It’s been years since NFL Monday Night Football was a social force, but for years it has been a reliable institution — the one big national game each week that everybody watched. The league, in setting up its schedule, reserved what it thought would be choice matchups for Monday night. This ended a year ago when a new TV contract made Sunday nights the marquee game on NBC, while ESPN was given Monday leftovers.
The past month has shown how far the Monday nighter has fallen as compelling TV. Throw out Green Bay’s overtime win at Denver and the margin of victory the past five weeks has been 21, 22, 31 and 24 points. Last night, San Francisco gained six first downs; a week ago, Baltimore got five. I can’t wait for Atlanta-New Orleans late in the season.
While there can be dogs on Sunday night, NBC gets a flexible schedule the last seven weeks, ensuring games that are at least meaningful; this week we get unbeaten New England at streaking Buffalo instead of Chicago-Seattle. And NBC at least has announcers that don’t have me reaching for the mute like I do on Monday night. What had always been an enjoyable last night of football and a great way to start the week is now just another game. -Jim Buzinski
on Nov 13th, 2007 at 12:51 PM
I know this to be true. Last night all my rowdy friends were playing bingo at the Toolshed.
on Nov 13th, 2007 at 1:43 PM
They seem to schedule these teams like the 49ers that look like they might be good or teams like the Falcons that have one spotlight player and it always seems to bite them in the ass.
on Nov 13th, 2007 at 2:26 PM
True, George, but since Sunday is the “prime” night now, ESPN gets second-tier teams, which is why we’ll see Miami (more like 10th tier) in a few weeks.
on Nov 13th, 2007 at 6:17 PM
I think it’s because no MNF game has been able to match the Cowboys/Bills tilt last month, not even close…..
on Nov 15th, 2007 at 5:17 PM
It is not all the announcers, it is just Tony Kornheiser that makes me want to mute the TV. I write to ESPN every monday to let them know how terrible Tony is in the booth. Here is a short cut to the link for feedback http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?page=contact/espntv