chongli

NBC will most likely end up losing money since the amount of subscribers they get (probably many for just a month or two) will not justify the huge check they cut the NFL to get the exclusive rights to this game. Now the NFL, on the other hand, was more than happy to cash the check.

Peacock outbid all the other networks, including amazon, presumably, for the rights to the playoff game. My ballpark estimate of viewership on the Peacock game is 10 million. The last two years, that slot did 20 million (JAX-LAC) and 25 million (BUF-NE). MIA-KC would do better than 25 million with the right game quality. Maybe more. They are leaving a lot of viewers on the table. Regardless, the NFL is the winner as they cashed a huge check. This was an experiment, and if the numbers are low, as expected, do not expect Peacock to try again.

UPDATE: The full officiating crew for PIT-BUF has been revealed. The crew is a mixed crew, consisting of five different crews. What's more, the controversial official Brad Allen, was named as the Referee alternate for our crew! He was expected to be downgraded by the NFL, according to Adam Schefter, after Week 17's DET-DAL game and become ineligible for the playoffs, but I guess this is not true. In addition, it has been revealed Side Judge Boris Cheek, who worked in Allen's crew this year, is also actively officiating out game. Here is the full crew for PIT-BUF: https://www.footballzebras.com/2024/01/nfl-assigns-officiating-crews-for-the-2023-24-wild-card-playoffs/ "Carl Cheffers is the referee, who is in his 24th season and 16th as referee. This is Cheffers’s 19th postseason assignment, including 6 Wild Card Playoffs, 7 Divisional Playoffs, 3 Conference Championships, and Super Bowls LI, LV, and LVII. All of his Super Bowl assignments were as a referee." Pos. No. Name Exp. 2022 Crew College Occupation R 51 Carl Cheffers 24 n/a California-Irvine Sales Manager U 22 Brandon Cruse 2 Cheffers South Dakota School of Mines & Technology Management Consultant DJ 63 Mike Carr 7 Cheffers Wisconsin Athletic Director LJ 87 Tom Eaton 4 Cheffers Central Florida Fiscal Manager FJ 26 Jabir Walker 9 Clark Murray State Middle School Teacher SJ 41 Boris Cheek 28 Allen Morgan State retired Director of Operations and Management BJ 120 Jonah Monroe 9 Blakeman Arkansas Engineer RO n/a Kevin Brown 5 Cheffers Purdue retired Air Traffic Controller RA n/a Gerald Frye 4 Eck Gannon Veterinarian Alternate R Brad Allen 10 n/a Pembroke State Non-Profit CEO Alternate U Alex Moore 2 Vinovich St. Petersburg Compliance Manager Alternate DJ Tom Stephan 25 Clark Pittsburgh State retired Business Broker Alternate SJ Jim Quirk 13 Hill Middlebury Financial Advisor Alternate BJ Scott Helverson 21 Kemp Iowa Sales, Printing and Promotions Notes on alternates, from the article: "In 2020, the NFL moved to five alternates for the early postseason rounds, which will continue this season. The alternate officials are a referee, an umpire, a line of scrimmage official (down judge or line judge), a deep wing official (field judge or side judge), and a back judge. Officials who have alternate assignments are still eligible for an on-field assignment in the Divisional Playoffs or Conference Championships. Past practice is that Wild Card officials — on the field or alternates — are not in consideration for a Super Bowl assignment." https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-expected-to-downgrade-brad-allen-ref-crew-for-playoffs-after-lions-cowboys-questionable-calls-per-report/ "NFL expected to downgrade Brad Allen ref crew for playoffs after Lions-Cowboys questionable calls, per report Allen's crew made several controversial calls, including on the deciding two-point conversion "Both the Dallas Cowboys and the Detroit Lions were on the receiving end of questionable calls by referee Brad Allen and his crew in Saturday's 20-19 Cowboys win, including one that effectively decided the game on a Lions two-point conversion attempt. As a result, Allen's crew is going to be downgraded, with some of the referees from the Week 17 game not participating in the postseason, according to an ESPN report. Late in the final quarter, the Cowboys saw tight end Peyton Hendershot get flagged for a tripping penalty on Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson. The infraction was huge because instead of the clock running with the Cowboys facing second-and-3 from the Lions' 22, Dallas had first-and-25 on the Lions' 44. In reality, Hutchinson stuck his leg out and should have been called for tripping. If called correctly, the Cowboys could have scored a game-sealing touchdown instead of giving Detroit the ball back, down seven. " "Then, madness ensued. Detroit went for two and the win, and they appeared to have it after Goff completed a pass to offensive tackle Taylor Decker, No. 68. However, Detroit reported tackle Dan Skipper, No. 70, as eligible prior to the play, according to referee Brad Allen. Therefore, the Lions were called for an illegal touching penalty. However, Skipper said postgame that he did not say a word to the official before the snap. Replay of Detroit coming on to the field before the first two-point conversion attempt shows Decker talking to Allen, appearing to report as eligible." Green Bay at Kansas City, Week 13 2023: https://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/for-petes-sake/article282633813.html "Rules analyst says officials missed obvious calls in the Chiefs’ loss to Packers "The Chiefs lost 27-19 but they were hurt when a pass-interference call wasn’t made on Green Bay’s Carrington Valentine in the Chiefs’ final drive. Valentine climbed on Chiefs receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling near the goal line. “This is an obviously defensive pass interference,” NBC Sports rules analyst Terry McAulay said after the game. “You simply can’t play through the receiver’s back before the ball gets there. He does exactly that ... has to be a foul. Should have been called.” Referee Brad Allen told a pool reporter after the game: “(T)he covering officials were in good position and ruled that there was no material restriction that rose to the level of defensive pass interference.” "On the final play of the game, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw a Hail Mary pass, but Travis Kelce didn’t have a chance to make the catch. Here’s why:" Also, there are videos of more bad calls in the article cited above.

And Los Angeles!

UPDATE: Extra sideline reporter for PHL-TB on ESPN/ABC: Laura Rutledge (in addition to Lisa Salters), per NFL Capsules: https://nflcommunications.com/Documents/2023 Football Information/Capsules/Wild Card Capsules.pdf

Feely will be on the sideline as a "kicking reporter". He will only appear on TV a few times for kicking situations, following the offense between the 20 yard lines. He won't be doing any sideline reporting like Wolfson. He is also not in a CBS crew that is high enough to be added as an in-booth PxP analyst. We'll probably hear from Stertore more often, whenever there is a rules situation that needs explanation.Nice to have him on site rather than in the studio.

Wait, why does the SOS from this tweet differ from yours?

But Stroud is used to the weather, since he played for OSU. Good analysis. The other thing is, we want Cleveland to beat Baltimore so we can host them in the AFCCG. Battle of Lake Erie...plus we get a chance at revenge for 1989.

And NFC North too, if we meet Detroit in the SB.

SOS based on Week 18 games has now been finalized. The original SOS percentages posted yesterday have been changed slightly to reflect this. The order has remained the same. https://nflcommunications.com/Pages/2024-NFL-Draft-First-Round-Order.aspx

Brazil schedule (all games live on ESPN and Star+):

UK and Ireland TV schedule just added to the OP. All games are live on Sky Sports NFL. (Notes: Sky Sports Main Event will not have MIA-KC due to boxing from Quebec, and will join PIT-BUF in progress after Man United vs Tottenham in the Premier League.)

NBC is airing an extra-long post-game show after their afternoon Saturday game to bridge the gap to their evening Peacock game. They don't want viewers to switch away. Most Eastern and Central Time Zone stations will air this post-game show, but Mountain and Pacific Time Zone stations are balking, as they planned to show their usual 5 or 6 PM locals news at this time.

Yes, only the primary markets get to see the OTA games from ESPN, Amazon, Peacock, etc., but the old blackout rules for not selling out includes any DMA within 75 miles of the stadium that was capable of getting the OTA reception. So Rochester, Syracuse, and Erie were included, The remaining blackout rule for having more than 4 games at home on the SH network only apply to rhe Buffalo DMA though.

More Aaron...all the time.

I stand corrected. On further research: both legs of Panthers/Buccaneers in 2019 were on NFLN (Week 2 TNF, Week 6 morning game in London). And the Oilers/Steelers in 1990: front leg (Week 2) on TNT and back leg (Week 17) on ESPN.

Yeah the game is on free TV for the markets of the two teams involved. For Buffalo-LAC the game was on WGRZ (NBC/2) Buffalo and KNBC (NBC/4) LA. For MIA-KC it will be simulcasted on WTVJ (NBC/6) Miami and KSHB (NBC/41) Kansas City.

Other info on Carl Cheffers: https://www.sportscasting.com/super-bowl-referee-travis-kelce-said-carl-cheffers-shouldnt-work-foot-locker/ "Travis Kelce Once Said Super Bowl Referee Carl Cheffers ‘Shouldn’t Even Be Able to Work at F***ing Foot Locker’' "In 2016, the year before the team drafted Mahomes, the Chiefs finished 12-4 and made the playoffs with Alex Smith at quarterback. In the Wild Card Round that season, the Chiefs played the Steelers in a close, hotly-contested matchup. The Chiefs went down 18-10 with under 10 minutes to go in the game. Smith then led a seven-minute, 15-play touchdown drive to get KC within two points with 2:43 left on the clock. Smith and company just needed a two-point conversion to tie the game, and they got it when the Chiefs QB found Demetrius Harris in the end zone. However, NFL referee Carl Cheffers (No. 51) threw a flag and called a controversial holding call on Chiefs left tackle Eric Fisher. The next attempt failed. Ben Roethlisberger got the ball back, the Steelers got a 1st-down, and Big Ben took three knees to end the game. After the game, Travis Kelce didn’t hold back. The then-budding star said if NFL referees “want to take over the game and make it their own platform, there’s nothing you can do about it.” Kelce vehemently asserted it wasn’t a hold on Fisher and then went on to crush Cheffers in a classic rant that could only have come from the outspoke tight end. “[We] just got out jugulars ripped out because ref felt bad for James Harrison falling on the ground,” Kelce fumed. “It’s ignorance. The ref, No. 51, shouldn’t even be able to wear a zebra jersey ever again. He shouldn’t even be able to work at f***ing Foot Locker.”' https://www.si.com/extra-mustard/2023/01/31/super-bowl-referee-carl-cheffers-stats [limited free views] "Based on Carl Cheffers Stats, Expect Lots of Flags and the Under in Super Bowl LVII" "According to BetArizona.com, which was kind enough to send me some stats, Cheffers ranked first in total penalties called per game this season at 12.59. Cheffers also led all NFL refs in penalties called last season. He also was first in total yards in penalties given per game at 109.94. Cheffers and his crew (which will be different for the Super Bowl) also called 21 pass interferences this season, which ranked second among NFL refs."

UPDATE: Controversial referee Brad Allen has been named as alternate Referee for the game. Post is further down the thread here. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ We also had Cheffers in Week 1 at the Jets and Week 14 at Kansas City. (And Week 1 in 2022 at the Rams.) Referee only. Full crew to be announced later. From the website: https://www.footballzebras.com/2024/01/nfl-assigns-officiating-crews-for-the-2023-24-wild-card-playoffs/ "AFC Wild Card: Steelers at Bills, 1 p.m. CBS PARAMOUNT+ Carl Cheffers is the referee, who is in his 24rd season and 16th as referee. This is Cheffers’s 18th postseason assignment, including 5 Wild Card Playoffs, 7 Divisional Playoffs, 3 Conference Championships, and Super Bowls LI and LV. Both of his Super Bowl assignments were as a referee." ------------------ Other WC games: Saturday: CLE-HOU - Clay Martin MIA-KC - Brad Rogers Sunday: GB-DAL - Ron Torbert LAR-DET - Craig Wrolstad Monday: PHL-TB - Adrian Hill

Finally?!?!? 7 of the first 8 games the Bills played Seattle were in Seattle, from 1977 (when Seattle was created) to 2001. https://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/buffalo-bills/teamvsteam?opp=28 But I kid! Glad you get to see the Bills in person! I don't think they give us the Lions on Thanksgiving since w just had them then 2022. With the new rules, the NFL can put any team who goes to Detroit net season on Thanksgiving. Also, how is this for the NFL Kickoff on Thursday Week 1, after we win the SB: Kansas City at Buffalo

Or Houston (the city was formerly in the AFC North's precursor: the AFC Central, although it was the current Tennessee Titans).