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THE NFL ON CBS: WEEK 6 (SUNDAY, OCT. 12) AUDIBLES WITH "NFL ON CBS" LEAD ANALYST PHIL SIMMS AND RANDY CROSS

The CBS Television Network continues its 49th year broadcasting the NFL with singleheader coverage of THE NFL ON CBS on Sunday, Oct. 12 (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-Indianapolis Colts game live from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind.  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 Baltimore-Indianapolis): Can the Indianapolis defense stand in there and stop Baltimore's running game? If it does not, it is going to be fast and Peyton Manning is going to get fewer chances with the football. It will be rough for the Indianapolis offense because the Baltimore defense is so good and has had success against them the past couple of years.  The two big story lines by far are to see if Indy's defense strengthens up and stops the run.  And what will they do against Ray Lewis and everyone else on the defensive side? It is early in season with two teams with 2-2 records, so it's not make-or-break for either...One thing that really comes to mind about this game - we just expect the Indianapolis Colts to come out every year and win their 12-or-more games and be the favorite in the AFC.  This year there is doubt around the league.  And it is real doubt.  People are wondering if this is where the team starts to fall apart and whether they will have to start making major changes going forward in the next few years.  It is a legitimate question.   It always helps to see the team with my own eyes and to study them a little deeper to get a better understanding about them.  That way I also have a better understanding of the long-range prospects.  So there are a lot of questions about the Colts, especially with them playing a team like the Ravens.  If they really play well, then Indianapolis will have answered all these questions.  And, they will be in there for the rest of the year.

 

  

  

RANDY CROSS

(On bye week giving Brett Favre even more time to grasp Jets offense): After this many weeks in the season, Brett Favre demonstrated against Arizona he has a pretty good mastery of the offense.  I'm sure it's gotten even sharper.  That would be the bad news for everyone else they play...(On bye week affecting Jets' momentum): They probably would've been better off getting right back at it, but rest is always good whenever it comes during the season.  It's just a matter of them continuing to grow.  They're a better team than they were last year.  They're a team that is just starting to see what they have with this present dropped in their lap - Brett Favre.  As a group, they have to take more advantage of it...(Keys to Game for Cincinnati): Despite turning the ball over, they've kept their games close.  In order to beat the New York Jets, they have to be the ones getting the turnovers.  And they have to keep the ball off the ground when they have possession of it.

 

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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. 12

 

GAME                                    PLAY-BY-PLAY/ANALYST PRODUCER/DIRECTOR

1:00 PM, ET starts:              

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

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

·Cincinnati @ N.Y. Jets            Dick Enberg/Randy Cross/Dan Fouts Ken Mack/Suzanne Smith

·Oakland @ New Orleans        Kevin Harlan/Rich Gannon                    Jim Rikhoff/Bryan Lilley

 

GAME                                    PLAY-BY-PLAY/ANALYST PRODUCER/DIRECTOR

4:05 PM, ET starts:

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

 

 

WEEK 7 - Oct. 19 - DOUBLEHEADER

 

GAME                                    PLAY-BY-PLAY/ANALYST PRODUCER/DIRECTOR

1:00 PM, ET starts:              

·San Diego @ Buffalo               Greg Gumbel/Dan Dierdorf                   Mark Wolff/Bob Fishman

·Pittsburgh @ Cincinnati            Kevin Harlan/Rich Gannon                    Ken Mack/Bryan Lilley

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

·Baltimore @ Miami                 Bill Macatee/Steve Beuerlein                 Ross Schneiderman/Chris Svendsen

 

4:15 PM, ET starts:

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

·Cleveland @ Washington         Ian Eagle/Solomon Wilcots                   Bob Dekas/Andy Goldberg

·N.Y. Jets @ Oakland              Dick Enberg/Randy Cross/Dan Fouts    Bob Mansbach/Suzanne Smith

 

WEEK 8 - Oct. 26

 

GAME                                    PLAY-BY-PLAY/ANALYST PRODUCER/DIRECTOR

1:00 PM, ET starts:

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

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

·Buffalo @ Miami                     Kevin Harlan/Rich Gannon                    Jim Rikhoff/Bryan Lilley

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

 

4:05 PM, ET starts:

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

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

 

* SD-NO game played in London, England