Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit took in the NFL’s equivalent of a horror show on Halloween, calling the New York Jets vs. Houston Texans game on Thursday Night Football.
The Jets were the scary part of that matchup, entering the game at 2-6 and providing more behind-the-scenes drama than a full season of Hard Knocks. Michaels set the stage in the intro, noting “It’s Halloween night. If you’re a Jets fan, you have seen this horror movie before.”
“It’s Halloween night. If you’re a Jets fan, you have seen this horror movie before.”
“A lot’s changed since you and I walked out of this stadium when they were 2-1 and looking great.”
Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit on the call for the Texans and Jets on TNF. pic.twitter.com/ylVAtOUMVn
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 1, 2024
The Jets’ struggles have made them the laughingstock of the NFL, and Michaels came fully armed with quips, even joking about their choice of black uniforms for the game.
“The Jets, in a moment of darkness, as they say, choose to wear black tonight on top of it all,” Al Michaels. pic.twitter.com/AVdCpwD0fo
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 1, 2024
Even the Jets’ few promising moments in the first half turned sour. Rookie wide receiver Malachi Corley appeared to score his first NFL touchdown on a run, but dropped the ball short of the end zone. Herbstreit could not hide his astonishment.
“What in the heck is he thinking? Why the urgency for some of these guys to drop the ball?” Herbstreit said. “Even if it’s close. Finish the play. Get it in the end zone.”
“What in the heck is he thinking? Why the urgency for some of these guys to drop the ball? Even if it’s close. Finish the play. Get it in the end zone.”
A dumbfounded Kirk Herbstreit on Malachi Corley’s dumb mistake. pic.twitter.com/W3NbzXT9RO
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 1, 2024
“The way they’ve lost these five games, in every manner. Now you got this. That’s something new,” Michaels observed a short time later.
Kirk Herbstreit: This is a team that’s 2-6. They’re desperate to get a win. Desperate to do all the little things right. And we’ve seen the same errors.
Al Michaels: The way they’ve lost these 5 games, in every manner. Now you got this. That’s something new. https://t.co/hO4GUpRMrT pic.twitter.com/v4z8vw94s8
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 1, 2024
Meanwhile, in the stands:
Been that kind of year for the Jets. pic.twitter.com/l5uxadPkpz
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 1, 2024
After the Amazon Prime halftime show analysts hammered the Jets for their ineptitude, Michaels got back to work in the second half.
“No truth to the rumor that in the Jets locker room at halftime they were playing ‘Hello Darkness My Old Friend,'” he quipped. “Just want to dispel that rumor. Fake news.”
“No truth to the rumor that in the Jets locker room at halftime they were playing ‘Hello Darkness My Old Friend.’ Just want to dispel that rumor. Fake news,” Al Michaels. pic.twitter.com/9U5lsuQhLH
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 1, 2024
Michaels and Herbstreit missed some obvious opportunities to pile on the Jets, as late in the first half, when the Jets were trying to get into field-goal range but ended up punting, leading fans to begin chanting, “Sell the team! Sell the team!” Neither Michaels nor Herbstreit commented on the clearly audible chant.
“SELL THE TEAM” chants audible on the broadcast. pic.twitter.com/mXAA2Uk0AS
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 1, 2024
Before the season, Michaels raved about the much-improved Thursday Night Football schedule this season. No one could have foreseen that the Jets would flop this year, but as Michaels and Herbstreit showed on Halloween, even a bad team like the Jets can be fun to watch when the announcers get a little creative.
Despite all of the quips, the Jets went on to win 21-13. Michaels and Herbstreit had plenty of nice things to say about them in the second half.
[Prime Video]
