Bill Cowher Returns to Pittsburgh to Preview Ravens-Steelers; Lesley Visser Visits with Bears Head Coach Lovie Smith;

CBS Sports' Golf Analyst David Feherty Contributes with Special Essay on NFL on Saturday

On Sunday, Boomer Esiason Talks With Jets Head Coach Rex Ryan and Defensive Stars Darrelle Revis and Bart Scott

In Preview of Jets-New England Game  

THE NFL ON CBS, continues its 51^st year broadcasting the NFL with coverage of the 2011 American Football Conference Playoffs with the national broadcasts of AFC Divisional Playoff games on Saturday, Jan. 15 (4:30 PM, ET) and Sunday, Jan. 16 (4:30 PM, ET) live on the CBS Television Network.  The No. 5-seeded BALTIMORE RAVENS (13-4) visit the AFC North Champions and No. 2-seeded PITTSBURGH STEELERS (12-4) on Saturday afternoon, while the No. 6-seeded NEW YORK JETS (12-5) travel to play the AFC East Champions and No. 1-seeded NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (14-2). 

THE NFL ON CBS's coverage begins with THE NFL TODAY, the Network's studio show (3:30 PM, ET) and (4:00 PM, ET), respectively, live from the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City.

On Saturday, THE NFL TODAY's Bill Cowher previews the Ravens-Steelers game, one of the NFL's fiercest rivalries, by going back to Pittsburgh to sit down with his former players Ben Roethlisberger, Hines Ward and James Harrison to talk about the intensity of the rivalry and their plans on how to beat Baltimore.  Charlie Bloom is the producer.

Lesley Visser is in Chicago as she previews the NFC Divisional Playoff game between the Bears and Seattle by visiting with Head Coach Lovie Smith to talk about his team's turnaround in the middle of the season and his game plan on beating Seattle.  Jeff St. Arromand is the producer.

And in a special essay by CBS Sports' David Feherty, the golf analyst gives his unique thoughts on the NFL including what a "Champions Tour"-like league for retired NFL players would look like if one were ever created.

In addition, Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf report live from Pittsburgh with a preview of the Steelers-Ravens game they'll be calling later that day, while Jim Nantz and Phil Simms check in from New England on the next day's Jets-Patriots games.  Also Sam Ryan reports live from Atlanta with a preview of the NFC Divisional Playoff game between Green Bay and Atlanta on Saturday, and Visser reports live from Chicago to preview Sunday's Bears-Seahawks game.    

On Sunday's NFL TODAY (4:00 PM, ET), THE NFL TODAY's Boomer Esiason previews the Jets-Patriots game by sitting down with Jets Head Coach Rex Ryan and two of his defensive stars Darrelle Revis and Bart Scott to find out how they intend to stop Tom Brady and the red hot Patriots offense, as well as how the coach and some of his players have taken on some of the Patriots in the press this week.  Deb Gelman is the producer.

In addition live reports from Nantz and Simms in New England, and Visser in Chicago, preview the day's playoff games.

James Brown hosts THE NFL TODAY, along with analysts Dan Marino, Esiason, Shannon Sharpe and Cowher, NFL TODAY "General Manager" Charley Casserly, as well as Visser and Sam Ryan reporting.

Sean McManus is President, CBS News and Sports, and serves as the executive producer for the Network's coverage of the NFL.  Harold Bryant is Vice President, Production, CBS Sports.

Eric Mann is senior producer and Bob Matina is director of THE NFL TODAY.

* * * * *

CBS Sports Contacts:  Jen Sabatelle               212/975-412                jsabatelle@cbs.com

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

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