The Wildcard round is hissstory and the NFL has slithered by with some odd decisions.
First, hats off to our Cobra Rank First Class Sleuths who are clearly onto the NFL’s game.
• St. Patty’s Fire
• The Franchise
• Cure
• Drunkbassguitar
• Wazu
These fine gentlemen have demonstrated exemplary ability in examining the NFL’s strategy in rigging games. Good job, Cobras. We’re on to them.
Lets burrow into the Viper’s nest:
Strangely, 4 of the 6 games played were non-competitive blowouts. The NFL/Vegas (whomever) went through a lot of work to rig these WC scenarios into place (as discussed in week 18) only to see them playout as completely uninteresting games.
Python Sergeant First Class BearCat has pointed out
Originally Posted by :
The AFC playoffs are dominated by the smallest TV market teams in the conference. The Titans (11th), Chiefs (12th), Bengals (13th), and Bills (16th) represent the smallest group average in history https://www.reddit.com/r/nfl/comment...e_smallest_tv/
Fantastic investigative work, Python Sergeant First Class.
It seems that the NFL is banking on the more fanatical, small market teams netting them the most financial gain. They’ve scaled back nearly all large market teams from the playoffs, sans the CA teams (note for future reference). It’s an interesting move. They must have some analytical data that we don’t yet have access to. We’ll watch how this plays out.
There were some ref shenanigans in the Cinci game. The NFL clearly wanted the Raiders out of the playoffs. Another odd move considering the rigging required to get them in. They clearly favor Cinci’s #16 market over Las Vegas and their new stadium. The Vegas stadium theory seems to have no legs.
The Divisional Round is set:
Bengals @ Titans
Bills @ Chiefs
49ers @ Packers
Rams @ Buccs
I'm definitely intrigued by the Rams/Brady game...Rams sold the farm in a "SB or Bust" move with Stafford. If history has taught us anything...none of this matters when Tongue-kisser is involved in the equation.
NFL was set up to have a SB rematch of one of the greatest games of the last 20 years...Rams/Chiefs...Mahomes was the hottest thing on the international sports planet in decades...Nope...none of that mattered... Cletus made sure everyone got the SB that nobody wanted....and nobody watched.
So...never touch anything he's involved in.
Brady is bigger than Kronke...if he loses..it was agreed upon in advance. [Reply]
Originally Posted by wachashi:
Only small market teams are left: KC, Tennessee, Buffalo, Cincinnati
Counting the SNF wildcard game...KC had FIVE games in that slot.
They also had 2 Fox national "game of the week" slots....Packers/Cowboys.
So seven games...
The game against the Cowboys was the highest rated, non-specialty game of the entire year...specialty being holidays and such.
By contrast of the four teams you listed...Bills had one SNF game...and was against the Chiefs...Their WC game ranked last...
Titans ratings were a dumpster fire...Their TNF against the 49ers was actually less watched than the Jax-Cin TNF game...and the second lowest of the TNF schedule...only the Carolina/Houston game was lower...by .1.
The Titans/Buffalo MNF game ranked 11th out of 16...that doesn't bode well for a potential AFCCG rematch. The NFL is well aware of this...
The American public simply doesn't care about watching the Titans or Bills...Cincinnati, you can understand because they haven't been good...but the Titans/Bills have been in the past 2 AFCCGs.
The Chiefs are absolutely not a "Small Market" team by television standards...they are one of most watched teams in the NFL...Dallas is #1. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Detoxing:
All signs point to this game being rigged in favor of the Chiefs.
Get 'er done, NFL.
ALL signs....it's a 1.5 point spread...essentially a pick 'em. The money is coming in on the Bills. This is a straight up cash grab for Vegas...it really is ridiculous.
If I had to predict the first ever time the officials overtly help KC in a post-season game...this would be my pick...it may not even be needed.
The idea of a Bills/Titans/Bengals AFCCG is terrifying to the NFL/networks...it's a guaranteed ratings dive...including the SB. The numbers back this up...
When they go to sell advertising for next years SB...the numbers from these games will dictate what they can ask for...it could cost them 100s of millions.
This is what happened in the Jacksonville/Patriot AFCCG...there was no way in a million years they were going to allow Bortles over Brady. [Reply]
Time to try my hand at this round (I say Try as if I am not in the dark triad and don’t already know the outcomes which I do, need to keep the peons on their toes…)
The NFL has no use for a team like the Titans with zero flashy names so Joe burrow will be given the pass to the AFCCG
The league wants an all Cali NFCCG and Aaron Rodgers made the league look bad with his COVID saga so it looks like the 9ers will score back to back upsets.
Rams over Bucs bc of LA duh, and the bucs are missing star power with injuries so the league would rather have guys like OBJ/Donald/kupp/pad Statford go further
And tbh I don’t think they really have a preference for Bills/Chiefs. Could say maybe Buffalo bc of the TV market or it could be Mahomes bc he’s the golden boy. I’d say the refs will be more focused on keeping it close than favoring a particular [Reply]
Yeah..it's a nice media narrative that Allen is better than Mahomes. It's really fueling the betting lines...but outside of NY, nobody really cares about watching him play. The WC ratings back this up...as do the ratings during the regular season.
There are 3 bonafide international Superstars in the NFL Brady, Rodgers and Mahomes....and the SB is international.
The NFL can afford to take a shit on Jerry Jones...because of the two QBs I mentioned above...Brady is still a ratings magnet. Tampa posted great viewing numbers all season. [Reply]
