chongli

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).

Not sure. I didn't keep track. I would imagine no, since that would just add more time to the first 3 quarters, and the NFL is pressuring networks to actually reduce commercials. This is from an article I read: https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/nfl-peacock-commercial-free-football-game-1235849433/ NFL, Peacock Hope to Tackle Commercial Breaks, But Others Have Tested Similar Blitz "NBC has good reason to help the NFL in its quest to cut interruptions to game play. The league has put pressure on all of the networks that show its games to do so. Fox even cut a commercial break from each quarter of its broadcast of Super Bowl LIV. [...] The growing challenge? Most of the couch potatoes who leave traditional TV for streaming do so because subscription-based services like Netflix offer ad-free tiers. Of course, that is changing. Netflix, Disney, Max and others offer options that does feature advertising, The dynamic is likely to accelerate further in 2024 when Amazon Prime Video makes advertising its default option. Prime subscribers who don’t want to watch ads will have to pony up another $2.99 per month."

Also, Buffalo now has the NFL's longest active win streak at 5. Rams are second with 4, and Pittsburgh and Green Bay are at 3.

Yikes, the Jets have a super easy schedule, as do the Lions and Texans. [Also, where is Cleveland?...sorry! :-) ] No one knows yet. We'll have to wait until the schedule release in May, or a little before, unless there is a leak. Assuming they beat Miami!

Speaking of trolling:

It's easy to say now, but I had full confidence the Bills would still win the SB, the homer that I am, lol. Except I was not as brave to post it like @Alphadawg7. Props to him!

Thanks for taking the time to do this! What about the Jets? Rodgers will be back next year.

Plus the rest of the teams on the guy's twitter feed.

No. This is it...for now at least. We'll see next season after the bidding, but only for the WC. The divisionals are, and will be for the near future, FOX, CBS, ESPN/ABC, and NBC.

You mean Rams-New Orleans, but yeah, I get your point. Yes, free local simulcasts on WTVJ (NBC/6) Miami and KSHB (NBC/41) Kansas City.

IKR? This is from the NBC press release, which is hilarious in its gloating" https://nbcsportsgrouppressbox.com/2024/01/08/nbcuniversal-is-home-to-record-three-nfl-playoff-games-on-super-wild-card-weekend-including-peacocks-presentation-of-nfls-first-ever-exclusive-live-streamed-playoff-game/ "Among the distinctions for NBCUniversal: NBCU will be the first media company to serve as the home of three NFL Playoff Games in a single weekend (Saturday doubleheader and Sunday in primetime). Peacock will present thefirst-ever exclusive live streamed NFL Playoff game (Saturday at 8 p.m. ET). This follows Peacock’s first-ever exclusive live stream of a regular season NFL game on Dec. 23 (Bills-Chargers). Saturday night’s Peacock AFC Wild Card Exclusive – featuring Patrick Mahomes and the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Miami Dolphins — will once again feature a commercial-free fourth quarter similar to the Dec. 23 Bills-Chargers game. [...] The Peacock exclusive Wild Card game will be broadcast on NBC stations in the competing team cities, and available on mobile devices with NFL+. The NFL is the only sports league that presents all regular-season and postseason games on free, over-the-air television in local markets." [end quote] LOL: now is probably not the time to be saying: "The NFL is the only sports league that presents all regular-season and postseason games on free, over-the-air television in local markets."

We are not sure yet. EDIT: @RyanC883 nevermind, here is the press release: https://nbcsportsgrouppressbox.com/2024/01/08/nbcuniversal-is-home-to-record-three-nfl-playoff-games-on-super-wild-card-weekend-including-peacocks-presentation-of-nfls-first-ever-exclusive-live-streamed-playoff-game/ "Saturday night’s Peacock AFC Wild Card Exclusive – featuring Patrick Mahomes and the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Miami Dolphins — will once again feature a commercial-free fourth quarter similar to the Dec. 23 Bills-Chargers game."

Well, one poster on Chiefs Planet claims Collinsworth is calling the Peacock game. Glad to see they are so knowledgeable.

This reminds me: I need to go over to FinHeaven and ChiefsPlanet to see if anyone is flipping out over the Peacock game.

We don't know that yet for a fact, as certain games,including one WC game next year, are up for bid among al lthe networks. It could be CBS or FOX or Amazon.

LOL. [Actually, he is 69, but doesn't look too bad for his age:]

Another reason the NFL chose the KC game for Peacock is Swifties skew young, you they know how to stream.

Here is the counter-argument the NFL would use in support of paid streaming games: The difference between the past, when all games were OTA and free is they've added games on TV over the years so there didn't used-to-be: kickoff game TNF almost every week MNF double-headers some weeks 17 games a bye week, so more games can be watched many international games Thanksgiving evening game Black Friday game Christmas games some years this many Saturday games 14 playoff teams which created this extra game Compare the number of TV games to even just 10 years ago, never mind going further back.