So much football tv biz dirt, and not one word about putting your hand on Joe Buck’s throat?  From the New York Daily News’ Bob Raissman.

On Tuesday, Aug. 29, the day after Bengals QB Carson Palmer made his first preseason start, CBS’ Boomer Esiason (above) ripped NBC’s John Madden while appearing on Sirius’ NFL Network. Esiason said Madden’s Aug. 13 statements on the future of Palmer, made during NBC’s Redskins-Bengals exhibition telecast, proved the Hall of Famer is clueless.

During the NBC telecast, Madden said Palmer and Cincy coach Marvin Lewis were at odds over when the quarterback, coming off major reconstructive knee surgery, would make his first preseason start.

“We at CBS have done our own investigative series on (Palmer) that we’ll unveil the first week of the season,” Esiason said on Sirius. Esiason explained he had traveled to Cincinnati “twice” to observe Palmer’s rehab.

“I knew (when) he was going to play,” Esiason said. “There was no controversy out there until John Madden and NBC came into Cincinnati making all these crazy statements.”

There have been other barbs thrown around during the offseason. There have also been some very desperate attempts by networks to distinguish their product. Like NBC’s Cris Collinsworth, along with NBC brass, going gaga over two 103-inch Panasonic TV sets that will decorate the set of the Peacock’s Sunday night pregame studio.

Or CBS Sports’ claim that its new “ergonomically designed (“NFL Today” studio) desk” will enable “better conversation” between Esiason, James Brown, Shannon Sharpe and Dan Marino.

Still, all this stuff is small potatoes compared to what is heating up. By granting NBC with a “flexible” late-season schedule (the Peacock can cherry pick games from Fox and CBS) the case can be made that the NFL is protecting NBC’s financial interest at the expense of its other Sunday partners.

This theory is further buttressed by sources saying the NFL is looking to stick its beak into Fox’s and CBS’ programming decisions. Sources say league suits want Fox and CBS to be off the air by 7:30 p.m. on days when either airs a late doubleheader game. This would help protect NBC’s pregame show, which begins at 7 p.m., from losing significant viewership.

Make no mistake, this NFL edict – if it is issued (some moles say it already has) – is aimed directly at Fox. While CBS traditionally gets off the air fast to present “60 Minutes,” the Foxies’ NFL postgame show – “The OT” – is a highly profitable piece of programming. The notion that Fox should bail quickly after a late game and lose money so NBC has no Sunday night competition is ludicrous.