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THE NFL ON CBS: WEEK 11 (SUNDAY, NOV. 16) AUDIBLES WITH "NFL ON CBS" ANALYSTS DAN DIERDORF AND STEVE TASKER

The CBS Television Network continues its 49th year broadcasting the NFL with coverage of THE NFL ON CBS on Sunday, Nov. 16 (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 San Diego Chargers-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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DAN DIERDORF

(On New York Giants): No team in the National Football League is playing at a higher level right now than the New York Giants.  So much for a Super Bowl hangover.  If anything they've gone in the other direction.  They are bristling with confidence and appear to be a much more cohesive, solid football team than they were a year ago.  They had the great run (last year) but a lot of people forget that they had a rather pedestrian regular-season.  They're having anything but that right now...(On Giants rushing offense vs. Ravens rushing defense): I can't imagine a scenario where the Giants are going to run the ball for 175 yards and run it down Baltimore's throat.  I don't think that is possible.  But, the Giants do have the ability to loosen up any team's defense with their ability to throw the football.  This may be a case where Eli Manning and Plaxico Burress and the passing game may have to open things up for the running game.  They may need success passing before they have success running...(On Ravens offense vs. Giants defense): This is going to be the most pressure that Joe Flacco has seen all year.  Joe Flacco has not looked like a rookie, nor has he performed like a rookie, but he is a rookie.  He hasn't seen anything like he's going to see coming after him on Sunday afternoon at the Meadowlands.  The Giants will come up the middle, from the outside - they will do everything but come at him from out of the tunnel.  That will be about the only place they won't be coming from...(On Giants QB Eli Manning): Eli Manning looks as if he's made a quantum leap in his grasp of the game and with the confidence in which he is playing.  He's very impressive when you watch him play - his ability to make all the throws and his command of the huddle.  That Super Bowl win has catapulted Eli to the next step up.  He's still a young man, but it's pretty apparent when you watch how he conducts himself on the field that he has taken the good fortune that comes with winning a Super Bowl and elevated his game considerably.              

(Over)

THE NFL ON CBS Week 11 Notes...2

  

STEVE TASKER

(On Colts regaining confidence after wins over Pittsburgh and New England): They certainly seem to be feeling more confident about their ability to win games each and every week, and their ability to play consistently.  I don't think they really had confidence in the early part of the season.  They're back to that point now where they know the game is going to be in their favor if they just play their game...(On Houston vs. Indianapolis): Since both these defenses are up against offenses that can really move the football, the offense that is good enough to control the clock is going to be the one that wins.  The Texans have really struggled with turnovers this year.  They had the Colts on the ropes the last time they played.  The Colts had no business winning that game in Houston, and actually stole it from them when Sage Rosenfels had those fumbles. The Texans will feel confident that they can move the football on the Colts.  The bigger question is, will they be able to get touchdowns instead of field goals when they get inside the 20 yard line?  And, will they be able to use the clock and control the football enough to keep Peyton Manning off the field...(Keys to the game):  It's going to come down to turnovers. Can either of the defenses come up with a couple of turnovers or plays that make the difference?  Both of these offenses and defenses are used to being in games where a lot of points are scored.  Both offenses can move the football.  It comes down to which team can keep the ball away from the other both through ball control and not turning it over.  Maybe it will be one or two series that ends because the defense causes a turnover or perhaps a blocked kick, a huge special teams return or something like that...(On Peyton Manning): Without question, Peyton Manning is still one of the top quarterbacks in the National Football League. At this point in his career, he may be pushing to be one of the top quarterbacks of all-time.  He is still as good as it gets. The players around him have changed.  Marvin Harrison certainly is not the player this year that we've come to expect him to be. Nevertheless, this is a team that runs on all cylinders only when Peyton Manning is at his best, and he is at his best more often than maybe any other quarterback in the league.

  

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GAME DAY NOTE: Two games in the early window (1:00 PM, ET) of THE NFL ON CBS's Week 11 doubleheader coverage feature Houston-Indianapolis and Baltimore-N.Y. Giants, which means both Peyton Manning and brother Eli Manning make a rare same-day playing appearance against other teams on the same network.  Approximately 63% of the country will see a Manning playing on CBS this Sunday (48% Ravens-Giants; 15% Texans-Colts).

 

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Following are THE NFL ON CBS assignments for Week 11, Week 12 and Week 13 (subject to change).

  

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

(More)

THE NFL ON CBS Week 11 Notes...3

 

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

 

 

WEEK 13 - Nov. 27 (THANKSGIVING DAY)*

 

GAME                                    PLAY-BY-PLAY/ANALYST PRODUCER/DIRECTOR

1:00 PM, ET starts:

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

 

WEEK 13 - Nov. 30 - DOUBLEHEADER

 

GAME                                    PLAY-BY-PLAY/ANALYST PRODUCER/DIRECTOR

1:00 PM, ET starts:              

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

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

·Denver @ N.Y. Jets                Kevin Harlan/Rich Gannon                    Jim Rikhoff/Bryan Lilley

·Miami @ St. Louis                  Gus Johnson/Steve Tasker                    Victor Frank/Mark Grant

 

4:15 PM, ET starts:

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

·Kansas City @ Oakland          Bill Macatee/Steve Beuerlein                 Ross Schneiderman//Chris Svendsen

  

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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