“INSIDE THE NFL™” BREAKS DOWN THE STRENGTH OF THE AFC WEST, THE POTENTIAL FOR 0-2 TEAMS AND
THE SUCCESS OF L.A. FOOTBALL TEAMS
“The Rams probably need Kobe and Shaq to come in. I’ll put Shaq at tight end and I’ll put Kobe at receiver.” – Ray Lewis on attendance at L.A. football games
Tonight, Tuesday, Sept. 19 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME®
NEW YORK (Sept. 19, 2017) — SHOWTIME Sports® continues the 10th season of the Sports Emmy® Award-winning studio show “INSIDE THE NFL” tonight, Tuesday, Sept. 19 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME. Host James Brown is joined by expert analysts Phil Simms, Boomer Esiason and former veteran NFL linebacker Ray Lewis in-studio to discuss what went down in NFL Week 2.
Tonight’s episode is highlighted by the AFC West powerhouse franchises, what lies ahead for the 0-2 Giants, Saints, Chargers and Bengals and who is responsible for a multitude of low scoring games. In addition, DeSean Jackson, Tyreek Hill, Kam Chancellor and more are wired for sound.
INSIDE THE NFL covers every game, every week, with trademark highlights from NFL Films, special in-depth features and spirited debate on the hottest topics in the NFL. The show is produced by CBS Sports and NFL Films and airs every Tuesday during the NFL season through Feb. 6, 2018.
The show is produced by CBS Sports and NFL Films. The executive producers are Sean McManus, Chairman, CBS Sports and Ross Ketover and Pat Kelleher of NFL Films. Pete Radovich Jr., the Emmy Award-winning Creative Director for CBS Sports, serves as coordinating producer.
For more information about INSIDE THE NFL, visit SHO.com, follow us on Twitter, Instagramand Facebook and join the conversation using #INSIDETHENFL.
Following are excerpts from this week’s episode:
On an increase in low-scoring games…
Phil Simms – “The speed of the defenses is at an all-time high. When you are running the running play sometimes you have to knock them down twice to get 10 yards because these guys can get up and still chase you down. I watched the Giants play Detroit last night. Detroit knocked everybody down the front and they got a two-yard gain because Landon Collinscame up-out of nowhere-and made the tackle… Now here is the biggest reason of all, I think, the offensive lines… you are mainly there because you are not good enough to play on the defense. We have such discrepancy in talent from defensive front guys who rush the pass and do all these things against offensive linemen-that is really hurting the NFL offenses.”
Ray Lewis – “It’s not unusual for defenses to dominate offenses right now… You have to figure defenses out. Quarterbacks have to figure us out. And in the first couple of weeks [of the season], defensive ends are just beating on left tackles, right tackles. There’s no science in that. Von Miller is just better than the left tackle or whoever tries to block him. So, when you think about the injuries, you think about the lack of pre-season reps, when you think about the continuity of offensive linemen. That does not exist anymore. You don’t have those lines that have been around for seven, eight, nine, 10 years. You can’t keep them together.”
Phil Simms – “College football – it’s flag football. That’s all it is. I mean nobody hits anybody… 49-48 every game. And that is really hurting the NFL because these linemen come into the League… they don’t have the physical ability to play in the NFL. It takes years to develop that.”
On success of football in Los Angeles…
Phil Simms – “The excitement for the Los Angeles Lakers went away once they started losing. People came because it’s a great place and it’s just a scene. And I really believe that’s what’s going to happen with this stadium too. It will be tougher for the Chargers… But I am absolutely convinced this L.A. market – these two teams out there – that it will work out.”
Ray Lewis – “The Rams probably need Kobe and Shaq to come in. I’ll put Shaq at tight end and I’ll put Kobe at receiver.”
On the Kansas City Chiefs…
Phil Simms – “Bennie Logan, Allen Bailey and Chris Jones. Man, these are three meat wagons. I mean, they can stop everything inside. That frees up Derrick Johnson, which [Ray] would love to run behind those three guys and make tackles.”
On the Oakland Raiders…
Boomer Esiason – “The reason why I like the Oakland Raiders overall in the division is because the best player in the division is Derek Carr. I don’t care what anybody says. He is a leader. He’s young. He’s energetic. You watch the way they have played their first two games – they have the biggest point differential in the NFL as we speak right now. They are off to a great start.”
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