Rating the ABC/ESPN announcers for Vikings-Bears
Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and sideline reporter Lisa Salters will have the call Monday night on ABC. The game will be carried by KSTP (Ch. 5) in the Twin Cities.
Having covered the sports TV-radio beat for the Star Tribune for eight years, I found there was plenty of interest in that side of the business.
We tune into games to watch the action, but the viewing experience either can be enhanced or diminished by those describing what is going on.
Thus, each week I’m providing a brief analysis of who will be in the booth to call the Vikings’ game and whether the assignment is a good or bad one.
Network and broadcast team: Joe Buck and Troy Aikman will have the call at 7 p.m. Monday on ABC and ESPN+. Lisa Salters will be the sideline reporter. ABC affiliate KSTP (Ch. 5) will have the game in the Twin Cities.
Rating the duo: 7.5 on a scale of 1-10.
Why that rating? Buck and Aikman are in their third season calling Monday night games after 20 seasons of being the No. 1 NFL team at FOX.
While there are Vikings fans who haven’t forgiven Buck for his reaction to seeing Randy Moss “moon” fans at Lambeau Field during a playoff game 20 years ago, Buck remains one of the best in the business. Aikman, who was taken first overall in the 1989 draft by Dallas and won three Super Bowls with the Cowboys, isn’t my favorite analyst but he’s solid.
There is certain to be plenty of attention paid to Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft last April, but this ESPN production isn’t going to ignore the incredible turnaround of Vikings QB Sam Darnold and the job coach Kevin O’Connell has done in unlocking him.
Except to hear plenty of pregame and in-game discussion about Darnold’s contract situation and whether the Vikings should look to extend him.
The Vikings have made two prime-time appearances this season — a Thursday night loss to the Rams on Prime and a Sunday night victory over the Colts on NBC — but this will be their first on “Monday Night Football” in 2024.
It comes as part of a doubleheader for Disney-owned ABC and ESPN, with the latter carrying Atlanta (6-7) and Las Vegas (2-11) at 7:30 p.m.
The Bears are 4-9, have lost seven in a row and fired coach Matt Eberflus after their losing streak reached six, but this game has much better storylines than Falcons-Raiders.
That is unless Kirk Cousins gets benched by the Falcons.