Wow. I can’t say I blame Herm Edwards for going for a victory with 23 seconds left instead of kicking the extra point that would’ve led to near certain overtime. And it certainly made for good theater even though they didn’t convert and lost the game. I’m not sure an overtime battle between the Chiefs and Chargers would’ve been huge in the ratings, but any NFL is probably better than no football at all when it comes to Nielsen ratings.
A good Sunday of football coverage available even without needing a sports bar with the DirecTV Sunday Ticket package. I saw Packers/Vikings and Colts/Steelers which were both fun games to watch. As a Redskins fan I hate to say this, but former Dallas Cowboy QB Troy Aikman is the best NFL commentator around. Late in the game when the Vikings challenged a touchdown call Aikman nailed that it was probably a bad challenge, even if they would’ve won it because if it was instead first and ten from the one foot line they would likely score anyway, only eating more time off the clock, and if they lost the challenge (which they did) it would eat up a time out.
Then, as the Packers were driving to get in field position, Joe Buck starts talking about how they were probably in Packer kicker Mason Crosby’s range already. Buck talked about how he was nailing 60 yard attempts before the game and they even showed footage. Aikman’s response (paraphrase) was “Yeah, but that’s kinda like hitting it good on the driving range and then needing to go out and do it on the 18th hole.”
Moments later Crosby attempted a 52 yarder that would have won the game for the Packers that went ever so slightly wide right.
He may have missed the FG, but they were in the kicker’s range.
oh definitely 52 is in his range and he was just a smidge to the right. But nailing 60 yarders in practice isn’t the same as nailing a 52 yarder in the heat of battle. Plus at the time Buck brought it up, it was in the 60+ range.
I think CBS should be happy to have had a 2 close and watchable to the end late games (the last involving a team as dreadful as the Chiefs spill a bit over 7pm). Had you offered them that possibility at the beginning of the day, they’d have jumped at it.
This might be one of the two games Aikman does that doesn’t feature the Dallas Cowboys…
Bill, I’m sure CBS was happy overall with how the games played out, but you’re insane if you think it wouldn’t have prefered overtime and even more NFL. I’m sure there were a couple of CBS sports honchos shouting: “KICK THE EXTRA POINT!” But that was Herm “We play to WIN the game” Edwards and even though they have not won often, I enjoyed seeing him play for the win rather than the tie.
Vader, Fox gives Buck/Aikman the game it thinks will be the most watched game and that winds up being the Cowboys often, even if it’s not necessarily the “best game”. The Cowboys get better ratings than the NY Giants (though that may change in the second half given the standings). I could be wrong but I think it has more to do with most-watched game than Aikman’s past.