USA TODAY's Mike Snider notes NFL fans have more options than in the past to "stream local and primetime games on their phones and other Net-connected devices." That strategy "could be a move to tackle declining NFL ratings and a growing national audience of viewers without traditional pay TV." This season, all wireless customers can "use the NFL Mobile or Yahoo Sports apps to watch for free all in-market and national games." Most "TNF" games this season will be "streamed on Amazon Prime" and available to "watch for free on Twitch" (USA TODAY, 9/7).
GAME OF THE WEEK: Sunday's Patriots-Texans game is slated to air in 42% of the country, and CBS' Jim Nantz called it the "best regional Week 1 game" he has been assigned. In Houston, David Barron notes it also is a "potentially big ratings game for CBS, involving the two largest markets (No. 7 Houston, No. 10 Boston) in which the sole local NFL team is in the AFC" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 9/7).
SKINS GAME: NBC Sports Washington hired the recently retired DeAngelo Hall to appear on its Redskins pre- and postgame shows this season. Hall will be an analyst on “Redskins Kickoff Live” and “Redskins Postgame Live,” joining Brian Mitchell, Trevor Matich and host Julie Donaldson (John Ourand, Staff Writer)
OPENING DRIVE: In Boston, Chad Finn notes NBC Sports Boston has "added what could be called a pre-pregame show" called "Opening Drive." The show is hosted by Jade McCarthy and will feature Tom Curran, Phil Perry and Albert Breer. It will air at 10:00am ET when the Patriots play 1:00pm games and will "serve as the lead-in to NBC Sports Boston's regular pregame show" (BOSTON GLOBE, 9/7).
