The CBS Television Network continues its 49^th year broadcasting the NFL with coverage of THE NFL ON CBS on Sunday, Nov. 9 (1:00-7:00 PM, ET) beginning with THE NFL TODAY, the Network's one-hour studio show (12:00 NOON-1:00 PM, ET), live from THE NFL TODAY studio in New York City.

 

THE NFL ON CBS lead announce team of Jim Nantz and Phil Simms call the action from the Indianapolis Colts-Pittsburgh Steelers game live from Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pa.  Lance Barrow is the coordinating producer and lead game producer and Mike Arnold is the lead game director.

 

Throughout the 2008 season, THE NFL ON CBS will broadcast virtually all of its games each week in HDTV, the highest definition television format - 1080i lines of picture resolution - along with 5.1 digital audio.

 

Sean McManus is President, CBS News and Sports, and serves as executive producer of CBS Sports' coverage of THE NFL ON CBS.  Harold Bryant is Vice President, Production, CBS Sports.

 

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PHIL SIMMS

(On Pittsburgh): What hits me since I have watched the Steelers, and I covered them since I've been in the television business since 1995, is the linebackers. This might be the best group of linebackers I have ever seen with the Steelers.  And that is saying a lot with all the ones that I've covered - Levon Kirkland - you name them.  This current group can to it all. There are five of them and they just rotate. You know the Steelers defense is built around their linebackers but they have exceeded everything that you could hope from a group on the defensive side.  I mean, blitzing, covering people, running plays down from behind, having the strength to take it on when it comes right out. It's fun to watch...(On Indianapolis): On the other side, what really intrigues me about the game is how the Colts handle the Steelers' linebackers.   When you watch the Colts play, you see they're now playing the style of game that everybody used to try to play against them. In other words, they control the football and try not to give up big plays on defense. The way they're playing, almost makes them play low-scoring, close games. It is just not the way we picture, and the way we see, the Colts.  To be a really good team over a long period of time there is going to be some periods when you have to adapt.  And they're adapting.  A 4-4 record, that's almost pretty good right now in the NFL. There are so many teams in the same group and there is no difference between the 5-3, 4-4 and 3-5 teams. They are all grouped in there together. It's all about the Colt's offense and Pittsburgh's defense.  That is what everybody wants to talk about and wants to see this weekend.

  

DAN DIERDORF

(On doubts around the NFL about Tennessee): You have to give Tennessee credit, 8-0 is 8-0.  They are a blue collar, bring your lunch pail to work, no glamour guys, fly below the radar-kind of football team.  They haven't beaten the New York Giants or Dallas Cowboys, but they beat a good football team in Green Bay last week.  And they beat Indianapolis six days prior to that.  I thought the win over Green Bay in overtime was extremely impressive coming off the heels of a very emotional win over Indianapolis, on a short, six-day week.  They now have a tough two-game stretch, both on the road at Chicago and at Jacksonville.  That is a difficult assignment.  One of the things about Tennessee that makes people want to have doubts is that this is a football team that just isn't filled with household names.  There aren't a lot of nationally-known superstar-type players playing for the Tennessee Titans.  You've got to be a real aficionado of the game to know a lot of these guys and know how good they are.  Albert Haynesworth is deservedly starting to get a lot of publicity.  In my mind, he is a candidate for the defensive MVP of the year, maybe the MVP.  That is the kind of year he is having.  Chris Johnson is an exciting rookie.  He is one of those rare players that every time he tucks the ball under his arm you say, 'Wow he's got a chance to go the distance.'...(On Bears QB situation): The Bears are fortunate they have Rex Grossman, a guy who has played for them before, a guy they know can play.  Even though he is a lightning rod in Chicago - a lot of people like him, a lot of people don't - he has proven he can play in the National Football League.  And that is not always the case for every team's back-up quarterback in this league...(On Bears): The thing that is uncharacteristic for the Bears is that teams are moving the ball in Chicago.  Their defense hasn't been the rock it's been in the past.  But at this point, most teams would take being 5-3 at the halfway mark...(Keys to Tennessee-Chicago game): These are two teams with very similar philosophies.  Both are built on conservative offensive play-calling based on the ability to run the football.  They're not big vertical teams in terms of stretching the field with big plays downfield.  Matt Forte is both Chicago's leading rusher and receiver, so they're squeezing every drop out of that rookie.  He has to do it all for Chicago, where Tennessee has an advantage having two really productive backs in Chris Johnson and LenDale White.  This is what I call a "Sluggo game."  This will boil down to somebody making a mistake.  Somebody will put the ball on the ground in the second half, or somebody will give up a big return.  In a game like this, somebody is going to make a critical mistake in the second half.  I wouldn't be surprised if this game is decided by less than a touchdown, or perhaps a field goal.

  

RANDY CROSS

(On AFC East and how Buffalo-New England game fits in scenario): Since the beginning of this decade New England has dominated the AFC East.  But this week they do something they are not good at, share the lead with Buffalo and the New York Jets.  When you look at the division, all four teams are still very much in the hunt because New England, the Jets and Buffalo slam each other around for a few weeks while the Dolphins pad their record against weaker opponents...(On Buffalo): If the Bills have any plans of staying in the hunt, this Sunday is their chance to prove to the rest of the division and the Patriots that they are in it for the duration. Get a third loss already in the division, and you make winning the AFC East a pipe dream...(On New England QB Matt Cassel vs. Buffalo QB Trent Edwards): Matt Cassel has quietly improved each week and last week stood toe-to-toe with Peyton Manning and the Colts.  Trent Edwards is still on the steep side of the learning curve and needs to eliminate the killer plus-side to red zone turnovers to take the next step...(Keys to Buffalo-New England game): New England has the personnel to take over the lines of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. The Bills have the speed on the other hand to exploit several match-ups against the Pats' defense.  This game will come down to which team can impose their respective strengths on the other, and which quarterback can stay patient and not commit the killer turnover.

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Following are THE NFL ON CBS assignments for Week 10, Week 11 and Week 12 (subject to change).

 

WEEK 10 - Nov. 9 - DOUBLEHEADER

 

GAME                                    PLAY-BY-PLAY/ANALYST             PRODUCER/DIRECTOR

1:00 PM, ET starts:              

·Tennessee @ Chicago             Greg Gumbel/Dan Dierdorf                   Mark Wolff/Bob Fishman

·Jacksonville @ Detroit             Kevin Harlan/Rich Gannon                    Jim Rikhoff/Bryan Lilley           

·Baltimore @ Houston              Ian Eagle/Solomon Wilcots                   Bob Dekas/Andy Goldberg

·Buffalo @ New England          Dick Enberg/Randy Cross                    Bob Mansbach/Suzanne Smith

 

4:15 PM, ET starts:

·Indianapolis @ Pittsburgh        Jim Nantz/Phil Simms                            Lance Barrow/Mike Arnold

·Kansas City @ San Diego       Gus Johnson/Steve Tasker                    Victor Frank/Mark Grant

  

  

WEEK 11 - Nov. 16 - DOUBLEHEADER

 

GAME                                    PLAY-BY-PLAY/ANALYST             PRODUCER/DIRECTOR

1:00 PM, ET starts:

·Denver @ Atlanta                    Kevin Harlan/Rich Gannon                    Jim Rikhoff/Bryan Lilley

·Houston @ Indianapolis           Gus Johnson/Steve Tasker                    Victor Frank/Mark Grant

·Oakland @ Miami                   Ian Eagle/Solomon Wilcots                   Bob Dekas/Andy Goldberg

·Baltimore @ N.Y. Giants         Greg Gumbel/Dan Dierdorf                   Mark Wolff/Bob Fishman

 

4:15 PM, ET starts:

·San Diego @ Pittsburgh           Jim Nantz/Phil Simms                            Lance Barrow/Mike Arnold

·Tennessee @ Jacksonville        Dick Enberg/Randy Cross                    Bob Mansbach/Suzanne Smith

 

 

WEEK 12 - Nov. 23  

 

GAME                                    PLAY-BY-PLAY/ANALYST             PRODUCER/DIRECTOR

1:00 PM, ET starts:              

·Houston @ Cleveland              Kevin Harlan/Rich Gannon                    Jim Rikhoff/Bryan Lilley

·Buffalo @ Kansas City            Ian Eagle/Solomon Wilcots                   Bob Dekas/Andy Goldberg

·New England @ Miami           Greg Gumbel/Dan Dierdorf                   Mark Wolff/Bob Fishman

·N.Y. Jets @ Tennessee           Jim Nantz/Phil Simms                            Lance Barrow/Mike Arnold

 

4:05 PM, ET starts:

·Oakland @ Denver                 Dick Enberg/Randy Cross                    Bob Mansbach/Suzanne Smith

 

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CBS Sports Contacts:              LeslieAnne Wade         212/975-5171              lwade@cbs.com

                        Robin Brendle              212/975-1533              rlbrendle@cbs.com

                        Jerry Caraccioli            212/975-7466              gwcaraccioli@cbs.com