From CBS Sports -
“THE NFL TODAY’S” JAMES BROWN SITS DOWN WITH CLEVELAND BROWNS HEAD COACH ERIC MANGINI FOR WEEK 11 ON SUNDAY, NOV. 15THE NFL ON CBS, home of Super Bowl XLIV and broadcasting its Golden Anniversary 50th year of the NFL, continues its 2009 NFL season on Sunday, Nov. 22 (1:00-7:00 PM, ET) beginning with THE NFL TODAY (12:00 Noon-1:00 PM, ET).
This week THE NFL TODAY’s host James Brown sits down with Cleveland Browns Head Coach Eric Mangini. Deb Gelman is the producer.
Brown hosts THE NFL TODAY along with analysts Dan Marino, Boomer Esiason, Shannon Sharpe and Bill Cowher, NFL TODAY “General Manager” Charley Casserly, as well as Lesley Visser and Sam Ryan reporting.
THE NFL ON CBS: WEEK 11 (SUNDAY, NOV. 22)
AUDIBLES WITH LEAD “NFL ON CBS” ANALYST PHIL SIMMS AND DAN FOUTS The CBS Television Network, home of Super Bowl XLIV, continues its Golden Anniversary 50th year broadcasting the NFL with THE NFL ON CBS on Sunday, Nov. 22 (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, who this year is marking his 25th with CBS Sports, and Phil Simms call the action from the New York Jets-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 2009 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.
PHIL SIMMS
(On Bill Belichick’s fourth down call in Indianapolis game): It’s been documented that this was a premeditated thought. The whole week leading up to the game, he decided he was going to do this. I always tell people this about coaches: if it’s fourth-and-one from the one, the last play of the game, coaches already know what play they’re going to call. They determine those kinds of things during the week. So do I agree? It’s not about agreeing. Would I have done it? No, I would not have done it. What gets overlooked is not having timeouts. If he would have had one, I believe he would have won the challenge because in my mind Kevin Faulk was past the 30 yard line and clearly had possession of the football. It’s a general rule in the NFL to use your timeouts, no matter what, in the first half. In the second half, save them regardless of almost any situation, unless it’s a scoring opportunity. Save those timeouts for the end of the game.
(On how Patriots will respond to N.Y. Jets after loss to Colts): Emotionally there’s a little bit of a hangover from it because you put so much into the game. It was such an emotionally charged game. Then it’s talked about by the media, your family, your friends, your teammates. Sometimes it’s hard to put that behind you. If I was the coach, I would hope we do something good early to get the emotions and everything going our way in the game against the Jets.
(On Jets coming off five losses in last six games): The Jets have played a lot of close games. It’s how you play the last couple minutes of the game that many times determines if you’re a playoff team. They have not reacted well when the pressure is on – on either side of the ball – when it comes to those moments late in the game. Overall, the Jets have done a lot of good things. I’ve watched all of their games and Mark Sanchez has had a good rookie year. Has it been great? No, but it’s very good.
(On Jets-Patriots rematch): When the Patriots played in Week 2 they did not block the New York Jets very well. But now there’s a lot of film out there. There have been a lot of things to look at as the NFL season has settled in. Can the Jets get guys free and running at Tom Brady consistently like they did in Week 2? My first thought is, I have to see it to believe it. Because they’re experienced and had more time to prepare, I think the Patriots will handle the Jets’ blitz much better this time around.
NOTE: The Sporting News/Sports Business Journal/Sports Business Daily listed its Top 25 Football Broadcasters and CBS Sports was well represented: Gary Danielson (1), Phil Simms (4), Verne Lundquist (8), Jim Nantz (10), Greg Gumbel (17), Dan Fouts (20), Gus Johnson (24) and Dick Enberg (25).
DAN FOUTS
(On AFC West race): There’s no question this is a two-horse race between Denver and San Diego. There’s no doubt in my mind, this race will go down to the end.
(On Chargers being different team from last time they met Denver): They’re healthier number one. They’ve gotten healthier on the offensive line and at running back with LT (LaDainian Tomlinson), and defensively they’re playing a lot better. They had the huge loss in Jamal Williams and they’ve kind of gone to playing nose tackle by committee without him. The biggest thing is that they’ve regained their health, as well as LT and Shawne Merriman being healthy helps as well.
(On San Diego): Although the running game is important, it’s still the passing game that’s winning games for San Diego. With those receivers, along with LT and Darren Sproles coming out of the backfield along with Antonio Gates, they have so many weapons. The Chargers are not all that concerned with running the ball. They know they can win by throwing it.
(Keys to game for Denver): If you look back to the first game that Denver won, they got two touchdowns in the return game. So if you take those out of the game, it’s a different plan defensively for Denver as well. They got five sacks in that game. That would be my game plan if I were Mike Nolan –continue to put pressure on Philip Rivers and don’t let him beat you. Of course, that’s easier said than done.
(On Denver’s quarterback situation): It will be interesting to see how many reps Chris Simms gets in practice this week and how many reps Kyle Orton gets due to his ankle. He had an ankle injury last year when he was with the Bears that caused him problems. It’ll be interesting to see how long Josh McDaniels takes to make the decision on his quarterback.
(On how pivotal this game is for San Diego): There’s no question that if San Diego loses then they lose the tiebreak to Denver. And, a loss in conference impacts the wild card race down the road with other AFC teams as well. You don’t want to lose any game. You certainly don’t want to lose a divisional game with a team you’re tied to that’s already beaten you. And you don’t want to lose a conference game. San Diego would say that all games are critical, but this one, mathematically, would be devastating.
NOTE: This week Dan Fouts and LaDainian Tomlinson were the leading vote getters among the 53 players and coaches selected as the Greatest Chargers of all-time during the team’s 50th Anniversary season.
TRIP IN THE NFL ON CBS WAY BACK MACHINE…In commemoration of THE NFL ON CBS celebrating its 50th year broadcasting the NFL, footage from historic highlights will be featured during each game. Included among the clips this week during the Pittsburgh-Kansas City game will be a highlight of Super Bowl XIV when Pittsburgh’s Terry Bradshaw and John Stallworth connect for a 73-yard touchdown pass on their way to a 31-19 win over the Rams on January 20, 1980.
Following are THE NFL ON CBS assignments for Week 11, Week 12 and Week 13 (subject to change).
WEEK 11 – Nov. 22 – CBS DOUBLEHEADER
1:00 PM, ET starts:
●Indianapolis @ Baltimore
Greg Gumbel/Dan Dierdorf
●Pittsburgh @ Kansas City
Ian Eagle/Rich Gannon
●Buffalo @ Jacksonville
Bill Macatee/Steve Beuerlein
●Cleveland @ Detroit
Don Criqui/Randy Cross
4:15 PM, ET starts:
●N.Y. Jets @ New England
Jim Nantz/Phil Simms
●San Diego @ Denver
Dick Enberg/Dan Fouts
●Cincinnati @ Oakland
Kevin Harlan/Solomon Wilcots
WEEK 12 – Nov. 26 (Thanksgiving Day*)
4:00 PM, ET start:
●Oakland @ Dallas*
Jim Nantz/Phil Simms
WEEK 12 – Nov. 29
1:00 PM, ET starts:
●Miami @ Buffalo
Gus Johnson/Steve Tasker
●Indianapolis @ Houston
Greg Gumbel/Dan Dierdorf
●Cleveland @ Cincinnati
Ian Eagle/Rich Gannon
4:00 PM, ET starts:
●Kansas City @ San Diego
Dick Enberg/Dan Fouts
●Jacksonville @ San Francisco
Kevin Harlan/Solomon Wilcots
WEEK 13 – Dec. 6
1:00 PM, ET starts:
●Tennessee @ Indianapolis
Jim Nantz/Phil Simms
●Oakland @ Pittsburgh
Greg Gumbel/Dan Dierdorf
●Denver @ Kansas City
Dick Enberg/Dan Fouts
●Houston @ Jacksonville
Gus Johnson/Steve Tasker
4:00 PM, ET starts:
●San Diego @ Cleveland
Kevin Harlan/Solomon Wilcots
