The NFL couldn't have drawn it up better

[GoSU96]

One dog game, Houston v B'more.

The other three are going to draw huge ratings. NYG vs GB and Den v NE, holy cow.

 

[SU2NASA]

One dog game, Houston v B'more.

The other three are going to draw huge ratings. NYG vs GB and Den v NE, holy cow.

They did a great job last night setting up New Orleans to continue on, screwing the Lions big time on four different calls that cost the Lions 7 points and led to 17 New Orleans points.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Saints/ Niners will be the best game of the weekend, IMO. Pats, Ravens, and Pack win easily, IMO

The Super Bowl is a 4 team race.. Ravens, Pack, Saints, Niners.

 

[Chip]

One dog game, Houston v B'more.

The other three are going to draw huge ratings. NYG vs GB and Den v NE, holy cow.

I'm sure this could be looked up pretty easily, not that I'm going to do it, but wondering how often all 4 home teams win on the first weekend. Seems very likely that two win next weekend (Balt, NE). GB vs NYG is tricky given how good the Giants looked Sunday against what was an Atlanta offense that had been heating up. Then NO offense on the road vs San Fran defense looks like the best individual matchup of all.

Love the NFL playoffs, even when my favorite team isn't participating. Which I'm used to.

 

[longislandcuse]

I'm sure this could be looked up pretty easily, not that I'm going to do it, but wondering how often all 4 home teams win on the first weekend. Seems very likely that two win next weekend (Balt, NE). GB vs NYG is tricky given how good the Giants looked Sunday against what was an Atlanta offense that had been heating up. Then NO offense on the road vs San Fran defense looks like the best individual matchup of all.

Love the NFL playoffs, even when my favorite team isn't participating. Which I'm used to.

I agree, as a Bills fan I have been forced to become a secondary Bronco fan. I think I was rooting harder for them yesterday than I did all year for Buffalo, at least Denver has heart.

 

[Marsh01]

Saints/ Niners will be the best game of the weekend, IMO. Pats, Ravens, and Pack win easily, IMO

The Super Bowl is a 4 team race.. Ravens, Pack, Saints, Niners.

Saints will win by 3 touchdowns. I honestly do not see anyone beating them from here on out. I would be stunned if they do not win the Super Bowl. Drew Brees is playing better than anyone I have ever seen and that includes Aaron Rodgers. Plus they have Thomas and Sproles. Alex Smith is a mediocre QB and I can't see them putting up enough points to compete.

Giants will give the Pack hell. I hope they feel the same way about the game as you do.

 

[JoeSU]

Curious - why do you consider Houston-Baltimore to be a dog game?

 

[longislandcuse]

I think Saints and Giants move on and the Saints go to the SB. In the AFC, honestly I think the winner of Denver/NE goes to the SB as crazy as that may sound.

 

[longislandcuse]

Curious - why do you consider Houston-Baltimore to be a dog game?

Ratings-noone cares. Giants/Packers has some serious viewer cache, 49ers/Saints is just a great matchup and Broncos/Patriots, need I say more. Houston/Baltimore mehhh.

 

[Marsh01]

Ratings-noone cares.

There is more interest in this game than the game tonight across the country taking out the state of Alabama and Louisiana. Hell if LSU wins tonight they will get one day of press then the Saints train marches over them.

 

[Chip]

Saints will win by 3 touchdowns. I honestly do not see anyone beating them from here on out. I would be stunned if they do not win the Super Bowl. Drew Brees is playing better than anyone I have ever seen and that includes Aaron Rodgers. Plus they have Thomas and Sproles. Alex Smith is a mediocre QB and I can't see them putting up enough points to compete.

Giants will give the Pack hell. I hope they feel the same way about the game as you do.

I can say with a high level of assurance that given what happened in the first matchup, and given how the Giants looked against Atlanta, that the Green Bay Packers will not be looking past the game this weekend. If the Giants win, they will have earned it. Can't wait to watch it.

As for the other comment about tonight's game, I think there is plenty of interest. But college football just doesn't carry the national interest that the NFL does. And if it were LSU - Oklahoma State, that wouldn't change. And if there was a college football playoff, that wouldn't change. Plenty of interest in college football, but the NFL is the 800 lb. gorilla of sports in this country, it's them and everyone else.

 

[Marsh01]

As for the other comment about tonight's game, I think there is plenty of interest. But college football just doesn't carry the national interest that the NFL does. And if it were LSU - Oklahoma State, that wouldn't change. And if there was a college football playoff, that wouldn't change. Plenty of interest in college football, but the NFL is the 800 lb. gorilla of sports in this country, it's them and everyone else.

I agree to some extent. The NFL will always trump the college game interms of fan interest, media coverage, etc. However I think a playoff would be incredible for the college game. Especially if it was a 16 team playoff. Look what the NCAA tournament has evolved to over time for college hoops. I also think that people would accept the game's matchup tonight with open arms if these teams ran through a playoff to get there.

 

[Eric15]

The Super Bowl is a 4 team race.. Ravens, Pack, Saints, Niners.

75% agree. I personally would replace Niners with the Patriots. I just don't see anyway the Niners can beat NO and GB.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

75% agree. I personally would replace Niners with the Patriots. I just don't see anyway the Niners can beat NO and GB.

I just can't see NE winning more than one more game with that defense, it's absurdly bad, maybe it's a three team race.

 

[Scooch]

Ratings-noone cares. Giants/Packers has some serious viewer cache, 49ers/Saints is just a great matchup and Broncos/Patriots, need I say more. Houston/Baltimore mehhh.

Let's just be clear though, every single NFL game is highly rated. And every single NFL playoff game is EXTREMELY highly rated.

The matchups just determine whether the rating is extremely high, or super mega extra extremely high.

The NFL is crack to America. I mean if the NFL randomly decided tomorrow that it was cancelling the playoffs and having the Colts and Rams play for the Super Bowl, just because, it'd still do a 40 rating.

 

[djcon57]

I can say with a high level of assurance that given what happened in the first matchup, and given how the Giants looked against Atlanta, that the Green Bay Packers will not be looking past the game this weekend. If the Giants win, they will have earned it. Can't wait to watch it.

As for the other comment about tonight's game, I think there is plenty of interest. But college football just doesn't carry the national interest that the NFL does. And if it were LSU - Oklahoma State, that wouldn't change. And if there was a college football playoff, that wouldn't change. Plenty of interest in college football, but the NFL is the 800 lb. gorilla of sports in this country, it's them and everyone else.

I hate this whole drawn out bowl season. Legit watching NBA tonight. I'm already over college football. Play it on Jan 2 or Jan 4th or whatever...I'll watch it. Obviously ratings are better this way I'd assume, so i guess I'm in minority.

 

[Eric15]

I hate this whole drawn out bowl season. Legit watching NBA tonight. I'm already over college football. Play it on Jan 2 or Jan 4th or whatever...I'll watch it. Obviously ratings are better this way I'd assume, so i guess I'm in minority.

I will not allow you to come on this board and disparage the good name of the January 8th GoDaddy.com bowl.

 

[Chip]

I hate this whole drawn out bowl season. Legit watching NBA tonight. I'm already over college football. Play it on Jan 2 or Jan 4th or whatever...I'll watch it. Obviously ratings are better this way I'd assume, so i guess I'm in minority.

I definitely agree that there are way too many bowls that happen after Jan 1 (way too many bowls overall) and it goes on way too long. They should have played this game last Thursday. Or go with Bayside's idea, get them all back on New Year's Day and if there will be a +1, give it one week, so Jan 8.

Having said that, I've waited it out this long, and now I'm looking forward to the game tonight.

 

[orange79]

Let's just be clear though, every single NFL game is highly rated. And every single NFL playoff game is EXTREMELY highly rated.

The matchups just determine whether the rating is extremely high, or super mega extra extremely high.

The NFL is crack to America. I mean if the NFL randomly decided tomorrow that it was cancelling the playoffs and having the Colts and Rams play for the Super Bowl, just because, it'd still do a 40 rating.

690West just reported that the opening line is Colts -1.5

 

[texascpa]

Ratings-noone cares. Giants/Packers has some serious viewer cache, 49ers/Saints is just a great matchup and Broncos/Patriots, need I say more. Houston/Baltimore mehhh.

You are forgetting that the Texans play in the 3rd largest city in America and while the Houston has a lot of Cowboy fans, the Texans are in the playoffs and the Cowboys aren't. Plus, this is the first playoffs for the Texans since they came into the league 8 years ago. It will do fine in the ratings.

 

[texascpa]

I agree to some extent. The NFL will always trump the college game interms of fan interest, media coverage, etc. However I think a playoff would be incredible for the college game. Especially if it was a 16 team playoff. Look what the NCAA tournament has evolved to over time for college hoops. I also think that people would accept the game's matchup tonight with open arms if these teams ran through a playoff to get there.

But they didn't and that's why I won't be watching. The supporters claim that every regular season game is a playoff game. Well, guess what, one of the playoff losers gets a do-over. Sorry, but that's bullshit.

 

[Marsh01]

But they didn't and that's why I won't be watching. The supporters claim that every regular season game is a playoff game. Well, guess what, one of the playoff losers gets a do-over. Sorry, but that's bullshit.

Oh hell I agree. I am watching the Uconn game as we speak and plan on watching the cincy/town game after.

 

[KaiserUEO]

Saints/ Niners will be the best game of the weekend, IMO. Pats, Ravens, and Pack win easily, IMO

The Super Bowl is a 4 team race.. Ravens, Pack, Saints, Niners.

im not sure the niners could beat a mcnabb qb'd team.

they got lucky against the Giants 1st time through, and wont again.

the saints are GOOD, maybe GREAT.

niners beating the pack/saints/GIANTS is hoppycock.

they would need a lot of weather help.

the afc is weak.

theres 3 teams right now who have NO shot at winning the bowl and they are the niners, the texans and the tebows.

but 1 has God on his side, so you never know what lesson hes about to teach.

if i had to rank:

1. nawlins
2. gb
3. NYG
4. pats
5. ravens
6. tebows
7. niners
8. texans

Oh Lord

 

[djcon57]

im not sure the niners could beat a mcnabb qb'd team.

they got lucky against the Giants 1st time through, and wont again.

the saints are GOOD, maybe GREAT.

niners beating the pack/saints/GIANTS is hoppycock.

they would need a lot of weather help.

the afc is weak.

theres 3 teams right now who have NO shot at winning the bowl and they are the niners, the texans and the tebows.

but 1 has God on his side, so you never know what lesson hes about to teach.

if i had to rank:

1. nawlins
2. gb
3. NYG
4. pats
5. ravens
6. tebows
7. niners
8. texans

Oh Lord

Ravens have no shot. Flacco is Sanchez-esque

 

[Marsh01]

Ravens have no shot. Flacco is Sanchez-esque

NO may beat SF by 30 points. I am praying for a SF miracle but it aint happening.