NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s interview about the new NFL Player Advisory Forum will air tonight on NFL Network’s Thursday Night Kickoff Presented by Sears pregame show at 6 p.m. ET. The NFL announced the new program today that will be led by former NFL coach Tony Dungy and will involve a regular series of meetings in various cities with NFL players, including Pro Bowl veterans such as Broncos safety Brian Dawkins, Ravens LB Ray Lewis, and Cardinals QB Kurt Warner.

The following are quotes from Commissioner Goodell during the interview that was taped for the pregame show:

On NFL Player Advisory Forum and its purpose:
“The number one thing that we want to get is input from our players on what’s going on in their lives and how they feel about the game and issues on and off the field.”

On players voicing their concerns and critiques on league rules and guidelines:
“We want to hear from the players on what’s not going well, what we need to work on and what we can improve on; How we can do things better. And the players are very vocal and they have always given me great input. They have been valuable to us in whatever changes are made from rules to the personal conduct policy to changes in the Pro Bowl.”

On the logistics of the meetings:
“We want to make it convenient for the players since they’re taking their personal time to participate. They’ll help set the agenda. What are the issues they want to talk about, that they want me to be aware of? So that we can take that into consideration.”

On the NFLPA’s involvement:
“I mentioned to De [DeMaurice Smith] and asked if he wanted to participate and I’d welcome that. We’d be glad to have him sit in, either De himself or a representative.”

On if the Commissioner will use the forums to give his thoughts on issues to players:
“You do learn a lot from listening, but I’m also not a wallflower when I have a strong view on a particular issue, so yes, I will share my opinion on things.”

On when the first Player Advisory Forum will take place:
“We hope to do that by mid-December. I think our initial focus will start in the Baltimore-Washington area, where we can reach the Redskins, Ravens, Eagles and maybe the two New York teams. They can get there easily and make it convenient for them on an off day.”

The Texans may have already beaten the Titans once this year in Tennessee, but all three of our NFL Network Playbook analysts expect the Titans to win the rematch. After an 0-6 start, Tennessee has won three consecutive games since naming Vince Young the starting quarterback. Brian Baldinger, Sterling Sharpe and Joe Theismann all think it will stretch that streak to four at Houston’s expense.

All three of our experts are also in agreement that the Chargers will hand the Broncos their fourth straight loss, but as usual, Baldinger separated from the group with his pick for the week’s other AFC showdown.

He was the only one to correctly predict the Colts would keep their perfect record intact against the Patriots last week, but he is also alone in thinking that Indy will go down in defeat for the first time in Baltimore.

Without further ado, take a look at all of their Week 11 picks:

Playbook airs Tuesday through Friday at 6 p.m. ET. It combines Xs-and-Os analysis of each NFL game with roundtable debates on the NFL’s hottest topics. For more information, check out NFL Network’s broadcast schedule.

Sterling Sharpe is back for his weekly chat with NFL Nation! Join Sterling on Wednesday, November 18 at 2 p.m. ET as he takes your questions during a live chat to discuss the latest around the NFL. Submit your questions for Sterling now, and check back to follow along on Thursday to get his thoughts on Week 11. 

Don’t forget, Sterling joins Brian Baldinger and Joe Theismann on Thursdays for AFC Playbook and Fridays for NFC Playbook. Playbook airs four days a week (Tuesday through Friday) on NFL Network at 6 p.m. ET.

For the most recent live chats on NFL.com, check out the chat archive.

Thursday night’s Chicago Bears-San Francisco 49ers game on NFL Network was watched in an average of 2.75 million homes — topping last year’s opener by 29 percent and ranking as the most-watched season opener in the four seasons of Thursday Night Football.

The game also posted a 5.2 coverage area rating topping all shows on cable for the day. All NFL Network Thursday night games since 2006 have been the top-rated show of the day on cable.

NFL Network airs seven days a week, 24 hours a day on a year-round basis and is the only network fully dedicated to the NFL and the sport of football. For more information, log onto www.nfl.com/nflnetwork.

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A tough Week 9 loss to the Patriots left Dolphins LB Joey Porter without much to say — at least nothing worthy of a bulletin board.

Porter was dressed like Johnny Cash — aka, The Man in Black — and jokingly said during his weekly Thursday appearance on NFL Network that the Dolphins’ 27-17 defeat was “like a funeral.”

“You know, even me, I know that after you lose a game and you don’t perform, at some point in time, you have to take a step back,” Porter said. “We lost a tough one that we wanted to win and was going to put us in a better situation than we’re in now. But, at the same time, they won that game. Now we’re on to the next. We have to get ready for Tampa.”

Last week, Porter expressed his belief that NFL officials treat New England’s Tom Brady differently than other quarterbacks and admitted that he had long hated the Patriots. Brady responded by telling The Boston Globe he didn’t believe he had ever influenced a call and later said after the game that Porter’s comments had motivated the Patriots.

Porter didn’t duck any questions about his previous comments and acknowledged that his stat line — zero tackles — was posted on the Gillette Stadium scoreboard after last Sunday’s game.

“Yeah, I thought it was pretty funny,” Porter said. “It’s all in fun and games. But, at the same time, we still have to see them one more time in a little bit. They didn’t put the stats up there the last time I was there. They had the upper hand and put the stats on the board when they won. They did a good job with that. I’m not mad at them.”

Porter and the 3-5 Dolphins will have time to right the ship because only one of their next six opponents has a winning record. That opponent is the Patriots, in Week 13 at Miami.

NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock will take some time out from breaking down the film to break down your questions during a live chat on NFL.com on Thursday, November 12 at Noon ET. Submit your questions for Mike now and then come back and follow along in the discussion.

Mike joins Brian Billick and host Solomon Wilcots on Playbook every Tuesday and Wednesday, breaking down the previous week’s action. Playbook airs four days a week (Tuesday through Friday) on NFL Network at 6 p.m. ET.

Billick also held his weekly live chat on Tuesday, November 10. Check out the transcript here.

As usual when these teams meet, the game everyone is looking forward to this Sunday occurs at Indianapolis where the Colts and Patriots resume their heated rivalry. The Colts may be the lone remaining unbeaten in the AFC, but two of our three NFL Network Playbook analysts (Sterling Sharpe and Joe Theismann) predict the Patriots will hand them their first loss of the year.

Not only is Brian Baldinger alone in thinking that Indianapolis will move to 9-0, he is also alone in his belief that the reeling Redskins will give the Broncos their third consecutive loss.

In the AFC’s other marquee battle, it is Theismann standing on his own picking the Bengals, while Baldinger and Sharpe both like the Steelers.

Without further ado, take a look at all of their Week 10 picks:

Playbook airs Tuesday through Friday at 6 p.m. ET. It combines Xs-and-Os analysis of each NFL game with roundtable debates on the NFL’s hottest topics. For more information, check out NFL Network’s broadcast schedule.

Giants coach Tom Coughlin charged the team’s stars — LB Antonio Pierce and QB Eli Manning — to perform better in an attempt to halt the team’s three-game losing streak.

So, what’s wrong with Manning? His performance has noticeably declined after a blistering start. His completion percentage is below 50 percent over the past three weeks, and he has a rating of 54.4 while throwing three touchdown passes and six interceptions.

NFL Network analyst Trent Green offered Tuesday that the foot injury Manning suffered in a Week 4 game at Kansas City could be messing with his mechanics. But Green himself pointed out that Manning had a perfect passer rating the following week against the Raiders.

Manning refuted Green’s assertion that the foot injury is affecting him, telling reporters Wednesday that his mechanics are fine.

“You can get off a little bit, and it is just all repetition and getting back to it at practice and working on things,” Manning said. “I think for the most part I am throwing the ball pretty accurately. There are always a couple throws that you want to have back, but for us, it is just getting back to being consistent and getting into our rhythm and not getting so down that we kind of get out of our style of offense.”

Green again said on Wednesday’s NFL Total Access that mechanics must be dogging Manning.

Or are they?

Manning’s hot start came against some of the worst defenses in the NFL — Dallas (22nd), Tampa Bay (28th), Kansas City (30th) and Oakland (26th). It’s not surprising that he put up huge numbers against those teams.

Manning also faded at the end of last season, throwing just three touchdown passes in the final five weeks and topping 200 passing yards twice in his final 12 games. So is this a matter of Manning struggling, or Eli just being Eli?

The defending champion Steelers have struggled on the road this year at 1-2, with that one victory being a pretty narrow decision against the struggling Lions. The Broncos, meanwhile, have played lights out at home, posting a perfect 3-0 mark at Invesco Field.

Consider our NFL Network Playbook analysts unconvinced. They unanimously think Pittsburgh will hand Denver its second straight loss.

Want another surprising pick that Sterling Sharpe, Brian Baldinger and Joe Theismann all agree on? How about their prediction that the Chargers will travel across the country and hand the Giants their fourth straight loss.

Without further ado, take a look at all of their Week 9 picks:

Playbook airs Tuesday through Friday at 6 p.m. ET. It combines Xs-and-Os analysis of each NFL game with roundtable debates on the NFL’s hottest topics. For more information, check out NFL Network’s broadcast schedule.

NFL Network analyst and former NFL head coach Brian Billick will be chatting live with fans Tuesday on NFL.com at  6:30 p.m. ET. Submit your questions for Brian now, and then check back and follow along as he takes a look back at the action in Week 8.

Brian joins analyst Mike Mayock and host Solomon Wilcots on NFL Network’s Playbook every Tuesday and Wednesday, breaking down the previous week’s action. Playbook airs four days a week (Tuesday through Friday) on NFL Network at 6 p.m. ET.

When Brett Favre steps onto Lambeau Field on Sunday as a member of the Minnesota Vikings, there’s sure to be a mixed reaction of boos and cheers for the former Packers quarterback.

NFL Network analyst Steve Mariucci suspects it will be more of the latter.

“It’s going to be like the Beatles going on The Ed Sullivan Show,” Mariucci said last Sunday on NFL GameDay Morning.

We’ll soon find out what Favre thinks the reaction to his return will be. Mariucci visits with Favre in Minneapolis on Thursday for a sit-down interview that will air Sunday on NFL GameDay Morning, NFL Network’s four-hour pregame show starting at 9 a.m. ET.

Favre and Mariucci have a unique relationship that goes back to their days in Green Bay. Mariucci has interviewed the NFL great several times for NFL Network, some of the lighter moments captured in the video above.

Brett Favre returns to Lambeau Field this week for the first time since the 2007 NFC Championship Game, where his final pass as a Packer landed in the hands of cornerback Corey Webster, leading to an improbable Giants victory.

Maybe it’s that memory that has all three of our Playbook prognosticators picking the Packers to beat the Vikings on Sunday. Or maybe is was Minnesota’s loss to Pittsburgh that has the trio tripping over each other to jump off the Vikings’ bandwagon. Or maybe Green Bay’s dominating performances in back-to-back weeks has them suddenly jumping on the Packers.

Whatever the reason, it’s one of eight matchups in Week 8 that Sterling Sharpe, Brian Baldinger and Joe Theismann all agree on. Here are their picks:

Playbook airs Tuesday through Friday at 6 p.m. ET. It combines Xs-and-Os analysis of each NFL game with roundtable debates on the NFL’s hottest topics. For more information, check out NFL Network’s broadcast schedule.

Alex Smith has been named the starting quarterback for the 49ers. But what happens next in his second stint as the starter is anyone’s guess.

NFL Network analyst Brian Billick was on hand to call last week’s matchup between the 49ers and Texans, in which Smith nearly led a 21-point second-half comeback by completing 15 of 22 passes for 206 yards and three touchdowns. Billick was impresssed by the performance.

“It was fun to watch Alex Smith get the opportunity to get himself back into the offense,” Billick told fans during his live chat on NFL.com. “He did show he can play this game. He may have that potential, with the addition of players like Michael Crabtree and the emergence of Vernon Davis, to do it for the 49ers.”

The qualifier, Billick believes, is whether the 49ers will choose to adjust their offense to fit Smith’s strengths. Smith, who excelled in the spread offense at Utah under Urban Meyer, is at his best in that format. 49ers coach Mike Singletary, however, promised a power-running attack that focused on RB Frank Gore this season.

“I think San Francisco will have to make a fundamental decision,” Billick said. “Do they want to put him back into the formation and format of running the ball and playing good defense, which they’ve been fairly good with, or do they really allow him to open it up, much like he did in the second half of the Texans game?

“They have the assets to spread it out if they want.”

NFL Network analyst and former Pro Bowl receiver Sterling Sharpe will be back for his weekly live chat with fans on NFL.com on Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET. Submit your questions for Sterling now and then check back to follow along as he discusses the latest topics around the league and looks ahead to the Week 8 matchups.

Sterling joins analysts Brian Baldinger and Joe Theismann on Thursdays for AFC Playbook and Fridays for NFC Playbook. Playbook airs four days a week (Tuesday through Friday) on NFL Network at 6 p.m. ET.

NFL Network analyst and former head coach Brian Billick will be chatting live with fans Tuesday on NFL.com at  7:15 p.m. ET. Submit your questions for Brian now, and then check back and follow along as he takes a look back at the action in Week 7.

Brian joins analyst Mike Mayock and host Solomon Wilcots on NFL Network’s Playbook every Tuesday and Wednesday, breaking down the previous week’s action. Playbook airs four days a week (Tuesday through Friday) on NFL Network at 6 p.m. ET.