PERCEPTION IS REALITY
Reality: This past Thursday’s NFL game was the final one on CBS. All Thursday night games now move to NFL Network exclusively.
Perception: I think major sports are trying too hard in hoping to find extra TV income and in the process are hurting their product.
Major League Baseball had people all over the country searching all over the dial looking for Fox Sports 1 and even TBS, as they tried to find the baseball playoffs. Hotels don’t carry FS1 and many people also don’t have that network on their lineups. TBS isn’t as tough to find but it’s still not everywhere.
The NFL is doing something similar. For the last few years, Thursday Night Football was on the NFL Network exclusively, and many people struggled to find the game at home. I know I had to go to the local sports bar to be able to watch the games. This year, the NFL in its new TV deal had the first half of the season on CBS and simulcast on the NFL Network. But now the rest of the season is taken off CBS.
Why would the NFL want to do that? I get that they own the NFL Network, but when football dominates in the ratings, why not have the most eyeballs possible on network TV and charge a ton for commercials. Instead, you get not even half the viewers on NFL Network, which means you can’t charge as much for commercials.
An NFL football game on network TV has been the top television show of the week every week this season. That means more people watched that NFL game than any other program on TV that week.
Sports leagues are losing a whole lot of viewers by putting their product on non-network TV, and that includes the NCAA’s March Madness.
Reality: Midway through the season, the Ravens have a better than 50% chance to make the playoffs.
Perception: At 5-3, the Ravens are a very intriguing team as you look at the remaining schedule. With 8 games left, they very well could win out, and be 13-3. But they do have tough games against the Chargers and the Steelers. Plus, playing in New Orleans is never easy, and playing at Houston won’t be a push over either.
But you could make a case for the Ravens go to 6-2 the rest of the way, which would give them an 11-5 record. As long as they take care of the Steelers and Chargers that should mean the Ravens would have the inside track to make the playoffs, after missing out last season.
Reality: Quarterback Case Keenum was released by the St. Louis Rams.
Perception: After he was released Tuesday, ESPN’s Jamison Hensley reminded us all that Keenum has a history with Kubiak. This offseason, when Keenum was available, everyone thought he would be coming to Baltimore to push out Tyrod Taylor as the Ravens back-up quarterback. But that didn’t happen, and it’s not going to happen now either.
Due to the NFL’s new rules, Keenum does qualify for a practice squad, and it’s expected that he’ll be added to the Rams practice squad after clearing waivers.
I’m not just sure why Hensley and others think that Baltimore is still a landing spot for Keenum. Look, it’s the middle of the season… he can’t help the Ravens now as a back-up. Frankly, if Joe Flacco goes down, it doesn’t matter who the Ravens have as back-up, their season is over.
Any level headed NFL fan will tell you that Taylor has done absolutely nothing in his short playing time to show that he is capable of being a serviceable NFL quarterback. But bringing in Keenum half way through the season doesn’t help either.
If Keenum can’t stick with a Texans team that has journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick as their starter, and can’t make a roster spot on a team that has Austin Davis as their starting quarterback, then is Keenum good enough to be the back-up quarterback for the Ravens?
