Excerpts from Lead Announce Team Jim Nantz and Phil Simms from Conference Call on Jan. 15

           THE NFL ON CBS, home of Super Bowl XLVII and celebrating its 53^rd 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 #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.

            Following are excerpts from THE NFL ON CBS AFC Championship Conference Call on Jan. 15.  For complete playback: 719-457-0820; passcode: 7280949.

(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.

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                                          Robin Brendle           212-975-1533             rlbrendle@cbs.com

                                          Jerry Caraccioli          212-975-7466             gwcaraccioli@cbs.com