Steeler Nation will make sure the Bengals see plenty of these today. (Steelers)
Pregame Shows
ESPN 11am
FOX 12pm
CBS 12pm
NBC 7pm
NFL Network - Postgame
11pm
Best 1pm Game
CBS - Cincinnati at Pittsburgh
Best 4pm Game
FOX - Dallas at Green Bay
Game of the Day 8:15pm
NBC - New England at Indianapolis
Here are some things to look for on today's NFL pregame shows.
Let's start at FOX with some quotes from NFL Insider Jay Glazer.
GLAZER: BARRING A MIRACLE, RAIDERS WILL FIRE CABLE – Another week, another drama unfolds in Oakland. Raiders Owner Al Davis is working with the NFL to find a way to fire head coach Tom Cable without having to pay him. FOX NFL Insider Jay Glazer weighed in on Oakland earlier today: “Here’s the bottom line with the Raiders; if somehow they have a miraculous comeback and they make a run, he’s not getting fired. Do we see that happening? No. I think regardless Tom Cable is getting fired at the end of the year. No one wants that job.”
GLAZER ON TRIP TO AFGHANISTAN – “A LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCE”: “From start to finish it was an emotional trip,” said FOX NFL SUNDAY’s NFL Insider Jay Glazer. “We began the trip on an actual military mission. We flew in on a C-17 from Qatar to Afghanistan and dropped all the way down to about 15,000 feet, opened up the back of the plane and dropped about 30,000 pounds of supplies to the troops on the ground fighting. At the end we were scheduled to leave but were delayed because a Special Forces Marine was killed and they ended up sending the body back to Qatar with us. We went through a Fallen Heroes Ceremony on the back of the C-17 before we took off. For me, the entire trip was life changing. It was unbelievable.”
Over at CBS they are getting ready for the Steelers-Bengals showdown.
PHIL SIMMS
(On Cincinnati vs. Pittsburgh AFC North Rivalry and being tied for first at 6-2): Well, of course I never played in it, but I understand the rivalry surrounding it. When I once saw Bill Cowher go in his locker room and do the Cincinnati Bengals chant, ‘Who dey? Who dey,’ and all that, it showed me how heated and personal this rivalry is. I sense it every time I’ve done one of the games. I did the first one this year. It will live up to it.
(On Cincinnati’s best start in 20 years): You always have to find ways to win your division. The Bengals have changed their football team. It didn’t happen overnight, but they’re tougher and play a different style. It matches up better against Pittsburgh and Baltimore at this time. That’s one of the biggest, if not the biggest reason, they’re 6-2. When I read and watch nightly shows about the NFL, it’s interesting that sometimes Carson Palmer’s name doesn’t even come up when they talk about the Bengals. It is about their defense. It is about Mike Zimmer, the defensive coordinator. It is about Cedric Benson, and oh, by the way, Carson Palmer’s still there. That is an example of what a well-rounded team they’ve become. And that is why they’re 6-2.
(On Pittsburgh): The big thing about the Pittsburgh Steelers is that even with four defensive starters out in Denver, they overcame and made some great plays to win. But the biggest thing is the offensive line. Last year when I did their games, I really never could get past their offensive line. But now their offensive line is back to Steeler football – big and physical. They’re unified. They work well together. We are always trying to find a weak link to a football team and last year we said the offensive line was it for the Steelers. You can’t say that anymore. They’ve really, really played well so far this year.
ESPN has a full show...
The two-hour program will include reports from Rachel Nichols covering the Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers, Ed Werder at the Cowboys – Packers game, and Sal Paolantonio in San Diego for the Eagles at Chargers. Other highlights:
Cedric Benson: When he was selected with the No. 4 pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, many projected Cedric Benson as the next great Bears running back. After three seasons marked by on- and off-the-field problems, the Bears released him. Tom Jackson profiles Benson’s road to redemption as the NFL’s second-leading rusher and a key member of the Bengals’ 6-2 season.
Patriots/Colts – Rivalry Remembered: The Patriots and Colts were division rivals in the old AFC East, and it feels that way again with the seventh straight regular season game between the two teams Sunday. Greg Garber visits with former Patriots and Colts for their insight on the rivalry.
Mayne Event – Kim-Il Zong 8: In the past, Kenny Mayne has told seven cautionary tales of the mythical Kim-Il Zong, the most expensive bust in Seahawks history. In this week’s Mayne Event, Mayne presents what happened when Seattle finally cut ties with Zong.
EA Sports Virtual Playbook – Carson Palmer vs. Troy Polamalu: Using the Virtual Playbook, Jackson previews the matchup of former University of Southern California teammates – Cincinnati quarterback Carson Palmer and Steelers safety Troy Polamalu.
Tonight the big Sunday Game of the Week on NBC - Colts - Pats
Dan Patrick and Keith Olbermann will co-host "Football Night" from NBC's 30 Rockefeller Plaza studios joined by Super Bowl-winning coach Tony Dungy, two-time Super Bowl winner Rodney Harrison and Sports Illustrated's Peter King. "Football Night's" Tiki Barber will report from Lambeau Field on the Cowboys-Packers game.
DUNGY ON THE RIVALRY: "From a coaching standpoint, it's a tremendous matchup. When you play against a team like (New England), it's such a big challenge. It brings out the best in you and elevates your game. It's just a tremendous rivalry. The respect for each other is there and it's been a great game and one I'm looking forward to seeing for the first time from a different perspective."
HARRISON ON THE RIVALRY: "I've played in this rivalry many times. You get really excited about facing the biggest challenge of the year, which is always going to be the Indianapolis Colts. Just being a part of one of the greatest rivalries in football really gets you excited. I know both of these teams have a mutual respect for one another, but I also know they have a distinct dislike for one another. It'll be exciting and hopefully the Patriots can go out and kick some butt."
PRODUCER FRED GAUDELLI ON THE QUARTERBACK MATCHUP: "Without a doubt, besides the fact that they are two great teams, the headline of this game...is the two quarterbacks, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. Al (Michaels) and I were talking over the last week, and in any decade was there one single quarterback matchup where you can clearly say these are the two best guys? While there were a lot of great matchups in the '90's, '80's and '70's, we couldn't really delineate two quarterbacks where you could say, 'these were absolutely the two best guys.' In this decade, I don't think there is any question, and you can put them in any order you want -- Tom Brady-Peyton Manning, Peyton Manning-Tom Brady -- these are the two best quarterbacks of this decade. They are what make this game really special on Sunday night."
ON THE BETTER QUARTERBACK:
HARRISON: "Peyton Manning is the best pure quarterback in the National Football League but Tom Brady is my quarterback with a minute left and we're down four points and we need a touchdown because he's done it. Three Super Bowl rings, Super Bowl MVP, a guy whose preparation goes above and beyond anyone in that facility. It's not very often that you find Tom Brady not prepared or ready to go. He's my guy with a minute left."
DUNGY: "I've been with Peyton Manning for seven years, I've seen him prepare and I've seen what he does and how he's lead our team. There is no other quarterback that I would want, and I might see it differently if I had been with Tom Brady for seven years, but that's the experience I had and I can't imagine anybody running the offense and doing as much as Peyton does for the Colts."
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