2008 NFL Broadcast Schedule on CBS
April 16, 2008

Entering into its 49th year of NFL coverage this coming Fall, CBS has released the network's official NFL broadcast slate for fans who want to mark all of the TV games on their calendars. This year's upcoming schedule features all of the game and special highlights fans want from NFL coverage with traditional AFC Rivalries, key AFC-NFC Match-Ups and the Thanksgiving Day Game. However, the upcoming CBS NFL slate also includes the much talked about and much anticipated international games in London and Toronto. In the last couple of years there has been a lot of talk about NFL expansion into the Canadian market, so this year's Toronto game will be a good test to see how the crazy Canucks fair with the NFL in their own backyard next to the faster, pass-friendly, three-down CFL.

Gridiron fans can expect the NFL coverage on CBS to kick off Week 1 on Sunday, September 7 at 12:00 Noon-4:00 PM, ET with the traditional NFL Today pre-game show with host James Brown and analysts Dan Marino, Boomer Esiason, Shannon Sharpe and former Steelers head coach, Bill Cowher. The pre-game show kicks the ball off on CBS before the day's live NFL action gets highlighted by the New England hosting Kansas City while the Cincinnati Bengals take on the Baltimore Ravens. Other regional CBS coverage on the same day includes Jacksonville vs Tennessee, Houston vs Pittsburgh and the New York Jets taking on the Miami Dolphins.

The CBS coverage and schedule also features...

The NFL/CBS Pre-Season:

CBS Sports' NFL pre-season schedule begins Friday, Aug. 22 (8:00 PM, ET) live in prime time with the Houston Texans taking on the Dallas Cowboys. The Network's second pre-season game sees the Pittsburgh Steelers visiting the Minnesota Vikings live in prime time on Saturday, Aug. 23 (8:00 PM, ET). Jim Nantz and Phil Simms are the lead announce team for the Network's coverage of the NFL.

Total games and playoffs:

There will be a total of 106 games during its 17 weeks of regular-season coverage of the NFL's American Football Conference. The regular-season schedule is followed by a full post-season slate including an AFC Wild Card playoff game on January 4, 2009, two divisional playoff games on January 10 and January 11 and the AFC Championship Game on January 18.

Appearances:

There will be 9 appearances on the CBS broadcast schedule by the New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, and San Diego Chargers. 10 appearances on the CBS schedule by the Indianapolis Colts and the Cleveland Browns. The Denver Broncos and Jacksonville Jaguars 11 times each; the New York Jets, Baltimore Ravens and Oakland Raiders 12 times; the Cincinnati Bengals, Houston Texans, Tennessee Titans and Buffalo Bills 13 times each; and the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs 14 times each.

Nine Doubleheader Weekends:

The AFC and key AFC-NFC match-ups for this season's upcoming nine Doubleheader Weekends include - Indianapolis vs Green Bay (October 19); Indianapolis vs Pittsburgh (November 9); Pittsburgh vs Philadelphia (September 21); Pittsburgh vs New England (November 30); a Super Bowl XXXV rematch of Baltimore Ravens and the N.Y. Giants (November 16); Cleveland vs Washington (October 19); Jacksonville vs Chicago (December 7); Denver vs San Diego (December 28); Indianapolis vs Minnesota (September 14); Cincinnati vs N.Y. Giants (September 21); Cincinnati vs Dallas (October 5); New England vs San Francisco (October 5); San Diego vs Pittsburgh (November 16); Tennessee vs Chicago (November 9); Baltimore vs Indianapolis (October 12); Houston vs Green Bay (December 7); Buffalo vs St. Louis (September 28); Kansas City vs Carolina (October 5); Oakland vs New Orleans (October 12); Denver vs Carolina (December 14) and N.Y. Jets vs Seattle (December 21).

International games:

In Week 8 of the schedule, CBS heads across the pond for a match-up between the San Diego Charger and the New Orleans Saints on October 26 before the schedule and CBS head north to Toronto in Week 14 for a match-up between the Miami Dolphins and the Buffalo Bills on December 7, 2008.

AFC Division Rivalries:

Fans can expect a host of division games and near-weekly divisional battles in the AFC Western Division between San Diego, Denver, Kansas City and Oakland. However, football fans can also expect CBS to roll out other AFC games highlighted with interdivision rivalries in the North including Pittsburgh vs Cincinnati (October 19); Pittsburgh vs Baltimore (December 12); and the "Battle of Ohio" with Cleveland-Cincinnati (September 28). From the South Division, NFL fans will see Tennessee vs Indianapolis (December 28) and Tennessee vs Jacksonville (November 16).

Thanksgiving Day:

This year's Thanksgiving Day game on CBS will see the visiting Tennessee Titans take on the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on November 27.