NFL Pregame Notes from FOX and CBS

If you missed the NFL pregames on Sunday, here's what you missed from FOX and CBS Sports.

NEWS, NOTES & QUOTES FROM CBS SPORTS’ “THE NFL TODAY” WITH JAMES BROWN, DAN MARINO, SHANNON SHARPE,

BILL COWHER AND BOOMER ESIASON FOR WEEK 7 ON OCTOBER 25

►“SEC ON CBS’s” RATINGS ROLL WITH TIDE OVER TENNESSEE

CBS Sports’ coverage of the SEC ON CBS on Saturday, Oct. 24, which saw No. 1 Alabama defeating Tennessee, 12-10, earned an overnight household rating/share of 3.7/8, up 9% from last year’s 3.4/8 (No. 9 Georgia vs. No. 11 LSU).

►THE NFL TODAY’S JAMES BROWN INTERVIEW WITH NFL COMMISSIONER ROGER GOODELL VIA SATELLITE FROM LONDON

(On whether NFL is looking to add more games played in London and other cities)

Commissioner Goodell: The success we've had here in the U.K. over the last three years, if it continues to grow and we continue to build a bigger fan base, I think if we can continue that, we will look to add multiple games here. Again, we're just feeding the demand for our sport. We would love to be able to see multiple games in this market.

(On whether NFL is looking specifically to put a franchise in London and how soon that might be)

Commissioner Goodell: I think we're getting a little ahead of ourselves there, as far as getting a franchise here. If we can continue to be successful with every step, if we do play multiple games here in London and they continue to build on the success we already have and our fan base grows, yes, it's realistic to think that could happen someday. But it's down the road.

(On whether NFL will be back in Los Angeles; and whether it would be expansion or relocation)

Commissioner Goodell: Well, we do think that the developments in California were positive this week. We're grateful for the leadership there, particularly the Governor who did sign that bill. But the reality is there's a lot more work to be done. It's clear a stadium can get built now and get over the hurdles of environmental and other challenges. But we really have to figure out how to finance it. And that’s the big challenge right now. It would probably be an $800 million stadium. That is going to be a real challenge for us. We'll do one step at a time. This is a positive development. Hopefully someday we'll be able to get back to Los Angeles because we know we have millions of fans in Southern California

(On potential League action against Oakland Head Coach Tom Cable despite being absolved of criminal charges)

Commissioner Goodell: We’ve been monitoring it the whole way. This has been a criminal matter and the DA says they're not going to pursue it any further at this stage. We will look into that decision. We will follow up on it. And, if any action is necessary, we will take that.

(On what the NFL would do if a team experienced a major flu outbreak on game day)

Commissioner Goodell: We've been working on this for a long time with our competition committee and our medical consultants. The reality of it is, we do everything we can for the health and safety of our players, but there could be a competitive issue if something like the swine flu struck a team, and a number of players were unavailable. If more than six players were unavailable at any given time, we do have a procedure in place to allow them to sign players on short notice and bring them up with their practice squad or sign them from the street. I think there are procedures in place should that happen. Our most important issue is to make sure it doesn't happen. We've had some concerns with a couple of players' health…but the reality is we've been able to contain it effectively with good medical help and that's our hope.

►More with Commissioner Goodell during an in-game interview in London with Jim Nantz and Phil Simms

Nantz: Do you see having multiple games (in London) next year?

Commissioner Goodell: Yes I do. It’s possible that we extend the series to two games for 2010.

►QUICK HITS

(On Washington Head Coach Jim Zorn)

BILL COWHER: The head coach is the face of the team. He's out there to give directions and answers. Three weeks ago when Sherman Lewis was brought in, it began the undermining of Jim Zorn as head coach and offensive coordinator. When he was faced this past week with the stripping of the play calling, he had two choices: No. 1 you say no, and that could lead to his firing; or No. 2 you can say, if that’s part of the contract and they can do that, you accept it, you leave the room and endorse it. He didn't do either. And in doing so, he lost his dignity and he lost his credibility. To me, he lost his ability to be a head coach and lead this football team. He's nothing more than a figure head right now.

BOOMER ESIASON: If I were a player under those circumstances, he has just been marginalized by the ownership and general manager of that team.

SHANNON SHARPE: There's enough blame to go around, but let's start at the top with the owner Daniel Snyder because he thinks you can win the Super Bowl by spending the most money on the first day of free agency. And that has never worked. Then you have Vinny Cerrato. He has a situation where he has a radio show. I don't think a Player Personnel or General Manager should talk about the inner workings of what’s happening in the organization. Maybe Jim Zorn is in over his head, but when you hire the offensive coordinator before you hire the head coach, there’s the problem right there. You don’t go to the grocery store, put the stuff in the basket and then start marking your list down. You get the list first. Then you go shopping. They hired the offensive coordinator first, then hired the coach. That’s wrong.

►“INSIDE THE NFL” WITH CHARLEY CASSERLY

(On Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford needing surgery)

CASSERLY: In my opinion, get the surgery now. It’s a five-month rehab that will put you healthy one month before the draft; no complications in the surgery. I think he’ll still be a high number one pick in next year’s draft.

Johnson on Washington’s Problems: Zorn is Being Made the Scapegoat

Bradshaw on the Cowboys: Where’s the Offense?

Strahan’s Game Plan for Steelers: Forget Peterson. Make Favre Lose the Game

Long: Few Offenses Depend on QB as Much as Steelers Depend on Roethlisberger

Co-host Terry Bradshaw on Titans coach Jeff Fisher wearing Peyton Manning jersey at a charity event last weekend: “I have a big problem with it. If you are a player in that locker room and the coach is separating himself from you, he’s basically turned around and told the players ‘you’re the losers.’ I’m disappointed in Fisher.”

Analyst Jimmy Johnson on the situation in Washington with head coach Jim Zorn: “He is the head coach and he is responsible but let’s be very clear - He is being made a scapegoat. There are some other problems in Washington besides Jim Zorn. This is his first and probably his last big pay day. If he walks, he walks away from $4 million.”

Analyst Michael Strahan on the way the Redskins owner Daniel Snyder has handled the problems with his team: “I feel as a man and as a leader, Daniel Snyder has to treat people better than he has, especially in public. No one is going to respect you or your team and your players aren’t going to respect you. You’re not going to win handling your business like that.”

Analyst Jimmy Johnson on the Falcons/Cowboys clash today in Dallas: “Don’t be mislead by the Falcons 4-1 record. If the Cowboys don’t play sloppy, can protect the football and control the clock, they will control the game. Atlanta has had a tough time stopping anybody.”

Co-host Terry Bradshaw on the lack of big plays from the Cowboys this season: “Where’s the offense? Where’s the excitement? I’d like to see more attacks down the field. I don’t know if Jason Garrett has pulled away from that to give Romo more confidence but as a viewer, I’ve lost interest.”

Analysts Michael Strahan and Howie Long and Co-host Terry Bradshaw preview the Vikings @ Steelers matchup:

Strahan on Steelers plan of attack: “This is a defensive game. If I were Mike Tomlin, this is how I would approach the game. Forget about Adrian Peterson. Adrian is going to get his yards, there’s nothing you can do. He’s going to get his yards, let him have his yards. Make Brett Favre lose this game. Attack Favre, put pressure on Favre and see how he handles it because a lot of teams have tried to load up against the running game which has freed up Brett Favre. Do the opposite and I guarantee it’ll work.”

Long on Favre’s impact in Minnesota: “I don’t think anyone could’ve envisioned Brett Favre being as good in Minnesota as he’s been to this point in the season. There’s no questions he’s had a huge impact on the football team from a leadership standpoint and more importantly, the football team believes that they can win a championship with him at quarterback.”

Long on Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger: “I think you’d be hard-pressed with the exception of Peyton Manning and Drew Brees to find a quarterback whose offense is more dependent on his performance than Ben Roethlisberger right now.”

Bradshaw: “Jared Allen will never get face to face with a quarterback that’s actually going to be bigger than he is and I’m talking about Roethlisberger. Roethlisberger has two Super Bowls and Favre has one. Brett’s on the road and this is a huge game for the Vikings because honestly, if they in fact beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh I’m going to jump all in with Minnesota because that is a major accomplishment.”

Analyst Jimmy Johnson on teams running up the score: “The New England Patriots have been accused several times of running up the score in 2007. Last Sunday Tom Brady set a new record with five TD passes in the second quarter. Patriots beat Tennessee 59-0. You ask, ‘why weren’t the substitutes in earlier?’ Every NFL player has incentives for every statistic imaginable from touchdowns to sacks to amount of playing time. You put a good player on the bench and he doesn’t make his extra money, you’ll have one very unhappy employee. As a coach, I never wanted my players to ever get into a bad habit of going half-speed. Coaches can’t stand sloppy play. Once against the Bears with the playoffs wrapped up and a comfortable lead, I substituted for Emmitt Smith with Curvin Richards, his backup. Curvin fumbled and Chicago scored. Curvin fumbled again and Chicago scored again. I cut Curvin as soon as we got in the locker room. We didn’t turn the ball over again until Leon Lett’s famous fumble in the Super Bowl so it made a point. I’ve been criticized for running up the score. One year at the University of Miami, [former Notre Dame head coach] Ara Parseghian criticized me for blocking a punt against Notre Dame in the 4th quarter and going up 58-7. I only had 10 players on the field, they were substitutes and half of them didn’t know what they were doing. Deep down I loved that we won by 50 points. We paid Notre Dame back for all those years that the Irish beat up on those cupcake teams that had no chance to win against them. Believe me, players and coaches love being on the plus side of a blowout. There is pride and bragging rights involved. If you don’t agree you’re saying the NFL should have a mercy rule like they have in tee ball for six-year-olds. I don’t want that, the fans done want that either.”