'Sunday Night Football' producer: Cris Collinsworth's Bengals history may be showcased

Rob Hyland, who just completed his first NFL regular season as coordinating producer of NBC's "Sunday Night Football," will produce Cincinnati's AFC Wild Card Round game against Baltimore on Sunday night.

Not including last year's Super Bowl, it will be the fifth Bengals' playoff game presented by NBC Sports since kicking off "Sunday Night Football" in 2006 - with Hyland producing all five (the previous four being Jets-Bengals in 2010, Bengals-Texans in 2012, Bengals-Texans in 2013 and Raiders-Bengals last year).

NBC Sports announced Wednesday that "Sunday Night Football" - featuring Mike Tirico alongside former Bengals great Cris Collinsworth - concluded the NFL's regular season on pace to be television's No. 1 primetime show for the 12th consecutive year.

In an exclusive Q&A with The Enquirer, Hyland talked about visiting Cincinnati, his memories of the Bengals' first playoff win in more than three decades, and more:

Cris Collinsworth joked with Mike Tirico after Sunday Night Football - when playoff game times and networks had been announced - that you guys could crash at his place or something along those lines. Will there be anything special that you know of that you guys do this weekend before the game, given that Collinsworth is a long-time Northern Kentucky resident and his history with the Bengals?

It is possible that there will be a few graphic elements commissioned that include No. 80's achievements as a Cincinnati Bengal. Cris and Joe Burrow have something in common beyond the Bengals that could be showcased as well on Sunday: They both have a menu item named after them at Jeff Ruby's in downtown Cincinnati.

Does it make your game prep - or the broadcast itself - any easier given that these two teams met on Sunday Night Football during the regular season, even if it was in Baltimore instead of Cincinnati?

The fact that these two teams were featured on "Sunday Night Football" in Week 5 of the regular season is definitely a benefit. While both teams have evolved since that game, having covered the first matchup helps to reduce some of the preliminary prep work.

Among the four Bengals playoff games you've produced, last year's game against Las Vegas was Cincinnati's only win. Do you think there was a sense ahead of that game that this Bengals team could finally win a postseason game after 31 years, or even anyone among your colleagues expecting them to reach the Super Bowl?

Prior to last year's Wild Card game against the Raiders, all of us thought the Bengals had the potential to win the game. After attending the Bengals' practice and meeting with the players and coaches, we walked away with the impression that this was a confident team ready for the challenge. The '21 Bengals offense was explosive, leading the NFL with 17 TDs of 25+ yards. Joe Burrow led the league that year in both completion percentage and yards per attempt. Ja'Marr Chase had set the franchise record for receiving yards. Last year's team was loaded with talent and played with a swagger and belief that they were becoming something special.

What stands out most about your experience visiting Cincinnati last year or in 2010? Have you had any other occasion to visit, for work or pleasure?

Last year's Wild Card game vs. Las Vegas will be something I remember forever. The game came down to the very end: It took a Germaine Pratt interception with about 14 seconds remaining to secure the win. I will always remember the celebration scene after the game. Specifically, the images of the players and fans rejoicing in the end of a long playoff victory drought.

I have been to Cincinnati a number of times for work; the 2010 Wild Card, the Spiral Stakes (now Jeff Ruby Steaks), which has been a Derby prep race for a number of years as well as numerous trips to the Pro Football Focus world headquarters for offseason meetings.

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This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Sunday Night Football to highlight Cris Collinsworth's Bengals history