Get ready for an exciting twist in the NFL's playoff journey! The choice of NBC for the Rams-Bears divisional-round game has sparked curiosity and debate. While the previous wild-card game between the Packers and Bears made history as the most-streamed NFL game, NBC is now set to create its own unique history with this upcoming match.
But here's where it gets intriguing: NBC, known for its 'Sunday Night Football' coverage, will be broadcasting a divisional playoff game in an unusual time slot - the 5:30 p.m. Sunday window. This time slot is traditionally reserved for CBS and Fox, but the NFL has decided to shake things up.
Sunday late-afternoon games are the prime time for viewership, as evident from the recent 49ers-Eagles wild-card game that attracted an impressive 41.1 million viewers, making it the most-watched wild-card game since 2022.
Rick Cordella, NBC Sports president, clarified that the NFL makes all the decisions regarding game scheduling and matchups. He added, "We certainly let them know our preferences and campaign for certain games, but ultimately, it's the NFL's call."
And NBC is thrilled with this decision, both nationally and locally. Just like Fox 32 benefited from the Bears' game last week, NBC 5 will gain from broadcasting the Bears' match. To retain this audience, NBC 5 has planned a post-game show, "Playoff Extra," hosted by Alex Maragos, with special guests Dave Wannstedt, Charles Tillman, and Jim Miller.
Kevin Cross, NBC Chicago president and general manager, shared his excitement, saying, "Everyone at NBC can tell you exactly where they were when they found out we'd be broadcasting the Bears game. There's nothing quite like the NFL, and a Bears game takes it to another level."
NBC 5 has already experienced the thrill of broadcasting a Bears game this season, a tense 42-38 loss to the 49ers on December 28th. This game attracted a 25.6 Nielsen household rating in the Chicago market, equivalent to around 937,000 households, making it one of the highest-rated events for NBC 5 that year.
The NFL's decision to assign Rams-Bears to NBC was a strategic move, balancing games across networks and building momentum for NBC's upcoming Super Bowl broadcast. Last week, NBC broadcast Chargers-Patriots, which had the second-lowest viewership in the wild-card round at 28.9 million viewers.
The league only announced the networks and start times for the divisional-round games after the Texans-Steelers wild-card game on Monday night. Had the Steelers won, there was a possibility that the Steelers-Patriots divisional game would have been played at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, but it's unclear if it would have been on NBC. However, with the Steelers' loss and Aaron Rodgers' struggles, the game ended up at 2 p.m. on Sunday, broadcast by ABC and ESPN.
Some have argued that the 49ers-Seahawks game, scheduled for 7 p.m. on Saturday on Fox, should have been swapped with Rams-Bears, considering the 49ers' short week after playing on Sunday. But playing on Saturday after a Sunday game is not unprecedented in the NFL playoffs. The Bills, in the AFC, are in a similar situation to the 49ers, and the league believes Rams-Bears has more national appeal.
After all, these decisions are made to maximize viewership, not to accommodate specific teams.
And this is the part most people miss: the NFL's strategic game scheduling, which keeps viewers on the edge of their seats and networks thrilled with the potential for high ratings.
So, what do you think? Is the NFL's scheduling fair, or does it favor certain teams? Let's discuss in the comments and share your thoughts on this controversial topic!
