The CBS Television Network continues its 51^st year broadcasting the NFL with coverage of THE NFL ON CBS on Sunday, Oct. 17 (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 Baltimore Ravens-New England Patriots game live from Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.  Lance Barrow is the coordinating producer and lead game producer and Mike Arnold is the lead game director.

 

Throughout the 2010 season, THE NFL ON CBS will broadcast 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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BILL COWHER

(On expectations for Ben Roethlisberger's return): There's going to be a lot of anxiety.  He hasn't played in four weeks.  It's going to be really important that he doesn't try to do too much, too fast.  One of the bigger things will be for him to try and harness all the emotion and build-up of getting back on the field for the first time and let the game come to him.  You can never simulate the speed of the game.  That will be the biggest thing that he's going to have to get acclimated to, no matter how much practice he's had during the bye week and this week.  The speed of the game is something that is going to take a little bit of time to get acclimated to. 

  

(Effect on the Steelers): There is a lot of motivation, anyway, based on last year's loss in Cleveland.  Playing at home is going to be a big plus.  I would be surprised if he didn't get a very warm reception.  And when you look at the big picture, if someone had asked them before the season if they'd take going 3-1 without Ben in the first four weeks, they would've all said, yes.  They probably feel like they let one get away in Baltimore.  But to get him back, healthy and into the groove and flow, I don't think there is any question his return is going to be a great lift to the team.

  

PHIL SIMMS

(On New England this weekend without Randy Moss): I'm one of many that underestimated what Randy Moss can mean to a football team and what he can do on the football field. It's going to be interesting to see how New England adapts without him. It's only a one week look without Randy Moss, but we will find out what the Patriots offense is going to look like. We found out on Monday night what he can mean to a football team.

 

 

(On Baltimore's defense): Baltimore is playing it safer with their pass defense and trying not to give up big plays.  They are daring teams to try and run the football against their big defensive fronts, especially Haloti Ngata, and of course Ray Lewis in the middle. It will be interesting to see if New England can find ways without Randy Moss to get the football down the field and make big plays.  In the NFL it almost always comes down to big plays. Who can make them on defense and get the turnovers?  And what offenses can make the big runs or the big passes that lead to easy scores?

 

(On two-point conversions): Two-point conversions - it's the same every year. Everybody goes for them too early in games. They see their team is down two. If they score a touchdown they just automatically go for the two-point conversion and almost every single time there's a chance that it could come back and bite them in the football game. Only go for the two points when that's the only way it gives you a chance to win the game.  You can't predict what's going to happen, especially when there's a quarter or a quarter-and-a-half to play.  You see it almost every week in the NFL, but you see it every single week in college.  When you make that mistake in the NFL you're taking a chance away from your football team winning a game.   

  

DAN DIERDORF

(On New York Jets): Not that any team has ever hoisted the Lombardi Trophy in October, but the Jets are staking their claim by putting themselves in the conversation on that very short list, as of right now, of who is the best team in the League.  If you look at the title contenders right now for the crown of "Best team in October," I'd have to say Pittsburgh, Baltimore and the Jets.

  

(On Denver): They are an angry team that was called out by their coach last week who questioned whether they are mentally and physically tough enough because they got shoved around by the Ravens.  They are at home playing against a Jets team on a short week that had a very emotional game against the Vikings on Monday night. 

  

(On ravaged Broncos defense going up against Jets offense): On paper, this isn't a very attractive deal for the Broncos.  It's not every day that you see five defensive players ruled out of the game on Monday.  They're going to need some duct tape and string to keep things together.  This is also a defense that lost probably its best player in training camp in Elvis Dumervil, who led the League with 17 sacks last year.  A lot of creativity is going to have to be going on the defensive side of the ball against a Jets offense that really doesn't have any weaknesses.  They have quality at running back, quality at wide receiver, quality at tight end, maybe the best offensive line in football, and a young quarterback who is getting better every week.  This might be the most talented offense in the NFL.

 

(On Jets' secondary vs. Broncos' wide receiver corps): This is a fine match-up because everybody knows that Denver can't run the football.  They throw the football because they have to throw the football.  They are dead last in the NFL in running the football.  And everybody struggles to run the football against the Jets.  You have to wonder how much time Denver is going to even attempt to run the football, especially when it looks like their primary running back Knowshon Moreno, who has missed the last couple of games with an injury, may not play in this game either.  Denver throws the ball out of necessity, but they do it very well.  Josh McDaniels is outstanding at designing a passing attack.  They have all this talent at wide receiver with Brandon Lloyd, Eddie Royal, Jabar Gaffney and their No. 1 draft pick Demaryius Thomas, who is questionable to play this week due to an injury from last weekend.  And, Kyle Orton is really blossoming into one heckuva NFL quarterback.

 

  

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Following are THE NFL ON CBS assignments for Week 6, Week 7 and Week 8 (subject to change).

 

WEEK 6 - Oct. 17

 

GAME                                    PLAY-BY-PLAY/ANALYST PRODUCER/DIRECTOR

1:00 PM, ET starts:              

·Miami @ Green Bay               Ian Eagle/Dan Fouts                             Bob Mansbach/Suzanne Smith

·San Diego @ St. Louis            Don Criqui/Steve Beuerlein                   Ross Schneiderman/Chris Svendsen

·Baltimore @ New England      Jim Nantz/Phil Simms                Lance Barrow/Mike Arnold

·Cleveland @ Pittsburgh           Kevin Harlan/Solomon Wilcots Jim Rikhoff/Bryan Lilley

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

 

4:00 PM, ET starts:

·N.Y. Jets @ Denver                Greg Gumbel/Dan Dierdorf                   Mark Wolff/Bob Fishman

·Oakland @ San Francisco       Bill Macatee/Rich Gannon                     Bob Dekas/Andy Goldberg

 

  

WEEK 7 - Oct. 24 - CBS DOUBLEHEADER

 

GAME                                    PLAY-BY-PLAY/ANALYST PRODUCER/DIRECTOR

1:00 PM, ET starts:

·Cincinnati @ Atlanta                Gus Johnson/Steve Tasker                    Victor Frank/Mark Grant

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

·Buffalo @ Baltimore                Don Criqui/Steve Beuerlein                   Ross Schneiderman/Chris Svendsen

·Jacksonville @ Kansas City     Bill Macatee/Rich Gannon                     Bob Dekas/Andy Goldberg

·Cleveland @ New Orleans      Kevin Harlan/Solomon Wilcots Jim Rikhoff/Bryan Lilley

 

4:15 PM, ET starts:

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

·Oakland @ Denver                 Ian Eagle/ Dan Fouts                            Bob Mansbach/Suzanne Smith

 

 

WEEK 8 - Oct. 31

 

GAME                                    PLAY-BY-PLAY/ANALYST PRODUCER/DIRECTOR

1:00 PM, ET starts:              

·Denver @ San Francisco         Greg Gumbel/Dan Dierdorf                   Mark Wolff/Bob Fishman

·Jacksonville @ Dallas Jim Nantz/Phil Simms                  Lance Barrow/Mike Arnold

·Miami @ Cincinnati   Kevin Harlan/Solomon Wilcots    Jim Rikhoff/Bryan Lilley

·Buffalo @ Kansas City            Gus Johnson/Steve Tasker                    Ken Mack/Jim Cornell

 

4:00 PM, ET starts:

·Tennessee @ San Diego          Ian Eagle/Dan Fouts                             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