The potential nightmare for NFLN

[ctpatsfan77]

Think about it for a second--all of the handwringing over the Pats-Giants game on the NFL Network is because of the potential implications of that game. As much as Roger Goodell might hate the thought of the Pats winning the Super Bowl, having an undefeated Pats team entering Week 17 is a good thing for NFLN.

Even better still would be if both the Pats and Giants had something to play for.

But here's the nightmare scenario--what if neither team has any interest in the outcome? If the Pats are 14-1 entering that game, they have HFA. And right now, the Giants may enter that game with the 5th seed in the playoffs locked up. Granted, you then have the makings of a very unpredictable game, but it could be a #@%#fest of utter proportions, rather than the Most Important Regular-Season Game Ever IV of 2007.

Either way, I'll be watching--but will America care if neither team needs to?

 

[psychoPat]

Varsity vs JV Scrimmage

The Giants are likely to be locked into a wildcard.
With an away game the following week, they should be resting as many key guys as they can.

With the Patriots almost certainly facing a bye that next week ...
we are sure to avoid creating a 3-week layoff.

That sounds like the formula for an easy W ... in an uncompetitive game.
Only if we're 15-0 is the game attractive to anyone except patsfans.

 

[cavtroop]

what about the vast majority of America that doens't (or can't) get NFLN?

Seems like thats a much bigger problem to me.

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

what about the vast majority of America that doens't (or can't) get NFLN?

Seems like thats a much bigger problem to me.

That nightmare will show up when people realize that they (those w/o NFLN) can't see the Cowboys-Packers this Thursday. But, as I posted elsewhere, this is a test for when the NFL goes all pay, which I think is their ultimate goal in the future.

 

[BelichickFan]

what about the vast majority of America that doens't (or can't) get NFLN?

Seems like thats a much bigger problem to me.

It's not a problem, the NFLN are extra games. If they didn't broadcast the games no-one would get games at that time. The local areas get them on local broadcasts, it's not a problem, it's a bonus that some get.

Regarding the "nightmare", it's not really a nightmare, it's just a common occurence that happens with late season games. They'd love it to be a big game but would have to have scheduled it knowing there's a decent chance there would be little to play for.

 

[patsfan209]

If the Pats are 15-0 and the Giants has the #5 seed and knows that - win or lose - thats written in stone, then I definitely see Coughlin having a lot of Giants starters taking the night off.

If that occurs, Don Shula should be more ticked off at the Giants for laying down than he would with the Pats getting the last win and make history.

 

[tailgater]

It's not a problem, the NFLN are extra games. If they didn't broadcast the games no-one would get games at that time. The local areas get them on local broadcasts, it's not a problem, it's a bonus that some get.

Regarding the "nightmare", it's not really a nightmare, it's just a common occurence that happens with late season games. They'd love it to be a big game but would have to have scheduled it knowing there's a decent chance there would be little to play for.

I think you're way off on that opinion. This is not 'a common occurance', certainly not for a primetime matchup of 10-1 teams.

This is the first time a big game won't be broadcast nationally. Fans w/o NFLN will see the game only in very limited areas for this 'boys-Giants game.

The NFL spin machine is putting all the blame on the cable networks. Goodell confirmed neither the Pats game or any other will move from NFLN to another station. I think that means most of NE will not see the Giants game; only those viewers that get wcvb (Boston ABC affiliate) will see it without NFLN.

 

[Pat the Pats Fan]

If the Pats are 15-0 and the Giants has the #5 seed and knows that - win or lose - thats written in stone, then I definitely see Coughlin having a lot of Giants starters taking the night off.

If that occurs, Don Shula should be more ticked off at the Giants for laying down than he would with the Pats getting the last win and make history.

But, isn't is harder to turn it off and then on for the playoffs. I don't see Coughin taking it easy in week 17, even if they are the #5 seed.

 

[BelichickFan]

I think you're way off on that opinion. This is not 'a common occurance', certainly not for a primetime matchup of 10-1 teams.

This is the first time a big game won't be broadcast nationally. Fans w/o NFLN will see the game only in very limited areas for this 'boys-Giants game.

The NFL spin machine is putting all the blame on the cable networks. Goodell confirmed neither the Pats game or any other will move from NFLN to another station. I think that means most of NE will not see the Giants game; only those viewers that get wcvb (Boston ABC affiliate) will see it without NFLN.

Well it's easy for me to say as I get NFLN. On the other hand, I get DirecTV solely for football. Most people can do the same thing. Not all, I know, but a lot who don't can. My sister is a big football fan but refuses to switch from cable. I'm sure there are a lot like her. There's things I hate about DirecTV but it's a choice I make to get Sunday Ticket and NFLN.

With regard to the 10-1 matchup, that's just how it worked out but it's still just a bonus game. It's not like on Sunday all the games will be on NFLN. Those without DirecTV get the game that's chosen for them anyway. If the Dallas-GB game were on Sunday, some would get it, some wouldn't, based on blackouts, home teams, doubleheaders, etc. Although some will get a "lesser" game on Sunday due to this special Thursday game, I still look at Thursday as a bonus game that some get as opposed to a lost game for others.

 

[borg]

The majority of America gets 5 free NFL games each week. These NFL Network games fall under the heading of the "other 12 games " that one can only see if they fork over cash...Direct TV or NFLN. Nothing has changed. I wish the media and the other blubbering fools would stop their crying about their "right" to see these "Special games". The NFL is a business, and businesses need to make money. If watching these games is so important, get the dish and pay up.

 

[BelichickFan]

The majority of America gets 5 free NFL games each week. These NFL Network games fall under the heading of the "other 12 games " that one can only see if they fork over cash...Direct TV or NFLN. Nothing has changed. I wish the media and the other blubbering fools would stop their crying about their "right" to see these "Special games". The NFL is a business, and businesses need to make money. If watching these games is so important, get the dish and pay up.

That's what I've been trying to say but you worded it better

The only "loss" to normal viewing is just by the luck of the draw the best matchup, on paper, is one of the other games. But the non NFLN viewer doesn't lose a game, he just gets a different game. This happens a lot, though, if you want the choice then you have to get Sunday Ticket; otherwise you get the same number of games as always, just someone else's choice.

 

[psychoPat]

.... The NFL is a business, and businesses need to make money. If watching these games is so important, get the dish and pay up.

Yeah.
How would Jamarcus Russell feed his family otherwise?

 

[Lansdowne]

The Giants don't have to worry. There have been plenty of teams that have lost games in the final week or two of the season and still gone on to win the Super Bowl. I wouldn't be surprised if they took it easy in Week 17, especially given the injuries already suffered to the likes of Kiwanuka and Jacobs.

 

[Drew_Brady]

Yeah.
How would Jamarcus Russell feed his family otherwise?

Well, he could make a Tedd Ginn-type deal and get his franchise to draft the rest of his family.

 

[Seymour93]

But here's the nightmare scenario--what if neither team has any interest in the outcome? If the Pats are 14-1 entering that game, they have HFA. And right now, the Giants may enter that game with the 5th seed in the playoffs locked up. Granted, you then have the makings of a very unpredictable game, but it could be a #@%#fest of utter proportions, rather than the Most Important Regular-Season Game Ever IV of 2007.

I think it would get good ratings because 14-1 is still impressive. There is a lot of interest around this team, as evidenced by last Sunday night's terrific ratings, and if we lose one then people will be watching to see if we lose again.

 

[cavtroop]

The majority of America gets 5 free NFL games each week. These NFL Network games fall under the heading of the "other 12 games " that one can only see if they fork over cash...Direct TV or NFLN. Nothing has changed. I wish the media and the other blubbering fools would stop their crying about their "right" to see these "Special games". The NFL is a business, and businesses need to make money. If watching these games is so important, get the dish and pay up.

While what you are saying is true, its going to get ugly if/when (i think they already started) putting the 'good' games on NFLN exclusively. Much like this upcoming GB-DAL game. America doesn't care that this is an 'extra' game. Before NFLN, this would have been on either ESPN (much higher viewership) or the national FOX game, and we would have been able to see it.

 

[NYLionsFan]

With regard to the 10-1 matchup, that's just how it worked out but it's still just a bonus game. It's not like on Sunday all the games will be on NFLN. Those without DirecTV get the game that's chosen for them anyway. If the Dallas-GB game were on Sunday, some would get it, some wouldn't, based on blackouts, home teams, doubleheaders, etc. Although some will get a "lesser" game on Sunday due to this special Thursday game, I still look at Thursday as a bonus game that some get as opposed to a lost game for others.

I could not disagree with you more. Those 8 NFL network games are not "bonus" games taken from the regular sunday schedule. In past years there were 2 or 3 Saturday games on the networks or ESPN the last few weeks of the season. The used to be 2 games the last three saturdays of the season. In recent seasons there were 3 saturday games the last two weeks. Now there is only 1 game on Saturday and its on NFL network. That's where the games on NFL network are coming from. So fans without NFL network ARE LOSING GAMES. This GB-Dal game would be part of the national doubleheader on fox if it was on Sunday, so MOST of the country would be able to see it. The game is only being shown locally in the GB/Milwaukee and Dallas/Fort Worth areas. What about the fans who can't see it in the rest of Wisconsin and Texas? I'm sorry, it's just not fair.

I'm a Detroit Lions fan living in NY so I have Directv for the Sunday Ticket package, but I can understand people being upset about this. These aren't "bonus" games.

 

[Va_Pats_Fan]

Re: Varsity vs JV Scrimmage

The Giants are likely to be locked into a wildcard.
With an away game the following week, they should be resting as many key guys as they can.

With the Patriots almost certainly facing a bye that next week ...
we are sure to avoid creating a 3-week layoff.

That sounds like the formula for an easy W ... in an uncompetitive game.
Only if we're 15-0 is the game attractive to anyone except patsfans.

The wild card ranking could be at stake. It could mean the difference between going to tampa or seattle...

 

[BelichickFan]

I could not disagree with you more. Those 8 NFL network games are not "bonus" games taken from the regular sunday schedule. In past years there were 2 or 3 Saturday games on the networks or ESPN the last few weeks of the season. The used to be 2 games the last three saturdays of the season. In recent seasons there were 3 saturday games the last two weeks. Now there is only 1 game on Saturday and its on NFL network. That's where the games on NFL network are coming from. So fans without NFL network ARE LOSING GAMES. This GB-Dal game would be part of the national doubleheader on fox if it was on Sunday, so MOST of the country would be able to see it. The game is only being shown locally in the GB/Milwaukee and Dallas/Fort Worth areas. What about the fans who can't see it in the rest of Wisconsin and Texas? I'm sorry, it's just not fair.

I'm a Detroit Lions fan living in NY so I have Directv for the Sunday Ticket package, but I can understand people being upset about this. These aren't "bonus" games.

The influx of Thursday and Saturday games is relatively new. To me anything beyond Sunday at 1pm, Sunday at 4pm and Monday Night is extra. I'd be curious about how many people who "can't" get NFLN really can't (I know there's some) and how many choose not to.

 

[NYLionsFan]

The influx of Thursday and Saturday games is relatively new. QUOTE]


Multiple games have been played on Saturdays late in the season since at least the 70's. It starts after the college regular season ends. This is not a new thing. It was a tradition. In fact, it was not uncommon for there to be a thursday or friday game late in seasons. I remember back in the mid-80's the 49ers and Rams playing a big game on a friday night. I used to look forward to being able to see the extra games at the end of the year. These games were taken away from viewers without NFL network. They aren't "bonus" games.