CBS last night "performed well under the glare of a golden Super Bowl 50," offering a "crisply produced show with sleek new graphics" and 70 cameras, according to Erik Brady of USA TODAY. The net's new EyeVision 360 technology provided "snazzy round-the-world shots, notably of a high-flying short touchdown" by Panthers RB Jonathan Stewart. The eye-in-the-sky shots allowed analyst Phil Simms to "show how plays worked" (USA TODAY, 2/8). In N.Y., Richard Sandomir writes EyeVision 360 is a "terrific graphic that could be an essential tool for the future." After showing a replay of Stewart's second-quarter score, the net "added a wrinkle that made it look as if Stewart had popped through a blue screen, breaking the plane of the goal line." It was "a great effect -- but it required a long time to show it" (N.Y. TIMES 2/8). In Albany, Pete Dougherty writes the CBS crew members "were the stars of this telecast, never missing a key picture" in the game. Dougherty: "Every key play in a game slowed by turnovers and penalties was backed by definitive replays. There was no rolling through a half dozen angles before seeing one worthwhile. The CBS crew gave quality over quantity" (Albany TIMES UNION, 2/8). In Tampa, Tom Jones writes last night's game had "no gaffes" from either Simms or play-by-play announcer Jim Nantz, and they were "pros throughout by getting excited when the moment called for it, analytical when required and opinionated when necessary." The "real star of CBS's broadcast was the direction and production." There were "eye-pleasing, informative graphics; judicious but pertinent use of replays; entertaining bells and whistles, such as well-timed use of players wearing microphones and the pylon-cam; and good use (but not overuse) of sideline reporters." Jones: "CBS gets a B for its coverage" (TAMPA BAY TIMES, 2/8).
CAMS ON CAM: In Houston, David Barron writes CBS' visuals were "solid throughout and particularly well-done at the critical moment in the fourth quarter" when Newton "pulled up rather than pursuing a fumble that led to the Broncos' final touchdown" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 2/8). SI.com's Richard Deitsch writes the broadcast "had its best sequence of the night" during Newton's fumble, including "immediate replays from above, a close-up shot and a third replay." CBS then "came back to more replays" after a Panthers timeout. Nantz and Simms "pointed out that Newton seemed to avoid diving for the ball" (SI.com, 2/8). In N.Y., Bob Raissman writes CBS deserves credit for "airing the replay quickly" after Broncos LB Von Miller stripped Newton. Simms, "sounding stunned after seeing Newton back off, reacted quickly." He at first was "being kind" to Newton, but that "would not last very long." After CBS "popped up the video of the reluctant Newton again," Simms was "not so diplomatic." While he "stopped short of saying Newton was reluctant to take the kind of pounding he would have if he tried to recover the fumble, he certainly inferred that was the case." Simms "provided enough evidence Cam Newton did not want it bad enough" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 2/8).
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Simms drew praise for his commentary at the
beginning of the second half |
GET YOUR PHIL: In Baltimore, David Zurawik writes Simms was the "most pleasant surprise of the telecast." While he was "definitely tight and somewhat tentative in the first half, he came out strong at the start of the second half." Simms explained that the Panthers "needed to keep extra blockers in to try to buy Newton an extra moment or two, so that he might have time to find receivers downfield." He also "predicted that the Panthers would try some new formations to try to get receivers open against a standout Denver secondary." Zurawik: "Sure enough, both things happened" (Baltimore SUN, 2/8). In Miami, Barry Jackson noted Simms at the start of the second half "smartly said" the Panthers "needed to keep in an extra blocker, and that paid immediate dividends on a long reception" by WR Ted Ginn Jr. Simms also "correctly criticized Cam Newton for not trying harder to recover his late fumble." However, he was "pretty pedestrian" at times, as there was "too much repetitiveness" (MIAMIHERALD.com, 2/7). In Buffalo, Alan Pergament writes Simms "didn't give most of his critics much to complain about." His phrasing was "awkward at times and he misidentified one player after a sack." But Simms also explained that the Broncos' secondary was "making it difficult" for Panthers WRs to "get open quickly for most of the game." Pergament: "He even did something he often is criticized for not doing: criticizing" (BUFFALO NEWS, 2/8). On Long Island, Neil Best writes CBS in general and Simms in particular were "on point in guiding viewers through a very sloppy, less-than-scintillating game." He did a "nice job on the pivotal Miller strip sack of Newton that resulted in the first touchdown of the night" (NEWSDAY, 2/8). But in Detroit, Carlos Monarrez writes Simms during the Broncos’ opening drive was "explaining to Nantz why the Panthers’ linebackers like Shaq Thompson are so good when he said this: 'Just like Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis, Jim, they all can run. And fast. Of course they can run, but really fast.'" Monarrez: "That loud thud you heard was every viewer doing a face palm" (DETROIT FREE PRESS, 2/8). Meanwhile, THE MMQB's Peter King writes Nantz' call was "prescient" when he noted that there had been 227 punts in Super Bowl history without one ever being returned for a touchdown. A few minutes later, Broncos WR Jordan Norwood "broke a 61-yarder." King: "Not a touchdown, but almost" (MMQB.SI.com, 2/8).
TOUGH CALL: In N.Y., Phil Mushnick writes CBS in-house rules analyst expert Mike Carey "got another one wrong" during the broadcast, predicting a pass to Panthers WR Jerricho Cotchery that was ruled incomplete "would be changed." Instead, the call on the field stood (N.Y. POST, 2/8). The DAILY NEWS' Raissman writes replays aired by CBS "appeared to confirm Carey's decision" despite the officials' eventual decision. There was one other challenge in the game, but Carey "was not brought on the air to discuss it" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 2/8). In Boston, Stephen Hewitt notes Carey was "mocked ruthlessly on social media" after the challenge, even though it did "look like a catch" (BOSTON HERALD, 2/8).
MANNING THE DECK: In San Jose, Chuck Barney writes the CBS broadcast team "performed adequately, despite not having much to work with" on the field. They "didn't ignore -- nor dwell on -- the steroid accusations" that have dogged Broncos QB Peyton Manning (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 2/8). But SI.com's Deitsch writes CBS "inexplicably aired multiple full-screen graphics" about Manning on the game's final play "instead of showing Manning himself." Given it was likely Manning's last game in the NFL, it is a call CBS "will regret when it sees the tape" (SI.com, 2/8). The N.Y. TIMES' Sandomir writes it was a "poor decision to move to a full-screen graphic about Manning’s career with 11 seconds left -- which meant leaving the celebratory scene where he was accepting congratulations." Sandomir: "You simply can’t interrupt that tableau with statistics." Meanwhile, CBS "did not effectively illuminate" how Manning's throwing abilities "have faded" over the years. The net "could have used current technology to measure the speed of his passes (versus Newton’s) and archival video to compare his velocity and accuracy to his peak days" with the Colts (N.Y. TIMES, 2/8).
A FEW HICCUPS: The MIAMI HERALD's Jackson wrote CBS had "a couple of technical snafus, including video freezing on one third-down play in the first half and a loss of audio for a few seconds in the postgame show." The net "did serve up a great replay of Panthers defensive coordinator Sean McDermott pounding his hand on the table after Denver's late two-point conversion" (MIAMIHERALD.com, 2/7). In L.A., Tom Hoffarth writes audio issues "seemed to plague the CBS broadcast, whether it kept fading in and out, loud to soft, and occasionally picking a producer counting out into a commercial break." That, and the "constant 'woooo' of a fan (or a wailing dog) in the background that wouldn’t go away" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 2/8).
