwing a pick or two tonight.

Texans ball at their own 25. Rosenfels hit on first down and throws it incomplete. Draw to Darius Walker and that doesn't gain much. 3rd and long....

Rosenfels hits Walter over the middle and Lynch just crushes the Receiver. Can't believe he hung onto that one. Timeout Broncos and the Texans are punting.

Broncos ball at their own 33....47 seconds left. Cutler to Marshall for about 3 and that's 9 catches for the receiver. Cutler is tripped on second down, and it's 3rd and long....

Denver just let's the half run out. 10-6 Texans. Great half for Tom and Cris and I'll see you for the 2nd Half in a new thread.