RECORD-SETTING: NFL Games Top Local Ratings in All 30 Markets For Each of First Three Weeks

NFL GAMES TWO MOST WATCHED SHOWS OF WEEK

Head-to-Head: Patriots-Ravens on NBC Sunday Night Football Tops Primetime Emmys by 8 Million Viewers

NFL telecasts ranked 1-2 in viewership among all television programs last week (Sept. 17-23) with the CBS national telecast (mostly Texans-Broncos) topping the charts with 24.0 million average  viewers followed by Patriots-Ravens on NBC’s Sunday Night Football drawing 21.3 million viewers.

In head-to-head competition, Sunday Night Football topped by eight million viewers the Emmy Awards on ABC (13.3 million viewers).

Locally, NFL games topped the ratings in all 30 NFL markets – marking the first time NFL telecasts have been the No. 1 rated show locally in all markets for each of the first three weeks of a season.

The Packers-Seahawks Week 3 ESPN Monday Night Football game averaged 16.2 million viewers to rank as the most-watched cable program since January’s BCS National Championship Game (Alabama-LSU).

AFC & NFC Players Of The Week — Week 3

For Week 3 AFC Players of the Week, click here

For Week 3 NFC Players of the Week, click here

AFC & NFC Notes — Week 4

For Week 4 AFC notes, click here

For Week 4 NFC notes, click here

Week 4 NFL Capsules

For Week 4 NFL Capsules, click here

Week 4 NFL Preview

Through the first three weeks of the NFL season, there are 27 teams with a 2-1 or 1-2 record, the most such clubs since realignment in 2002.

Three teams – Arizona, Atlanta and Houston – remain unbeaten at 3-0.

“It feels good,” says Texans wide receiver ANDRE JOHNSON about the team’s 3-0 start, the first in franchise history. “I’ve been through the worst of the worst with the organization. We’ve climbed that mountain. We are still climbing to get over that hump, but we have a great team. We just need to be consistent every weekend, go out and try to get wins.”

There is a lot of football left to be played. And while a strong start to the season is a good thing – 75.7 percent of teams (84 of 111) that started 3-0 since 1990 made the playoffs – it is hardly a guarantee of future success.

Since 1990, 55 teams with a losing record after the first three games made the playoffs. So, entering Week 4, hope is still very much alive for everyone.

For the complete release, click here

The Week That Was – Week 3

For the complete release, click here

NFL Statement on Final Play of Green Bay Packers-Seattle Seahawks Game

In Monday’s game between the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks, Seattle faced a 4th-and-10 from the Green Bay 24 with eight seconds remaining in the game.

Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson threw a pass into the end zone.  Several players, including Seattle wide receiver Golden Tate and Green Bay safety M.D. Jennings, jumped into the air in an attempt to catch the ball.

While the ball is in the air, Tate can be seen shoving Green Bay cornerback Sam Shields to the ground.  This should have been a penalty for offensive pass interference, which would have ended the game.  It was not called and is not reviewable in instant replay.

When the players hit the ground in the end zone, the officials determined that both Tate and Jennings had possession of the ball.  Under the rule for simultaneous catch, the ball belongs to Tate, the offensive player.  The result of the play was a touchdown.

Replay Official Howard Slavin stopped the game for an instant replay review.  The aspects of the play that were reviewable included if the ball hit the ground and who had possession of the ball.  In the end zone, a ruling of a simultaneous catch is reviewable.  That is not the case in the field of play, only in the end zone.

Referee Wayne Elliott determined that no indisputable visual evidence existed to overturn the call on the field, and as a result, the on-field ruling of touchdown stood.  The NFL Officiating Department reviewed the video today and supports the decision not to overturn the on-field ruling following the instant replay review.

The result of the game is final.

For the complete release, including the applicable rules to the play, click here

Week 3 Nominees Announced: FedEx Air &Ground Players of the Week, Pepsi Max Rookie of the Week, & GMC Never Say Never Moment of the Week

The NFL annouced today the Week 3 nominees for the FedEx Air & Ground Players of the Week, Pepsi Max Rookie of the Week, & GMC Never Say Never Moment of the Week Awards.

Quarterbacks JOE FLACCO of the Baltimore Ravens, JAKE LOCKER of the Tennessee Titans and MATT SCHAUB of the Houston Texans are the finalists for the FedEx Air NFL Player of the Week honors for games played on September 20-24, while running backs ANDRE BROWN of the New York Giants, JAMAAL CHARLES of the Kansas City Chiefs and MAURICE JONES-DREW of the Jacksonville Jaguars are the finalists for the FedEx Ground NFL Player of the Week.

Wide receiver T.Y. HILTON of the Indianapolis Colts, quarterback ANDREW LUCK of the Indianapolis Colts, running back ALFRED MORRIS of the Washington Redskins, kicker BLAIR WALSH of Minnesota Vikings and quarterback RUSSELL WILSON of the Seattle Seahawks are the finalists for PEPSI MAX NFL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK honors for games played on September 20-24, the NFL announced today.

TORREY SMITH’sinspirational performance. JAMAAL CHARLES’ record-setting day. BLAINE GABBERT’s game winning strike. These are the three finalists for the GMC NEVER SAY NEVER MOMENT OF THE WEEK for games played on September 20-24, the NFL announced today.  The GMC NEVER SAY NEVER MOMENT OF THE WEEK is the best moment or play of the week that represents determination and perseverance. 

 
Read more

Week 3 What To Look For – A Look Back

For the complete release, click here

Seven From Sunday – Week 3

A look at seven statistical highlights from games played at 1:00 p.m. ET and 4:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 23, the third week of the 2012 season.

For the complete release, click here