Leave it to Mike Florio to get the scoop on the deal allowing the Pats / Giants game to be shown on NBC and CBS
NBC, CBS GOT PATS-GIANTS FOR FREE
Well, we've done some sleuthing regarding the NFL's decision to simulcast the Pats-Giants game on Saturday night. And a source with knowledge of the situation tells us that NBC and CBS are paying a whopping . . . nothing . . . for the rights to the game.
Plus, the networks get to sell their own commercials.
Wow.
"NBC is the exclusive carrier of prime time 'over the air' NFL football," the source said, "which means if the game was moving to an 'over the air' station it had to be NBC."
But since NBC already has a game for the week (Tennessee at Indianapolis), the Pats-Giants game was partially owned by CBS as well, since CBS would have aired the game on Sunday afternoon, given that the AFC team in the interconference contest is the visitor.
Said the source: "Both parties had to agree to a simulcast or agree not to do it."
Another source tells us that ESPN, which pays the NFL $1.1 billion per year for the rights to Monday Night Football, wasn't even included in the discussions -- which officially confirms the four-letter network's status as the NFL's biatch.
NY Jets WR Laveranues Coles Placed On IR - ESPN
Coles has a terrific statistical record, but needs to be on a team that knows how to employ his talent.
Ankle injury ends season two games early for Jets receiver Coles
By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com
Veteran wide receiver Laveranues Coles, who has battled through a high ankle sprain that has affected his productivity for the past month, was placed on injured reserve by the New York Jets on Saturday afternoon, ending his season with two games remaining.
One of the toughest players in the league, and blessed with a high threshold for pain, Coles nonetheless struggled after spraining his left ankle in a Nov. 18 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Despite a noticeable limp at times, one that forced him to miss practice time, Coles stayed in the lineup.
He aggravated the injury last week when he fell off the training table on Saturday night at the team hotel, then attempted to play against the New England Patriots. Coles lasted only one offensive snap before he was forced to the sideline.
Earlier in the season, Coles, 29, suffered a head injury against Buffalo that forced him to miss one contest, snapping a streak of 104 consecutive appearances.
In 12 games this season, Coles, who is regarded as one of the veteran leaders in the New York locker room, had 55 catches for 646 yards and six touchdowns.
A former Florida State star, Coles was selected by the Jets in the third round of the 2000 draft. He signed with Washington as a restricted free agent in 2003, but then after two seasons with the Redskins was traded back to the Jets for wide receiver Santana Moss in a 2005 blockbuster deal.
The eight-year veteran has 561 receptions for 7,245 yards and 37 touchdowns in 121 regular-season games. He has seven straight seasons of 50 catches or more and has notched four seasons with 80-plus receptions and three years with 1,000 yards or more.
Len Pasquarelli covers the NFL for ESPN.com.
Ankle injury ends season two games early for Jets receiver Coles
By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com
Veteran wide receiver Laveranues Coles, who has battled through a high ankle sprain that has affected his productivity for the past month, was placed on injured reserve by the New York Jets on Saturday afternoon, ending his season with two games remaining.
One of the toughest players in the league, and blessed with a high threshold for pain, Coles nonetheless struggled after spraining his left ankle in a Nov. 18 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Despite a noticeable limp at times, one that forced him to miss practice time, Coles stayed in the lineup.
He aggravated the injury last week when he fell off the training table on Saturday night at the team hotel, then attempted to play against the New England Patriots. Coles lasted only one offensive snap before he was forced to the sideline.
Earlier in the season, Coles, 29, suffered a head injury against Buffalo that forced him to miss one contest, snapping a streak of 104 consecutive appearances.
In 12 games this season, Coles, who is regarded as one of the veteran leaders in the New York locker room, had 55 catches for 646 yards and six touchdowns.
A former Florida State star, Coles was selected by the Jets in the third round of the 2000 draft. He signed with Washington as a restricted free agent in 2003, but then after two seasons with the Redskins was traded back to the Jets for wide receiver Santana Moss in a 2005 blockbuster deal.
The eight-year veteran has 561 receptions for 7,245 yards and 37 touchdowns in 121 regular-season games. He has seven straight seasons of 50 catches or more and has notched four seasons with 80-plus receptions and three years with 1,000 yards or more.
Len Pasquarelli covers the NFL for ESPN.com.
Favre becomes NFL career yards passing leader
December 16, 2007
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Brett Favre became the NFL career leader in yards passing Sunday, overtaking Dan Marino for his latest achievement in a milestone season.
The three-time NFL MVP pulled 1 yard behind Marino with a 44-yard touchdown pass to Greg Jennings, catching the St. Louis Rams in a blitz. That put the Green Bay Packers ahead 27-14 with 5:58 to go in the third quarter. He passed Marino on the Packers' next series on the first play, a 7-yard slant pattern to Donald Driver with 23 seconds gone in the fourth quarter.
The game was halted for a few minutes while flashbulbs popped from the stands from a crowd that appeared to be at least half Packers fans, and public address announcer Jim Holder acknowledged the record. Driver hugged Favre, who shook hands with an official.
Marino passed for 61,361 yards in 17 seasons. Favre, who entered Sunday's game needing 184 yards to set the record, also is in his 17th season while enjoying a year comparable to his peak production.
Favre threw his 25th and 26th touchdown passes, also hitting Donald Lee on a 4-yarder early in the second quarter. He had 440 touchdown passes after breaking another mark that belonged to Marino with his 421st at Minnesota on Sept. 30.
He topped John Elway's career record for victories by a starting quarterback with his 149th at New York on Sept. 16.
Favre, 38, entered the game on pace to surpass his personal best of 4,413 yards in 1995 and challenge Lynn Dickey's franchise record of 4,458 yards set in 1983.
Favre was flawless early, completing his first nine passes to eight receivers for 95 yards. The early run ended when Ron Bartell broke up a pass intended for Lee with 5:47 left in the first half.
The veteran quarterback entered Sunday's game needing six touchdown passes in the last three games to add to his own NFL record by throwing 30 or more in nine seasons.
Sunday was Favre's 251th consecutive regular-season start, or 271st counting the playoffs -- both records for a quarterback.
Only former Minnesota Vikings defensive lineman Jim Marshall has started more regular-season games (270) in a row.
ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Brett Favre became the NFL career leader in yards passing Sunday, overtaking Dan Marino for his latest achievement in a milestone season.
The three-time NFL MVP pulled 1 yard behind Marino with a 44-yard touchdown pass to Greg Jennings, catching the St. Louis Rams in a blitz. That put the Green Bay Packers ahead 27-14 with 5:58 to go in the third quarter. He passed Marino on the Packers' next series on the first play, a 7-yard slant pattern to Donald Driver with 23 seconds gone in the fourth quarter.
The game was halted for a few minutes while flashbulbs popped from the stands from a crowd that appeared to be at least half Packers fans, and public address announcer Jim Holder acknowledged the record. Driver hugged Favre, who shook hands with an official.
Marino passed for 61,361 yards in 17 seasons. Favre, who entered Sunday's game needing 184 yards to set the record, also is in his 17th season while enjoying a year comparable to his peak production.
Favre threw his 25th and 26th touchdown passes, also hitting Donald Lee on a 4-yarder early in the second quarter. He had 440 touchdown passes after breaking another mark that belonged to Marino with his 421st at Minnesota on Sept. 30.
He topped John Elway's career record for victories by a starting quarterback with his 149th at New York on Sept. 16.
Favre, 38, entered the game on pace to surpass his personal best of 4,413 yards in 1995 and challenge Lynn Dickey's franchise record of 4,458 yards set in 1983.
Favre was flawless early, completing his first nine passes to eight receivers for 95 yards. The early run ended when Ron Bartell broke up a pass intended for Lee with 5:47 left in the first half.
The veteran quarterback entered Sunday's game needing six touchdown passes in the last three games to add to his own NFL record by throwing 30 or more in nine seasons.
Sunday was Favre's 251th consecutive regular-season start, or 271st counting the playoffs -- both records for a quarterback.
Only former Minnesota Vikings defensive lineman Jim Marshall has started more regular-season games (270) in a row.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
