CBS will end Conference Championship Sunday with the AFC Championship between the Baltimore Ravens and the New England Patriots live from Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts.
The game broadcast begins at 6:30 p.m. ET. Jim Nantz and Phil Simms will call all of the action. They’ll be joined on the broadcast by Steve Tasker and Solomon Wilcots on the sidelines.
The NFL Today will air at 6 p.m., but unlike Fox, CBS will keep the studio crew of James Brown, Bill Cowher, Boomer Esiason, Dan Marino and Shannon Sharpe in New York City.
Let’s see what CBS is saying about the AFC Championship including some words from Nantz and Simms.
“THE NFL ON CBS” TRAVELS TO FOXBOROUGH FOR 2013 AMERICAN FOOTBALL CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP REMATCH ON SUNDAY, JAN. 20
THE NFL ON CBS, home of Super Bowl XLVII and celebrating its 53rd year broadcasting the NFL, travels to Foxborough, Mass. for the 2013 American Football Conference Championship Game on Sunday, Jan. 20 (6:30 PM, ET) as the AFC North Champions and No. 4-seeded BALTIMORE RAVENS take on the AFC East Champions and No. 2-seeded NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS in a rematch of last year’s championship game live on the CBS Television Network. CBS Sports’ lead announce team of Jim Nantz and Phil Simms call the action, along with Steve Tasker and Solomon Wilcots reporting, from Gillette Stadium in Foxborough. Lance Barrow is coordinating producer of THE NFL ON CBS and lead game producer and Mike Arnold is the lead game director.
CBS Sports’ coverage of the AFC Championship Game begins with THE NFL TODAY, the Network’s pre-game studio show, on Sunday (6:00 PM, ET) with host James Brown and analysts Dan Marino, Boomer Esiason, Shannon Sharpe and Bill Cowher, as well as NFL Insider Jason LaCanfora, and Lesley Visser reporting, live from THE NFL TODAY studio at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City.
Eric Mann is senior producer and Bob Matina is director of THE NFL TODAY.
Sean McManus is Chairman, CBS Sports and serves as executive producer for the Network’s coverage of THE NFL ON CBS. Harold Bryant is Executive Producer and Vice President, Production, CBS Sports.
(On Baltimore QB Joe Flacco)
PHIL SIMMS: Joe Flacco plays in a system that’s what I call, and I don’t’ mean this to demean the staff at the Ravens, it’s not quarterback-friendly. It’s not about hitting a tremendously high percentage of your passes because look where he throws it. I mean, watch the game the other day. What team throws the football down the field like that? He doesn’t get a lot of screens. There’s not a lot of quick throws, there’s not a lot of gadgets. I take that into account when I do judge quarterbacks. I don’t know their numbers. I don’t care. I let my eye tell me what I know about them.(More on whether Flacco needs to win Super Bowl before he gets deserved accolades)
SIMMS: Yes, to answer your question, there’s no doubt. He’s going to have to go to the Super Bowl. Not only that, if he didn’t play well and they win the Super Bowl, then it’ll be, ‘Oh, well they overcame Joe Flacco.’ I don’t think I’m overstating it. It’s just the way it is. Players get labeled. That’s the story…When he plays well, no mention. When they lose? Oh, well they let Joe Flacco throw too much…But when Joe Flacco or any other quarterback makes an outstanding throw, to most fans and most people, it’s just another throw. They don’t realize that that throw was made by somebody maybe only five guys in the league can make. So maybe that’s a little unfair, but your premise is right. He’s got to win this week, win in the Super Bowl before he probably ever gets the accolades and the dues that maybe he deserves.(On Baltimore’s Ray Lewis and Joe Flacco)
JIM NANTZ: His emotion is definitely a big part of what Baltimore’s doing right now. And not only that, but he’s fresh. I mean, he’s made 30 tackles in the last two games. I think in some ways, he’s looked better than he’s looked in a couple of years. He’s going out, whether it’s this week or down in New Orleans, playing some great football…Joe Flacco is starting to take over now as the leader of this team. Right before our very eyes, this is becoming Flacco’s team right now. And he’s stepping up and accepting that role. It’s a big reason why they’re able to pull off that comeback in Denver, and why they’re back in the AFC Championship game.(On New England’s QB Tom Brady being greatest of all-time)
NANTZ: Last weekend we were on-hand to see him pass (Joe) Montana for most wins in post-season play. So here he is trying to go to the Super Bowl in his sixth year out of 13 in the league. If he’s not the greatest quarterback of all time, I have a hard time finding you one who was greater. I think there were a lot of guys that are on an equal plane, but I think Brady, just numbers alone, wins alone, the most important category of all. He certainly presents a pretty strong argument.
And here’s what you’ll see on The NFL Today, provided the NFC Championship on Fox ends on time. CBS tells us that Jim Rome will make another appearance on The NFL Today.
“THE NFL TODAY” PREVIEWS AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME WITH DAN MARINO TALKING WITH NEW ENGLAND’S TOM BRADY ON SUNDAY, JAN. 20 ON “THE NFL TODAY”
Jim Rome Provides His Unique Take on AFC Championship; Gloriana To Perform National Anthem
THE NFL ON CBS, home of Super Bowl XLVII and celebrating its 53rd year broadcasting the NFL, travels to Foxborough, Mass. for the 2013 American Football Conference Championship Game on Sunday, Jan. 20 (6:30 PM, ET) as the AFC North Champions and No. 4-seeded BALTIMORE RAVENS take on the AFC East Champions and No. 2-seeded NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS live on the CBS Television Network.
CBS Sports’ coverage of the AFC Championship Game begins with THE NFL TODAY, the Network’s pre-game studio show, on Sunday (6:00 PM, ET) with host James Brown and analysts Dan Marino, Boomer Esiason, Shannon Sharpe and Bill Cowher, as well as NFL TODAY Insider Jason LaCanfora, and Lesley Visser reporting, live from THE NFL TODAY studio at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City.
THE NFL TODAY’s Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino has a quarterback–to–quarterback chat with future Canton quarterback colleague New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady as he strives to make it to a record-tying sixth Super Bowl. For the seventh time in 12 years, Brady and his New England Patriots are within one victory of the Super Bowl. Last Sunday, in winning a record 17th post-season game against the Texans, the Patriots’ passer surpassed his boyhood idol, Joe Montana. Now Brady is preparing to face Ray Lewis and the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game. How is Brady approaching his quest for a fourth Super Bowl ring (and first in eight years) after a pair of losses to the New York Giants? Deb Gelman is the producer.
In addition, Jim Rome offers his unique perspective on this year’s AFC Championship Game.
THE NFL ON CBS’s lead announce team of Jim Nantz and Phil Simms report live from Foxborough. Visser reports live from Atlanta with post-game interviews upon the conclusion of the Falcons-San Francisco 49ers NFC Championship Game.
Country music recording artists Gloriana performs the National Anthem, while halftime will include the announcement of the three finalists for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award. he presentation of the Lamar Hunt Trophy to the AFC Champions will be conducted live following the AFC Championship.
Eric Mann is senior producer and Bob Matina is director of THE NFL TODAY.
Sean McManus is Chairman, CBS Sports and serves as executive producer for the Network’s coverage of THE NFL ON CBS. Harold Bryant is Executive Producer and Vice President, Production, CBS Sports.
And we’ll end our Conference Championship Game previews with Dial Global Radio.
