Traina Thoughts: All Four NFL Playoff Games See Double-Digit Ratings Decrease

NFL ratings continue to decrease for each playoff game.

Author:
Jimmy Traina
Publish date:
Jan 8, 2018

1. The NFL had a disastrous weekend when it came to ratings. Numbers have been down all season and it was more of the same for the wild-card games. The biggest surprise was that the best game (Panthers-Falcons) had the biggest decrease year over year. Yes, markets were a big factor, but that was a competitive and entertaining game. Here's the breakdown:

Titans-Chiefs (14.7) was down 11 percent versus last year's Raiders-Texans game.

Falcons-Rams (14.9) was down 10 percent versus last year's Lions-Seahawks game.

Bills-Jaguars (17.2) was down 10 percent versus last year's Dolphins-Steelers game.

Panthers-Saints (20.4) was down 21 percent versus last year's Giants-Packers game.

The NFL and CBS will say prayers every single night this week that Jacksonville doesn't upset Pittsburgh on Sunday, because Patriots-Jaguars instead of Patriots-Steelers in the AFC title game will make executives at the league and network very, very sad.

2. Here are your Divisional Round playoff lines:

Falcons -2.5
Patriots -13
Steelers -7.5
Vikings -4

And here's where the Super Bowl odds stand today:

Patriots +175
Vikings +360
Steelers +500
Saints +675
Falcons +850
Eagles +1350
Jaguars +2000
Titans +6000

2. Speaking of odds, after Oprah Winfrey's speech at the Golden Globes last night, she's a major player on offshore sites offering lines on the 2020 Presidential Election:

Trump +210
Pence +950
Kamala Harris +1050
Bernie Sanders +1250
Elizabeth Warren +1350
Oprah Winfrey +1500

Other notables:

The Rock +3000
Mark Cuban +4500
Gregg Popovich +10000
Michael Jordan +15000
Vince McMahon +20000

3. Tom Brady is getting all cryptic on us.

4. Don't ever question Saints' defensive end Cam Jordan about his braids.

5. Erin Andrews delivered one of the more notable sideline reports after halftime than you'll ever hear during yesterday's Panthers-Saints game.

6. This is outstanding.

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