We move to CBS and its dynamic duo of pregame show, That Other Pregame Show and The NFL Today. Here is the quotage.
NEWS, NOTES & QUOTES FROM CBS SPORTS’ “THE NFL TODAY” WITH JAMES BROWN, BOOMER ESIASON, BILL COWHER, TONY GONZALEZ AND BART SCOTT AND “THAT OTHER PREGAME SHOW” WITH ADAM SCHEIN, AMY TRASK, LONDON FLETCHER AND BRANDON TIERNEY FOR WEEK 6 ON OCTOBER 12
“SEC ON CBS” RATINGS DON’T MISS WITH MISSISSIPPI STATE’S WIN OVER AUBURN
CBS Sports’ broadcast of the SEC ON CBS on Saturday, Oct. 11 (3:30 PM, ET), which saw No. 3 Mississippi State defeat No. 2 Auburn, 38-23, earned an average overnight household rating/share of 3.8/8, up 12% from last year’s 3.4/8 (No. 17 Florida vs. No. 10 LSU) in the metered markets. The game was the highest-rated college football game of the weekend.
QUICK HITS
(On N.Y. Jets)
DAN FOUTS: In meeting with the players and coaches on Friday, I came away with the feeling that, although they said all the right things about being professional and bouncing back, it all kind of rang hollow. Now, Rex Ryan calls his team a bunch of fighters. They will go to the mat with you. But they certainly didn’t look that way when they were shut out by the Chargers last Sunday. Ryan told us the reason he named Geno Smith his starting quarterback for today’s game after the loss to the Chargers is he didn’t want a quarterback controversy to develop. But if Geno Smith doesn’t play better today, if the Jets don’t win today, the quarterback controversy will be the least of Ryan’s problems.
BART SCOTT: The GM (general manager) has to take some responsibility. The GM is sucking the life out of that organization. He didn’t put a competitive football team on the field. I think he’s doing a disservice. I have a lot of friends over there. He is doing a disservice to David Harris. He is doing a disservice to D’Brickashaw Ferguson, Nick Mangold. This is their fifth quarterback they’ve had to usher in. He has not provided them with the resources they need to be a successful football team.
“NFL TODAY INSIDER” JASON LA CANFORA REPORT
(On Cleveland’s Brian Hoyer)
JASON LA CANFORA: They could have had him signed long-term for very low-end starter money, even high in back-up money in the spring when last these sides talked. That is no longer the case. If they don’t get him extended in the next four-to-six weeks, I fully expect Hoyer to gamble on himself in free agency, a la Joe Flacco. He’s on pace for over 4,000 yards, thrown just one [interception], one of the best red-zone quarterbacks in the league. And he gets Josh Gordon, his best weapon, back from suspension next month. GMs I talked to believe he could get $8-12 million-a-year in the open market. If he keeps this up, maybe a little bit more.
BILL COWHER: He’s a leader. He’s humble. He’s been productive. He’s been there, and he’s been accountable. When you look at it, you can’t help but pull for this guy. He was also under Tom Brady. He’s been around the league. He understands how it is to be a leader and be the face of that franchise. This guy is going to be there for a while…He (Johnny Manziel) should take a look at the guy he’s playing behind right now, and that’s how you lead.
JIM ROME ON AROUND THE LEAGUE
(On San Diego)
And two years after he was left for dead, Philip Rivers has never looked better, never played better. Do not sleep on these cats. This year is different. Not only are they finally on time for the party, they might be the ones who shut this bash down.
(On Cincinnati)
Start the clock on the ‘Nati. T-minus 13 weeks until the Bengals’ annual Wild Card loss. After seeing them get waxed by the worst Patriots team in years, nothing has changed with them. And no, that was not just a bad game. It was a big game, and it was after a two-week break, and they still got boat raced. But, it did answer a very important question – ‘Who dey think gonna to beat them Bengals?’ – anybody at the big boy table. That’s who. Nice players, good coach, and a glass jaw.
BOOMER ESIASON: Wait and see what you see today from the Cincinnati Bengals. That will validate who they are. They will be ready to go and they will go deep into the playoffs this year.
(On Dallas trade of Herschel Walker to Minnesota 25 years ago)
ROME: You know it’s a terrible trade when it has its own Wikipedia page.
* * * * *
THAT OTHER PREGAME SHOW (TOPS) NOTES
(ON AN NFL TEAM MOVING TO LOS ANGELES):
AMY TRASK: Right now, what we’re watching is a very, very high-stakes game of musical chairs. There are at least three very viable candidates to come to Los Angeles – The Rams, the Raiders and the Chargers. When the music stops playing, at least one of these teams is going to be left without a chair. And believe me, these teams know it. Click to view: http://cbsprt.co/1uZiJMe.
(ON MICHAEL VICK, GENO SMITH AND JETS):
LONDON FLETCHER: He’s a veteran guy who was brought in to tutor, mentor and teach this young guy how to play the quarterback position. When you say you’re not prepared as a quarterback – you know that you’re one play away because of injury. Not only that, with the way Geno Smith had performed previously, you had to have known, ‘He’s one bad half of football away from me going in there and taking his job away.’ I don’t understand it, Mike Vick. You’re a veteran guy. You’re not a kid.
CHRIS SIMMS: There are a lot of issues at play here. They have no weapons on offense when Eric Decker is hurt. And then they have no secondary in a year when they’re going against the AFC North and the AFC West who have weapons galore. So now you can’t keep pace nor can you stop them. A lot (has to change) in the front office, and with Woody Johnson as well.
We’ll go to ESPN’s quotage next.
