CBS Quotage for Week 6 of the 2013 NFL Season

Let’s move to CBS’ dynamic duo of pregame shows, “That Other Pregame Show” on CBS Sports Network and “The NFL Today” on CBS.

This was the week where analysts Bill Cowher, Boomer Esiason and Shannon Sharpe went on the road for games. However, they still fulfilled their pregame duties until it was time to concentrate on their respective games.

Here’s the quotage.

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

AND

“THAT OTHER PREGAME SHOW” WITH ADAM SCHEIN, AMY TRASK, BART SCOTT AND BRANDON TIERNEY FOR WEEK 6 ON OCTOBER 13

THE NFL TODAY analysts Bill Cowher, Boomer Esiason and Shannon Sharpe travel out of the studio to take a road trip joining their NFL ON CBS teammates in the broadcast booth to call a game involving their former teams. While Cowher, Esiason and Sharpe are away, host James Brown, Dan Marino and Insider Jason La Canfora anchor THE NFL TODAY from New York City along with CBS Sports Network analysts Bart Scott and Amy Trask from THAT OTHER PREGAME SHOW. Cowher, Esiason and Sharpe also contribute to THE NFL TODAY from their respective game sites.

QUICK HITS

(On 0-4 Pittsburgh vs. New York Jets)

BILL COWHER: I think it’s a must win for the Pittsburgh Steelers. I think for the New York Jets, it’s a chance to validate last week. Which team are they? The team that turned the ball over in Tennessee…or are they the team that showed on Monday night with a comeback win against one of the top teams in the NFC in Atlanta?

BOOMER ESIASON: Geno (Smith) has been up and down, one week good, one week bad. I think he struggles today. It’s going to be a low-scoring game. I think it’s a defensive slugfest. The quarterback who has the ball last in the fourth quarter has a chance to win it.

(On Cincinnati’s Andy Dalton)

BOOMER: What it comes down to is whether Andy Dalton is the guy to take that next step. To me, he has to have his Joe Flacco moment sooner or later and take ownership of this football team. With all the talent around them, I don’t see why they can’t get there.

(On comparing his 1984 season to Peyton Manning’s year so far)

DAN MARINO: I look back on our season in 1984, I was 23 years old. We did some amazing things, and we had a great team with great receivers. Peyton Manning, to me, 37-years-old, two years ago he had the neck injury, couldn’t play for a whole year. Now he comes out, and he’s doing what he’s doing this year. He’s unstoppable right now. And I’m really happy for him.

(On New England Patriots)

SHANNON SHARPE: When the season started, they thought they would have two healthy tight ends. One is never coming back, Aaron Hernandez, and they don’t know if and when they’re going to get Rob Gronkowski back. That is what caused the Patriots to struggle. Tom Brady doesn’t have the cohesiveness. He doesn’t know these guys. All the guys he threw passes to last year, they’re no longer there this year. That’s why they’re struggling offensively. Unless he finds chemistry with these guys, it could be a long, long, day today.

THAT OTHER PREGAME SHOW (TOPS) NOTES

(ON THE REDSKINS NAME CHANGE)

Click to view: http://cbsprt.co/1bondQZ

AMY TRASK: There is one government entity in particular that can force this issue to a head and that has to do with the copyright, trademark, and intellectual property protection of the marks and logos. There are cases pending right now, challenges pending right now, which are asking the government to stop protecting a logo which is derogatory in nature. If the government does that, it makes even more of a case to change the name. This one is not hard guys. It’s easy. It is not complicated. Change the name.

JASON LA CANFORA: The league is kind of cloaking them though don’t you think? We haven’t seen Commissioner Goodell come out. If anything, he’s kind of incubated them. Maybe some more pressure from within might help change things as well.

(ON GREG SCHIANO AND TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS)

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LA CANFORA: The (NFL Players Association) believes (Greg Schiano) had conversations with other players on the team about Josh Freeman’s standing in the program, which would go against the confidentiality (rules). They believe he had discussions directly with Josh Freeman and they would like a joint investigation with the NFL to what exactly happened there. That’s not going to happen from what I hear. There are tough standards to be met and the NFL, barring a smoking gun falling in their lap, I don’t necessary see that investigation going anywhere.

TRASK: The union certainly doesn’t have the ability to compel testimony or to compel anyone to offer facts. There is a chain of people that could have been involved. An employee of the team could have told. An agent could have told. A friend could have told. A reporter… But you do need, as an organization, to find a way to control leaks. In this case it’s a very serious breach of confidentiality.

(ON GENO SMITH)

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BART SCOTT: I think Geno has more natural ability (than Mark Sanchez). I think he has a stronger arm. I think he is more athletic in the pocket, but also the accuracy of his arm. Mark struggled sometimes with accuracy. Early in Mark’s career, he struggled throwing the ball to left, throwing it across his body. I think 80 percent of his passes intercepted were to his left. Teams would bait him to force him to do that. What I like about Geno is his confidence. When things get bad he responds. Mark didn’t have the best poker face. You can’t let opponent’s know there getting to you.

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin bans games from the Steelers’ locker room until their team gets back on track. The “TOPS” crew discusses.
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Is Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers a Hall of Fame-caliber quarterback? THE NFL TODAY’s Dan Marino sheds some light on the topic with Bart Scott, Brandon Tierney, Trask and Schein.
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