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NEW YORK -- NBCs plans for the Olympics in Rio over the next two weeks define the term exhaustive.The network, its cable sisters and Olympics website plan 6,755 hours of coverage through the Aug. 21 closing ceremonies in Rio de Janeiro. Obsessive fans have plenty of viewing options, since every Olympic competition will be available live online along with the popular events airing in prime time on NBC.That includes Fridays opening ceremony, which is oddly being aired via tape delay despite Rio being only one hour ahead of Eastern time in the U.S.Bob Costas is the prime-time host for his 11th Olympics, and his continuity defines NBCs coverage. While there are new wrinkles every year -- Ryan Seacrest hosts a new late-night show, Mike Tirico joins from ESPN -- the NBC playbook and personnel remain very consistent. NBCs 170-member broadcast team includes a stable of former athletes, including swimmer Rowdy Gaines, gymnast Tim Daggett and diver Laura Wilkinson, that has combined for 59 Olympic medals.NBC executives strongly believe in how they cover the Olympics, particularly the menu of sports offered on the network each night, and consider the events ratings strength is a public endorsement. The company paid $1.2 billion for the broadcast rights.The opening ceremony will be delayed an hour before being shown on NBC because the network wants the entertainment spectacle, which was seen by 40.7 million people in 2012, to be shown completely in U.S. prime time. NBC was also reportedly upset that because the Portugese language is being used for the parade of nations, the U.S. team (or Estados Unidos) will file into the stadium relatively early.In what is becoming an Olympics tradition, the run-up to the games was filled with foreboding stories: the Zika virus, polluted water, security concerns. HBOs Real Sports aired a thorough investigation last month into the International Olympic Committee and demands placed on host countries, but dont expect something similar on NBC.The network plans to address many of the issues unique to Rio early, perhaps in a one-hour preview scheduled for Thursday night, but will turn to the competition unless something unusual happens.I think when people are tuning in to watch the Olympics, theyll want to watch the Olympics, said Jim Bell, executive producer of NBCs Olympics coverage.Unlike previous Summer Games in Europe, Asia and Australia, the Rio games provide NBC a favorable time zone allowing it to televise many events live in swimming and track and field. With only a few exceptions, those sports -- along with gymnastics and volleyball -- get virtually all of the attention on NBCs prime-time broadcast.The rest of the sports are spread across 10 other networks, many with particular specialties.The Golf Channel, for example, concentrates on the Olympic return of its namesake sport. NBC executives expressed disappointment that several of the worlds top golfers, including Jason Day, Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy, are staying away from the event because of concerns about the Zika virus, and suggested theyd someday regret it.Bravo will be the Olympic home of tennis. NBC is also setting up speciality channels for both basketball and soccer, although those sports will also be shown on other networks.The NBC Sports cable network will be the busiest, airing 330 hours of Olympics programming covering 20 sports. On most days of the games, NBCSN will air Olympics coverage from 8 a.m. to midnight. Other coverage will be spread around CNBC, MSNBC and USA. Telemundo and NBC Universo will narrate events in Spanish, focusing on sports and athletes popular in Latin America.NBC, which likes to use the Olympics as a laboratory for new technology and ideas, will also distribute 83 hours of coverage in the 4K Ultra HD format.Once again, the NBC Olympics website offers live streams of every competition. To access this material, a customer must validate an account with a cable or satellite provider.The attention speaks to the huge economic opportunity the games provide NBC in a fragmented media world. NBC is betting, and in fact has advertised the Olympics, on the idea that viewers can use a pick-me-up from a drumbeat of bad news.Theres been a lot of tough things going on in the world, Bell said. I think it will be nice, fingers crossed, if we can have a couple of weeks to give people something to cheer about.---Follow David Bauder at twitter.com/dbauder. 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Toronto has dropped games to Indiana and Miami since a five-game winning streak and closed out a three-game road trip at 1-2. The challenge for Lamar Jackson as he chases the Heisman Trophy is to maintain front-runner status while playing games that will not be drawing a lot of attention.No. 7 Louisville and its star quarterback get back into action this week for the first of five straight games in which they will be big favorites. On one hand, Jackson and the No. 1 offense in the country have a chance to put up some big stats and lopsided victories. On the other hand, there will be few chances for those Heisman moments that usually come in marquee matchups -- such as the Cardinals last game at No. 3 Clemson.For now, Jackson is still the overwhelming leader in The Associated Press Heisman Watch, receiving the first-place votes from all seven AP sports writers polled. Only four players made each voters top three.The AP prohibits its journalists from voting for awards such as the Heisman so none of those polled are actual Heisman voters. Three points are given for a first-place vote, two for second and one for third.1. Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville (21 points)Last week: Off.Next: Duke, which ranks seventh in the Atlantic Coast Conference in defense at 5.09 yards per play.2. Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson (11 points)Last week: Watson threw four touchdown passes and no interceptions in a rout of Boston College. He already has seven picks so keeping that number down the rest of the way will be important. He ran for only 28 yards against the Eagles, mostly because he didnt have to do much running.Next: North Carolina State, which ranks fifth in the ACC in defense at 4.47 yards per play. Watson threw for 383 yards and five touchdowns and ran for a score against the Wolfpack last season.3. Jake Browning, QB, Washington (8 points)Last week: The sophomore made his Heisman statement, accounting for eight touchdowns in a blowout of Oregon. He leads the nation in touchdown passes (23) and efficiency rating (204.86). Could be the latest Pac-12 starr to test the East Coast bias theory in Heisman voting.ddddddddddddext: Oregon State, Oct. 22.4. Greg Ward Jr., QB, Houston (2 points)Last week: Ward threw two interceptions, including a pick six, in the Cougars first loss with him as a starting quarterback since 2014. He also had 359 yards passing, 94 rushing and was in on four touchdowns. Still, it will be hard for Ward to stay here as Houstons playoff hopes fade.Next: Tulsa, which ranks fifth in the American Athletic Conference in defense at 5.07 yards per play.FIVE MORE TO WATCH:- Jabrill Peppers, LB/RB/PR, Michigan. If the Wolverines continue using Peppers on offense the way they did against hapless Rutgers, he could make a serious run at Jackson. If that was just a showcase for Peppers in his home state, he is a fringe candidate.- J.T. Barrett, QB, Ohio State. Could get usurped by versatile teammate Curtis Samuel, who is pace to make a run at 1,000 yards both rushing and receiving.- Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State. The junior surged against Miami and still has potential marquee games left against No. 2 Clemson and No. 18 Florida.- Donnel Pumphrey, RB, San Diego State. The nations leading rusher probably needs to reach 2,000 yards to get an invite to New York.- Patrick Mahomes, QB, Texas Tech. The numbers are crazy (454 yards passing per game), but the Red Raiders defense is crazy bad and its hard to overcome the system-QB label on a mediocre team.---Poll panel: AP Heisman watch panel: National Writer Paul Newberry, Georgia; Sports Writer Stephen Hawkins, Texas; Sports Writer John Marshall, Arizona; Sports Writer Joedy McCreary, North Carolina; Sports Writer Eric Olson, Nebraska; Sports Writer Steve Megargee, Tennessee; College Football Writer Ralph D. Russo, New York.---Follow Ralph D. Russo at www.Twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP ' ' '