'The Best Defense that I Saw Sunday in the NFL' - NBC's Peter King on the Steelers

Roethlisberger and the Steelers take on Browns in 'NBC Sunday Night Football' first visit to Cleveland.

nbcsports.com - September 11, 2008

(PRNewsChannel) / New York, NY / "NBC Sunday Night Football" in its third season as the NFL's premier primetime package, makes its first visit to Cleveland Sunday night as Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0) take on AFC North rival the Browns (0-1) in a rivalry that dates back to 1950. Al Michaels (play-by-play), John Madden (analyst), who return to Cleveland for the first time in five years, and Andrea Kremer (sideline reporter) call the action. Coverage on NBC begins at 7 p.m. ET with "Football Night in America," highlighted by the reunion of Dan Patrick and Keith Olbermann. Patrick and Olbermann join Bob Costas (host), Cris Collinsworth (co-host), Jerome Bettis (analyst), Tiki Barber (analyst) and Peter King (reporter).

STEELERS-BROWNS IN PRIMETIME: This is the first ever NBC "Sunday Night Football" game for the Browns and the first time the NFL's premier primetime package (MNF 1970-2005, SNF 2006-present) has been to Cleveland since the 2004 season. The Steelers, who will also be on SNF in Week 5 when they travel to Jacksonville, are 35-23 all-time on the NFL's premier primetime network franchise.

STEELERS VS. BROWNS: This is the 111th meeting of this storied rivalry with each team, amazingly, winning 55 games. The Steelers have dominated this series of late having won nine straight games and 15 of the 18 games played since the Browns returned to Cleveland in 1999. Additionally, the Steelers have won seven straight games in Cleveland.

MADDEN ON THE STEELERS: "I'm looking forward to this one. I've always enjoyed the Pittsburgh Steelers because they're always going to play a tough game and it's always going to be very physical. It starts with the run, good defense, getting turnovers, and the more we watch football the more we realize that there's really a
place for that."

MICHAELS ON STEELERS OPENING GAME PERFORMANCE: "Everybody kind of overlooks the Pittsburgh Steelers. They were dominant on Sunday and (Ben) Roethlisberger was almost perfect."

KING ON STEELERS DEFENSE: "This is the best defense that I saw Sunday in the NFL."

COLLINSWORTH ON STEELERS-BROWNS RIVALRY: "Having played in the division with these two teams, I know how intense Pittsburgh-Cleveland is."

"SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL EXTRA": The 17-game Sunday Night Football schedule is available to fans on NBC as well as streamed live on NFL.com and NBCSports.com, marking the first time complete NFL games will be widely available in the U.S. via live online streaming.

The live NFL.com and NBCSports.com coverage comes from NBC's TV coverage of Sunday Night Football. Complementing that stream are a number of extra features to enrich the viewing experience including additional camera angles, in-game highlights, picture-in-picture technology, live statistics and other interactive elements. "Sunday Night Football Extra" also includes in-game studio updates from NBC's Football Night in America team and NFL Network.

TASTE OF THE NFL SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL COOKBOOK BRUNCH IN CLEVELAND: This Sunday, executive chef Rocco Whalen of Cleveland's Fahrenheit restaurant, will host The Taste of the NFL Sunday Night Football Cookbook Brunch to raise money for the Cleveland Food Bank. Tickets cost $30 and can be purchased by calling 216.781.8858 or go to www.fahrenheittremont.com.

Taste of the NFL is the premier food and wine event at Super Bowl, a "party with a purpose" that raises awareness and funds for hunger-relief organizations, including Feeding America and its affiliates nationwide. Since 1992, Taste of the NFL has donated more than $10 million to local and national hunger-relief organizations.

PITTSBURGH AND CLEVELAND COOK UP SUNDAY NIGHT MEALS: The "Sunday Night Football" Cookbook features recipes from NFL stars including Browns' linebacker Willie McGinest who contributes his recipe for lemon-herb chicken with asparagus. The Steelers are represented in the SNF Cookbook by Hines Ward with his Korean-style braised short ribs and rookie Limas Sweed's recipe for chicken and shrimp fettuccine.

The "Sunday Night Football" Cookbook also features recipes from prominent chefs from each NFL city including Pittsburgh's Anthony Zello of Bigelow Grille and Bob Malone of Treesdale Golf and Country Club; as well as Cleveland's Rocco Whalen of Fahrenheit and Paul Minnilo of Baricelli Inn.

Bobby Flay and Emeril Lagasse represent their favorite NFL teams and NBC's "Sunday Night Football" crew add their favorite Sunday Night recipes to the Cookbook. Faith Hill and John Madden not only provide some of their favorite recipes, but also write special introductions. The book contains full meals and a section on Super Bowl parties, just in time for the next Super Bowl on NBC. Proceeds from the cookbook, which is available wherever books are sold or at SundayNightFootballCookbook.com, go to support local food banks across the U.S. through Feeding America (formerly America's Second Harvest).

ROTOWORLD.COM'S WEEK 2 SLEEPER PICKS: Rotoworld.com managing editor Gregg Rosenthal, who was named 2007 Fantasy Football Writer of the Year by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association, picks his fantasy sleepers for Week 2.

1. Aaron Rodgers, Packers QB vs. Lions: "The Lions are going to make a lot of quarterbacks look like future Hall of Famers."
2. Earnest Graham, Buccaneers RB vs. Falcons: "Head Coach Jon Gruden wants Graham more involved, and the Falcons defense is ready to crash to earth."
3. Chris Johnson, Titans RB vs. Bengals: "The Titans didn't wait long to hand the rookie the keys to the offense."
4. David Patten, Saints WR vs. Redskins: "With Marques Colston out, Patten will get more attention from Drew Brees."
5. Randy McMichael, Rams TE vs. Giants: "New coordinator Al Saunders loves using his tight ends, and Marc Bulger doesn't have many options to throw to."

SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: Al Michaels, the commentator called "TV's best play-by-play announcer" by the Associated Press, is joined in the "Sunday Night Football" booth by John Madden, the most honored NFL broadcaster of all time with 16 Emmy Awards, and on the sidelines by Andrea Kremer, whom the Los Angeles Times has called "the best TV interviewer in the business of covering the NFL."

"FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA": The Washington Post calls NBC's "Football Night in America" studio show the "Gold Standard" of NFL studio shows and "must-see television for NFL fans." Bob Costas, the most honored studio host of all time with 19 Emmy Awards, hosts "Football Night in America" alongside co-host Cris Collinsworth, the most honored studio analyst in history; co-host Keith Olbermann, named one of the Top Ten Most Powerful People in TV News for 2007 by Television Week; newcomer and co-host Dan Patrick, reuniting him with Olbermann who together redefined sports highlights during their time together on ESPN's SportsCenter from 1992-97; and analysts Tiki Barber, a three-time NFL Pro Bowler for the New York Giants, and Jerome Bettis, one of the most popular players in recent NFL history. Peter King, who covers the NFL for Sports Illustrated and is considered one of the country's foremost NFL reporters, serves as a reporter for the "Football Night in America" studio show.

NBC's REMAINING 2008 NFL SCHEDULE:
("NBC Sunday Night Football" kickoff, 8:15 p.m. ET preceded by "Football Night in America," 7 p.m. ET)
Sunday, Sept. 14 – Pittsburgh at Cleveland
Sunday, Sept. 21 – Dallas at Green Bay
Sunday, Sept. 28 – Philadelphia at Chicago
Sunday, Oct. 5 – Pittsburgh at Jacksonville
Sunday, Oct. 12 – New England at San Diego
Sunday, Oct. 19 – Seattle at Tampa Bay
Sunday, Oct. 26 – No game scheduled due to World Series Game 4 (FNIA airs 7-8 p.m.)
Sunday, Nov. 2 – New England at Indianapolis
Sunday, Nov. 9 – New York Giants at Philadelphia
Sunday, Nov. 16 – Dallas at Washington (Flex Week, Teams Subject to Change)
Sunday, Nov. 23 – Indianapolis at San Diego (Flex Week, Teams Subject to Change)
Sunday, Nov. 30 – Chicago at Minnesota (Flex Week, Teams Subject to Change)
Sunday, Dec. 7 – New England at Seattle (Flex Week, Teams Subject to Change)
Sunday, Dec. 14 – New York Giants at Dallas (Flex Week, Teams Subject to Change)
Sunday, Dec. 21 – San Diego at Tampa Bay (Flex Week, Teams Subject to Change)
Sunday, Dec. 28 – Flex Week – teams TBA

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