The CBS Television Network continues its 51^st year broadcasting the NFL with coverage of THE NFL ON CBS on Sunday, Nov. 7 (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-Philadelphia Eagles game live from Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pa.  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.

 

* * * * *

  

            As the NFL season reaches its half-way point, NFL ON CBS analysts were asked who they think is the MVP of the ½ Year, Offensive Player of the ½ Year, Defensive Player of the ½ Year, Head Coach of the ½ Year, Rookie of the ½ Year and Team of the ½ Year.

  

PHIL SIMMS

MVP: Tom Brady, New England - His toughness has helped his team get off to a 6-1 start.  It's a team in transition so he's the common denominator right there. You've got to give him a lot of credit.

Defensive Player:  Tamba Hali and Derrick Johnson, Kansas City - It's hard to designate those guys because we want stats - sacks, interceptions.  These two guys have jumped out for doing a little bit of everything.  Johnson has had a special year and if it continues, someone like him might win the most valuable defensive player in the league.

Head Coach:  Steve Spagnuolo, St. Louis Rams - What a turnaround. It's not only their record.  It's the way they're getting there. They are ripping some tail. I can't tell you how impressed I am with how they've turned their whole football team around.

Rookie: Sam Bradford, St. Louis and N'damukong Suh, Detroit - Sam Bradford is playing tremendous for a young quarterback.  It's hard to pick either one.  A dark horse is Dez Bryant.  He is without a doubt shown everybody that he is going to be a special player in the NFL.

Team: New England and New York Giants - Even though their record is not as good, the Giants make a stronger case just because I don't see a weakness that you can go, 'Wow, we can beat them because this spot of their team is not good enough.' The Patriots are playing tougher every week but I want more evidence on the defense before I declare them the best team in the NFL.

  

DAN DIERDORF

MVP:  Peyton Manning, Indianapolis and Tom Brady, New England

Offensive Player: Peyton Manning, Indianapolis - In light of all the different injuries to his receiving corps, his production, rating, touchdowns-to-interceptions has been mind-numbing considering all the adversity that he's had to overcome.

Defensive Player: James Harrison, Pittsburgh - He is the pace-setter for the Pittsburgh Steelers defense. 

Head Coach: Bill Belichick, New England - With the roster they have and the turnover, they look like a team in transition.  But at the half-way point they have the best record in the NFL.    

Rookie: Sam Bradford, St. Louis (Offensive) and N'damukong Su, Detroit (Defensive) - They are proving that they were worth being No. 1 and No. 2 in the draft.

Team: No disrespect to the N.Y. Giants, but the four best football teams are in the AFC.  In no particular order: New England, Baltimore, Pittsburgh and the N.Y. Jets.  Those four teams have separated themselves from everybody else.  They are on a level by themselves.

  

SOLOMON WILCOTS

MVP: Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay - Despite all the injuries Green Bay is 5-3 and in first place in their division at the half-way point.  And without a running game, he has this team contending.

Offensive Player: Philip Rivers, San Diego - Right now he is on target to set the single-season passing record for yards.  In fact, he's passed for the most yards in NFL history at the half-way point after eight games.  The only reason he wouldn't be MVP at this point is because his team wouldn't make the playoffs if the season ended right now.

Defensive Player: Clay Matthews, Green Bay - He leads the league in sacks and is a consistent sack-getter.  He's not getting them against weak competition.  Nine-and-half sacks spread out over eight games, he's a difference-maker every single game.

Head Coach: Todd Haley, Kansas City - Anytime you raise the Titanic, going from worst-to-first, he would win for that reason.  And Rex Ryan, N.Y. Jets - For the Jets to be doing what they are doing after all that he said, he deserves a lot of credit.  He has infused that team with a lot of swagger and confidence that the organization hasn't had. 

Rookie: Sam Bradford, St. Louis - When you're the No. 1 pick overall, that usually means you end up on a really bad team, and he did.  But he is 4-4 in his first eight starts in the NFL and ahead of the learning curve.  For him to be doing this on a team without a prolific wide receiver, he is by far the best rookie playing right now.

Team: New England - They've transitioned so well.  They have a lot of young players and are rolling with the best record in the NFL. 

  

STEVE TASKER

MVP: Tom Brady, New England and Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay - For me the MVP is a little bit like the Heisman Trophy, it's the best player on the best team. Brady is certainly up there, best record, and Aaron Rodgers is playing extremely well.     

Head Coach: Todd Haley, Kansas City - His team is playing almost mistake-free football with talent that is not considered the best in the league and yet they're sitting atop their division.  They were worst last year and now they're the best - worst-to-first.

Rookie: N'damukong Suh, Detroit - He's playing extremely well on a team that is not doing too well.  He's really been a force.

Team: Pittsburgh - Playing four games to start the season without one of the best players in the league in Ben Roethlisberger and coming out 3-1 without him, that's the best team in the NFL right now. I don't think anybody wants any part of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

* * * * *

 

Following are THE NFL ON CBS assignments for Week 9, Week 10, Week 11 and Week 12 (subject to change).

 

WEEK 9 - Nov. 7 - CBS DOUBLEHEADER

 

GAME                                    PLAY-BY-PLAY/ANALYST PRODUCER/DIRECTOR

1:00 PM, ET starts:              

·N.Y. Jets @ Detroit                Gus Johnson/Steve Tasker                    Victor Frank/Mark Grant

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

·New England @ Cleveland      Bill Macatee/Rich Gannon                     Bob Dekas/Andy Goldberg

·San Diego @ Houston             Ian Eagle/Dan Fouts                             Bob Mansbach/Suzanne Smith

 

4:15 PM, ET starts:

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

·Kansas City @ Oakland          Kevin Harlan/Solomon Wilcots Ken Mack/Jim Cornell

 

WEEK 10 - Nov. 14

 

GAME                                    PLAY-BY-PLAY/ANALYST PRODUCER/DIRECTOR

1:00 PM, ET starts:

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

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

·Cincinnati @ Indianapolis         Greg Gumbel/Dan Dierdorf                   Mark Wolff/Bob Fishman

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

 

4:00 PM, ET starts:

·Kansas City @ Denver            Kevin Harlan/Solomon Wilcots Jim Rikhoff/Bryan Lilley

 

  

WEEK 11 - Nov. 21

 

GAME                                    PLAY-BY-PLAY/ANALYST PRODUCER/DIRECTOR

1:00 PM, ET starts:              

·Baltimore @ Carolina              Kevin Harlan/Solomon Wilcots Jim Rikhoff/Bryan Lilley

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

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

·Oakland @ Pittsburgh             Ian Eagle/Dan Fouts                             Ross Schneiderman/Chris Svendsen

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

 

4:15 PM, ET starts:

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

 

  

WEEK 12 - Nov. 25 (Thanksgiving Day)*

 

GAME                                    PLAY-BY-PLAY/ANALYST PRODUCER/DIRECTOR

12:30 PM, ET starts:

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

 

 

 

 

 

WEEK 12 - Nov. 28

 

GAME                                    PLAY-BY-PLAY/ANALYST PRODUCER/DIRECTOR

1:00 PM, ET starts:              

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

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

·Tennessee @ Houston             Ian Eagle/Dan Fouts                             Bob Mansbach/Suzanne Smith

 

4:00 PM, ET starts:

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

·Miami @ Oakland                   Gus Johnson/Steve Tasker                    Victor Frank/Mark Grant

 

 

* * * * *

 

CBS Sports Contacts: 

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

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