The NFL's ratings crisis

Are we sure the extended length of the season as it is doesn't contribute to some of the NFL fatigue?

 

NFL rosters used to be 40 guys in the 1970s. They're been using guys for the past 20 years who would have been taxi squad guys in the 70s and it's only now that fans are complaining about the quality of play for a variety of factors, none of which has been the size of the roster.

 

Only now? People have been talking about the declining quality of play forever.

 

For as long as they've griped about the music and clothes teenagers are wearing.

 

There just aren't many teams that move the needle this season.

The only really good team is New England, and everyone outside of Boston hates the Pats. Seattle? Minnesota? Atlanta? meh

Other than the Cowboys, teams with national followings, such as Steelers and Packers are struggling. The teams in the big markets -- Giants, Jets, Rams, Bears -- are mediocre, at best.

I was excited about the Rams moving back to LA, but haven't really watched their games (although some of that is because of the Dodgers run).

 

Another bye would suck for the NFL. It means more weeks of bad matchups because there are fewer games. Also, fans from teams on bye week tend to stay away from watching altogether more, I would think.

 

No more extra bye weeks. No more extra games.

Less is really sometimes more, people!!

 

Yeah, today's "too many games on TV" complainers were the 1960s' "Bring back 60-minute men and leather helmets" gripers.

 

I don't think there are too many NFL games. There's too many boring games played and too many games that aren't well played.

Thursday night games give us tired players whose bodies aren't recovered from the previous Sunday.

Outside of the top 8 or 9 coaches, I'm not convinced there are many brilliant tacticians in the league. Too many coaches coach scared to hang onto their high-paying jobs. I understand this. Only 32 of them. Doesn't benefit the viewer, though.

Even most of the tight games don't move me that much because, in the end, I know who will be in the last four. Great QB/coach combo with the occasional elite defense. It's a simple formula.

I'm a weird college football fan in that I watch tons to start each year but, as November approaches, I tend to watch less. The playoff teams get sorted out even before the conference title games. Upsets become less common as underdogs lose depth through fatigue and injury. By January, I'll watch but with some distance in the final four. (I'm the same way with March madness. I'll watch the first weekend but rarely the Final Four).

 

I think it's a bit early to say the struggles of the Steelers or Packers have made an impact. Both made the playoffs and won a round last year and a week ago, everybody was raving about the Steelers.

 

I blame soccer.

(Man, this place has lost its fucking fastball.)

 

Al Michaels hates Thursday night games

“Here’s the point: ESPN has a college game on that night, and I went back and forth a little bit. The college game looked like the pro game. The pro game had the cockamamie uniforms. So who is that? Is that the yuppies in the marketing department? Whose idea is this thing and what is it going to mean?”

Al Michaels is no fan of Thursday Night Football, especially NFL's "caca" Color Rush