The NFL's Week 16 ratings were a bit skewed by scheduling around Christmas for this year and last year. Week 16 this year saw "Sunday Night Football" air on a Saturday night to avoid Christmas Eve, while Christmas Day this year also saw NBC and NFL Net air a game. Last year, most NFL games aired on a Saturday in Week 16 to avoid Christmas, while Fox' national window last year also aired at 1:00pm ET. Leading the way in Week 16 this year was Sunday's national window on Fox, which saw Seahawks-Cowboys draw a 13.5 overnight. CBS' singleheader on Sunday was the next best rating, drawing a 9.6 overnight for a window featuring Bills-Patriots in 42% of markets. Fox' regional coverage on Sunday drew a 9.1 overnight, will NBC's "SNF" drew a 9.0 for Packers-Vikings on Saturday night. Yesterday, up against NBA games, NBC/NFL Net averaged an 8.9 overnight for Steelers-Texans, while ESPN's "MNF" finale, featuring Eagles-Raiders, drew a 6.7 overnight (Austin Karp, Assistant Managing Editor).
TONY AWARDS: In Buffalo, Alan Pergament wrote CBS analyst Tony Romo during Patriots-Bills on Sunday "illustrated early" why he has been "named the rookie of the year and MVP in broadcasting in the same season." Perhaps the "best illustration of what separates Romo from other analysts came in the second quarter when he noted the Bills defense was leaving them vulnerable" to QB Tom Brady passing to TE Rob Gronkowski on the outside. Pergament: "Sure enough, Brady soon hit Gronkowski for a touchdown pass on the outside that tied the game." It was "one of several excellent points made by Romo" (BUFFALO NEWS, 12/25). But in N.Y., Bob Raissman wrote Romo two weekends ago "came off totally clueless" on Steelers TE Jesse James’ TD catch against the Patriots "being wiped out" by NFL Senior VP/Officiating Al Riveron. Jim Nantz "wound up bailing the former Cowboys quarterback out," though it was "way too late." Raissman: "This was a total breakdown for Romo" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 12/24).
KELVIN SCALE: The AP's Arnie Stapleton wrote the decision by owners to "grant full replay authority" to NFL HQ has "only added to the league's cluster of headaches." The "latest example came Sunday" when Bills WR Kelvin Benjamin's TD catch just before halftime against the Patriots was "overturned on review." Benjamin was "ruled to have gotten both feet down while in possession of the ball." But "after looking at replays, officials ruled that he was juggling the ball when his first foot hit the turf." The "dour faces in the CBS studio belied the festive holiday decorations as the Benjamin TD reversal dominated the Christmas Eve discussion." CBS' Nate Burleson: "What else do you want these wide receivers to do? I don't care what they said ... he caught that ball and dragged his feet. That's exactly what you're supposed to do." Both Bill Cowher and James Brown then "opined on how unrealistic it is to expect a spinning football to stick to the receivers' gloves and freeze in a split second" (AP, 12/25).
WELL HELLO: In Detroit, Kirkland Crawford noted during Sunday's Saints-Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Superdome, viewers watching Fox' telecast "caught a weird image on the field during a Devonta Freeman run." Much like the yellow first down line is "superimposed on the field, Freeman ran down the sideline and past" Michigan State's Spartan helmet logo. One explanation may be Fox "promoting the Holiday Bowl, featuring the Spartans and Washington State on Thursday" (FREEP.com, 12/24).
MORE TO COME? THE MMQB's Peter King writes the NFL "needs to launch an independent investigation into the misdeeds at NFL Network, as detailed by a lawsuit by a former network wardrobe stylist" (SI.com, 12/26).
