Vikings-49ers, Titans-Ravens: Start time, how to watch and stream NFL playoffs

The NFL playoffs continue Saturday with two divisional round playoff games — the Minnesota Vikings versus the San Francisco 49ers at 4:35 p.m. on NBC, followed by the Tennessee Titans taking on the Baltimore Ravens at 8:15 p.m. on CBS.

Calling the Saturday night game on CBS is the network’s No. 2 booth, which features play-by-play announcer Ian Eagle and analyst Dan Fouts. Evan Washburn will handle the sideline reporting. This will be their sixth time calling the Ravens this season, and Fouts told The Inquirer that, like everyone else, his eyes will be on the Baltimore offense and No. 8 himself, quarterback Lamar Jackson.

“Nobody’s been able to stop them yet,” Fouts said. “But I think it could be a real slugfest. When you have two teams that run the ball as well as they do, there could be a limited number of possessions in this game."

This year, CBS will carry two of the four NFL divisional round playoff games (they switch off every year with Fox), which is why Jim Nantz and Tony Romo aren’t in the booth Saturday night — they’ll be calling Texans-Chiefs on Sunday afternoon. That gives Eagle and Fouts — longtime partners know as “The Bird and The Beard” — a rare opportunity to call a primetime game.

“You’re going to be naturally excited because it is a playoff game, but as far as the nuts and bolts of the broadcast, I think it’s important to do what you normally do,” Fouts said. “Hopefully the game will be the focus, and not the broadcast.”

Of course, being in the spotlight is nothing new for Fouts, a Hall of Fame quarterback who spent 15 seasons with the San Diego Chargers. Over the course of his long broadcasting career, Fouts has called just about every big college football and NFL game, including Super Bowl 50 for Westwood One. Prior to his current stint at CBS, he was also part of a short-lived, three-man Monday Night Football booth on ABC featuring Al Michaels and comedian Dennis Miller that was famously mocked on Saturday Night Live (with Will Ferrell playing Fouts).

He also landed an acting job as an announcer in Adam Sandler’s 1998 film The Waterboy alongside then-ABC partner Brent Musburger. At the time, Fouts and Musburger were ABC’s No. 2 college football crew behind Bob Griese and the late Keith Jackson. But Fouts said Jackson took one look at the script and said, “I ain’t gonna do it,” which is how he and Musburger were cast.

“You would not believe how often I get asked about it, specially at the end of the year because, ‘Last game of the year, no holding back now,’” Fouts said, quoting one of his often-repeated lines in the film.

Here’s everything you need to know to watch and stream Saturday’s game:

When: Saturday, Jan. 11

Where: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, Calif.

Time: 4:35 p.m. kickoff

TV: NBC (Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya)

Radio: 94.1 WIP via Westwood One (Ryan Radtke, Tony Boselli, Scott Kaplan)

Streaming: NBC Sports App (requires cable authentication), fuboTV (free 7-day trial), YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, AT&T TV Now (all require a subscription)

Mobile: NFL Mobile app, Yahoo Sports app, Yahoo Fantasy Football app (free on smartphones and tablets within the Philadelphia market)

Referee: Walt Anderson

When: Saturday, Jan. 11

Where: M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore

Time: 8:15 p.m. kickoff

TV: CBS (Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts, Evan Washburn)

Radio: 94.1 WIP via Westwood One (Brandon Gaudin, Ross Tucker, Laura Okmin)

Streaming: CBS All Access, fuboTV (free 7-day trial), YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, AT&T TV Now (all require a subscription)

Mobile: NFL Mobile app, Yahoo Sports app, Yahoo Fantasy Football app (free on smartphones and tablets within the Philadelphia market)

Referee: Bill Vinovich

On the NFL Network, coverage begins at 9 a.m. with a three-hour edition of Good Morning Football: Weekend, hosted by Colleen Wolfe and featuring analysts Michael Robinson, DeAngelo Hall, Steve Smith Sr., and Mike Garafolo. NFL GameDay Morning starts at noon, hosted by Rich Eisen alongside analysts Steve Mariucci, Kurt Warner, and Michael Irvin. NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport will provide live updates throughout the morning.

ESPN will air Postseason NFL Countdown at 10 a.m., hosted by Sam Ponder. She’ll be joined by analysts Matt Hasselbeck, Randy Moss, Rex Ryan, Charles Woodson, Tedy Bruschi, and Louis Riddick, with Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter providing live updates.

At 3 p.m., NBC will air an afternoon version of its pregame show Football Night in America, hosted by Mike Tirico and featuring co-host Liam McHugh, NFL Insider Mike Florio, and analysts Tony Dungy, Rodney Harrison, and Chris Simms.

At 7:30 p.m., CBS will preview the Titans-Ravens game with a Saturday edition of The NFL Today, hosted by James Brown and featuring Phil Simms, Boomer Esiason, Nate Burleson, and Bill Cowher, who has told the Inquirer he doesn’t foresee himself returning to the NFL as a coach.