In Miami, Barry Jackson writes the Dolphins' rebuilding strategy this season was "bound to have an effect on the number of people interested in watching the games." However, the 9.5 rating in the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale market for Sunday's game against the Cowboys was "surprisingly low because it's rare for any home team to draw a single-digit rating in its own market." Jackson: "Though no records are kept, I cannot recall any Dolphins game on free television registering a rating that low." In recent years, Dolphins games "have been hovering in the 13 to 16 range for local ratings." This coming Sunday, CBS is sending the Chargers-Dolphins game to "only seven markets" (MIAMI HERALD, 9/25).
FOOTBALL SERVICES: In Chicago, Phil Rosenthal noted ESPN's "Marker Cam" on the sideline "got a workout" during Bears-Redskins on "MNF." The picture quality "sometimes left a lot to be desired, but the up-close look at some plays along the sidelines made it worthwhile." Meanwhile, Bears DT Akiem Hicks, who was mic'd up for the game, was "mildly amusing in the excerpts ESPN shared." However, when Hicks "got hurt, there should have been audio of him talking about whatever went wrong." Instead, there was "radio silence." Rosenthal: "If ESPN can't access or share something that's actually newsworthy, what's the point?" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 9/24). In N.Y., Andrew Marchand writes ESPN's mic'd up segments "work," as Hicks was "particularly good this week" (N.Y. POST, 9/25).
CHANGING THE STATION: On Long Island, Neil Best notes Jets S Jamal Adams yesterday decided to end his weekly appearances on WFAN, citing what he said was "advice from his family and representatives." Adams had "been a regular, paid guest last season with Chris Carlin, Maggie Gray and Bart Scott, as well as for the first two weeks of this one." Adams' departure "further trimmed an already smaller than usual football roster for WFAN." Giants QB Eli Manning "decided before the season not to do Mike Francesa's show, and his coach, Pat Shurmur, joined him on the radio guest sideline last week" (NEWSDAY, 9/25).
