ELIZABETHTOWN — With the release of the NFL schedule, fans of precedent-setting Larrell Murchison can plan on how to watch their hometown hero.
Murchison is the first Bladen County football player drafted by an NFL team. The Tennessee Titans took him in the fifth round with the 174th overall pick. The N.C. State second-team All-ACC defensive lineman is expected to soon sign his rookie contract; he’s already agreed to a four-year deal with the AFC runner-up.
Not all of the former East Bladen High School standout’s fans will have access to watch every game, such as with the packages available on satellite television and through streaming devices. But a fair number of games will be easily seen through national broadcasts.
Here’s a look into the Titan’s schedule:
• Monday Night Football: The once-hallowed and still relatively revered primtime window will include Tennessee at Denver in Week 1. That’s Sept. 14 and the game is televised by ESPN. The game’s main storyline, at this point, is five-time Pro Bowler Jurrell Casey — a defensive tackle — having been traded from the Titans to the Broncos for a seventh-round draft pick. Given his position, expect to hear Murchison’s name mentioned.
• Thursday night primetime: The NFL had success in late-season Thursday games and now has them throughout the season. The Titans host Indianapolis in Week 10, on Nov. 12, and the game will be on Fox, the NFL Network, and available through Amazon. Former N.C. State standout Philip Rivers plays quarterback for the Colts.
• Sunday Night Football: Monday nights were once the primetime king for the NFL, but the Sunday night package has grown to overtake it. In Week 16, on Dec. 27, the Titans will travel to Lambeau Field to meet the Green Bay Packers. This game will be televised by NBC affiliates.
Also, the last Sunday Night Football game of the year always depends on which is most appealing with playoff implications. It is usually decided during or after the previous week’s games. The Titans will be at Houston on Jan. 3 in Week 17.
In addition to those, there are other chances for fans to see Murchison.
The Titans were in the AFC championship last year, a step away from the Super Bowl, and they are an early favorite to win the AFC South. That means television opportunities to see Murchison can be increased pending how the networks decide to delegate the viewership percentages across the country.
For example, the Titans host the Pittsburgh Steelers — a big TV drawing card — on Oct. 4. CBS affiliates have the AFC package, which would include this game.
When AFC teams are home to NFC teams, the Fox network gets the games. In Week 9 on Nov. 8, the Titans host the Chicago Bears — another franchise that attracts significant TV attention.
A game with AFC North foe Baltimore has a chance to be widely available in this region. Tennessee visits the Ravens in Week 11 on Nov. 22. The game will be on CBS affiliates.
The NFL’s games on Saturdays in December also get national reach. The league lists some matchups as either Saturday or Sunday during that time, a flex scheduling option, and the Titans’ Week 15 matchup on Dec. 19 or 20 is a home game with Detroit.
And, if over the air networks or limited options through cable don’t satisfy the appetite, there’s a number of full-season packages available in which fans can get every game no matter which TV market they are in and which broadcaster has rights to the game.
.neFileBlock {
margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
padding-bottom: 5px;
padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
font-size: 85%;
}
Larrell Murchison, running a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis on Feb. 29, will make his NFL debut on Monday Night Football in Denver on Sept. 14.