If you're a Patriots fan, prepare to be surrounded by football coverage this weekend. And if not, well, you'll be surrounded anyway.
The NFL Network will chronicle the remaining four playoff teams extensively.
"If anything moves that's Patriots, we'll be covering it," said Charles Coplin, NFL Network vice president of programming. "At 10 a.m. [today], we're going to show last year's Patriots-Chargers game in its entirety and we'll also do a 90-minute replay version. We're going to show the Chargers-Patriots game from Week 2 this year. We have a playbook show that is going to be geared specifically to the Chargers and the Patriots, which will break down the X's and O's of the game.
"You're getting the 'everything that moves' news and information analysis perspective on New England. You're getting these blocks of programming that are devoted to games that feature the Patriots vs. the Chargers. And you're getting the X's-and-O's look as well. We're also going to run a show called 'NFL Legends' that features Tom Brady and Brett Favre. And we have a lot of programming plans in place should the Patriots advance."
Coplin said the network will cover all the teams' press conferences live today, beginning with the Giants at 1 p.m. The Patriots' press conference will be aired beginning at 2.
"All of our studio programming will very much be focused on the four teams, so obviously the Patriots will be a major part of that and we'll have expanded editions of a lot of our studio programming like 'Total Access,' " he said. "And on Sunday, there will be a 2 1/2-hour pregame show."
Local stations will also have plenty of Patriots coverage.
Channel 4 will have "Patriots Game Day" Sunday from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. "Fifth Quarter" will air on Channel 38 right after the game. Channel 4 will also air "Sports Final" at 11:30 p.m.
Channel 5's Mike Lynch will host a live Patriots feature from Gillette Stadium from 7-8 p.m. Saturday and head up the postgame coverage during SportsCenter 5's "Overtime" show at 11:25 p.m. Tonight, a special "Chronicle" devoted to the team airs at 7:30.
Channel 7's special coverage kicks off with "7 on the Sidelines" from 7-8 tonight. It will continue Sunday with extended coverage as part of the 6 p.m. news. The show, which normally ends at 6:30, will continue until at least 7.
New England Cable News will go live from Foxborough twice on Sunday, once at the game's conclusion and again during a half-hour show at 11 p.m.
"The NFL Today" on CBS, which begins at 2 p.m. leading into the Patriots-Chargers game at 3, will feature the New England defense, including interviews with Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel, Junior Seau, and Rodney Harrison. Lesley Visser will handle interviews with several Chargers, including LaDainian Tomlinson. Sam Ryan will handle the preview of the Giants-Packers game.
Rink in a new year
NBC begins its "NHL Game of the Week" coverage Sunday at 12:30 p.m. when the Bruins take on the Rangers at Madison Square Garden in New York. Mike Emrick will handle play-by-play with Eddie Olczyk serving as analyst. Pierre McGuire will do double duty as the inside-the-glass reporter and studio host with analyst Mike Milbury. Producer Sam Flood believes McGuire and the irrepressible Milbury are a match made in heaven. "Pierre and Mike don't see hockey the same way," said Flood, a Dedham native. "I think it makes for a great dynamic. I've always believed you want your play-by-play and game analyst to be on the same page so there's a flow, but in the studio it makes better TV [for them to be diametrically opposed]. These two differ on so many things. [Milbury] is a talented guy. He calls out people left and right, and that's what you want. You want someone who isn't going to worry about their next job. You want someone who's going to do the job they're in right now, and Mike is doing it." The viewers will no doubt benefit from Milbury's candor. "I didn't go to Bob Costas broadcasting school," said Milbury, who has also been an analyst for NESN during Bruins games this season. "I grew up in the hockey world. I carry my passion on my sleeve and I'm not afraid to make a comment about somebody. When I think, for example, a guy is dogging it, I will let you know. I hope to go straight at it. I broadcast the way I played, obnoxiously." . . . To those wondering why the Celtics' road games are not in high definition, Comcast SportsNet spokesman Skip Perham has the answer: "We're going to be implementing high-definition telecasts in February. I expect to have a formal announcement [shortly] about when that date is. We're eyeing February. We're working hard on it. There are still some logistical pieces that need to be put together, but we're closer. We want it yesterday, too; the interest is high in the team. There's no question we want to do it. There are just some hurdles that have to be jumped."Nancy Marrapese-Burrell can be reached at marrapese@globe.com.
