In the rough-and-tumble world of pro football, the match-ups don't get much tougher than this — Jerry Jones, the flamboyant owner of the Dallas Cowboys, versus Time Warner Cable, by far the largest cable TV operator in Texas.

Jones plays a leading role in growth prospects for the NFL Network, which is the league's latest move to win more TV money by collecting it from cable television fees. The NFL has given its wholly owned subsidiary the exclusive right to carry eight of its regular season games, starting Nov. 29, and the network is negotiating with the major cable companies on how much it will be paid to provide the sports programming.

The issue is a big one in Texas, because two Dallas Cowboys games — Nov. 29 against Green Bay and Dec. 22 against the Carolina Panthers — are part of the package. There is another Texas game as well, with the Houston Texans hosting the Denver Broncos on Dec. 13.

Many cable operators have agreed to pay for the programming, but Time Warner, along with some of the other large cable operators, is trying to hold the line against what it considers to be the new network's financial overreaching stance. The cable operator says the NFL is trying to "extort" millions in new programming fees for games that formerly were covered under regular NFL television agreements.

Time Warner says it feels singled out by the new network in part because it provides cable TV service to about 55 percent of the cable customers in Texas.

"It is too expensive. It doesn't make sense for our business," said Ron McMillan, Time Warner's Texas vice president for government affairs, who added that increases in programming fees are the main factors behind rising cable subscriber rates.

The NFL Network says it is asking cable operators to pay "about 2 cents a day per subscriber" for its programming, which amounts to just more than $7 a year. The cable companies counter that they would rather put the NFL Network in a special programming tier aimed primarily at sports fans.

On Monday, the cable operator made what it described as a new offer in its two-year negotiations with NFL Network. The network could charge customers whatever it wants to cable customers who want to watch the games, and the cable company would simply pass the charge on to its customers.

NFL Network dismissed the offer out of hand.

"That is a proposal?" asked network spokesman Seth Palansky. "It's a desperate gimmick."

Palansky said there is virtually no chance the network will reach an agreement with Time Warner this season, and added that the cable company was merely coming up with a public position to save face. Customers who want to watch the games, Palansky said, can sign up with satellite providers Dish Network or DirecTV, or with other companies that carry the games.

In Austin, Grande Communications, which covers about 20 percent of Austin, said it is adding the NFL Network to its programming.

Suddenlink Communications, which has cable operations in Georgetown, Pflugerville and East Texas, says it is not.

"It has been frustrating," said Pete Abel, spokesman for Suddenlink. "The NFL, the richest sports league in America, is taking eight games out of its schedule and trying to hold them for ransom. Our question is where does it stop?"

kladendorf@statesman.com; 445-3622