Witten in certain moments of the broadcast had trouble breaking down playsespn images
ESPN's Jason Witten is showing that he will "need a few more reps" than CBS' Tony Romo did before he gets "fully comfortable with his new role" in the "MNF" booth, according to Rob Tornoe of the PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER. During last night's broadcast of Ravens-Colts, Witten "sounded tight and overly rehearsed, and botched his analysis" of a sack by Colts DE John Simon of Ravens QB Joe Flacco. It is "easy to over-react to mistakes like this, but it is only Witten's second game, so he has plenty of time to improve" (PHILLY.com, 8/21). USA TODAY's Andrew Joseph wrote Witten last night "sounded nervous and rehearsed at times," which "won’t be a huge deal if it goes away with reps." His "struggles to identify and break down plays, though, were much more concerning." Specifically, when Witten used the telestrator to break down Simon’s sack of Flacco, he "botched every detail of the play." It is "reasonable to expect some errors given Witten’s lack of experience." Meanwhile, ESPN's Booger McFarland, serving as a sideline analyst, has "been a hit." The same "couldn’t be said for Witten" (USATODAY.com, 8/20). In N.Y., Andrew Marchand writes Witten has a "game plan to improve." Witten said, "A good listen is very easy to digest. I think it is good energy, not silly energy. It can’t be over the top. It is knowledgeable, drawing you in, but it is not overbearing or talking down" (N.Y. POST, 8/21).
ADDED LIFT: SI.com's Jacob Feldman noted while Witten "draws the spotlight, McFarland’s addition is the bigger change." In his 10-foot-high movable platform nicknamed the "Booger Mobile," McFarland "constantly has a live feed" of play-by-play man Joe Tessitore and Witten in the booth, and he has "already worked out Witten’s nonverbal cues." McFarland: "I can tell when he’s amped up on something." It remains to be seen if McFarland and Witten can "manage the long-distance relationship, seamlessly conversing like they’ll need to" for the broadcasts to succeed (SI.com, 8/20). The POST's Marchand writes ESPN is "sold on the Booger Mobile." Marchand: "We will give the Booger Mobile a chance, of course, but it feels like a lot of fuss without really a discernible explanation as to why it will produce a better broadcast. We would just put McFarland in the booth, especially if he is going to be the [Charles Barkley] of football" (N.Y. POST, 8/21).
