Let’s turn to CBS Sports and what you’ll see from the network on The NFL Today. It’s of course, Halloween-themed. Then we’ll see what one of The NFL Today’s analysts have to say about the games in Week 8.
We first look at what The NFL Today has in store for Sunday.
KRIS JENKINS ANSWERS THE BELL FOR TRICK-AND-TREATERS FOR WEEK 8 OF “THE NFL TODAY” ON SUNDAY, OCT. 30
THE NFL ON CBS, broadcasting its 52nd year of the NFL, continues its 2011 NFL season on Sunday, Oct. 30 (1:00-7:00 PM, ET) with THE NFL TODAY (12:00 Noon-1:00 PM, ET).
This weekend THE NFL TODAY celebrates Halloween at Kris Jenkins’ house as he answers the bell with gobs of treats and lots of mayhem for some of the NFL coaches and players that stop by for tricks-and-treats. Charlie Bloom is the producer.James 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 reporting. Jenkins joins the show this week in his recurring role as a contributing analyst.
Eric Mann is senior producer and Bob Matina is director of THE NFL TODAY.
Now to The NFL Today’s Bill Cowher who discusses New England-Pittsburgh, the feature game for Week 8.
THE NFL ON CBS: WEEK 8 (SUNDAY, OCT. 30)
AUDIBLES WITH “THE NFL TODAY’S” BILL COWHER
The CBS Television Network continues its 52nd year broadcasting the NFL with coverage of THE NFL ON CBS on Sunday, Oct. 30 (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 New England Patriots-Pittsburgh Steelers game live from Heinz Filed in Pittsburgh, Pa. Lance Barrow is the coordinating producer and lead game producer and Mike Arnold is the lead game director.
Sean McManus is Chairman, CBS Sports, and serves as Executive Producer of CBS Sports’ coverage of THE NFL ON CBS. Harold Bryant is Executive Producer and Vice President, Production, CBS Sports.
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BILL COWHER
(On New England-Pittsburgh): Every year the identity of a team changes to some degree. With both of these teams, while they’ve changed, the expectation level and to a large extent the results, haven’t changed. They are both winning organizations. Certainly, New England coming off a bye is well-rested. Pittsburgh will be a very tough defense for them. The Patriots have proven to be very resourceful week-in and week-out. Their running game is probably as good as it’s been all year.
For Pittsburgh, their challenge is stopping Tom Brady in the spread offense. That is something I’m sure that they’ve looked at, and thought about, the whole off-season. Pittsburgh’s offense may be one of the most explosive in all of football. This is the best receiving corps that they’ve had in years. Mike Wallace, Antonio Brown, Emmanuel Sanders, Hines Ward – these are the most weapons Ben Roethlisberger has ever had. And it may be the first time they have an offensive line with some degree of continuity. They are playing as well as they’ve played and are peaking offensively. And they will be a challenge defensively. This could decide home-field advantage, so there could be playoff implications in this game as well.
(On this game having more importance to Pittsburgh at this point): This game is important to Pittsburgh because it’s a home game against a conference team that, at some point, you’re going to have to beat anyway. The fact that Pittsburgh has two losses with a chance to stay tied for first place with Baltimore, and New England is going strong with only one loss, it’s important for both teams. But when you’re playing this type of game at home, the pressure is certainly more on the home team.
The NFL on CBS announcing assignments are next.
