NFL Week #4: CBS’ Pats–KC and Pittsburgh-Tenn games postponed; Market clearances, regional games

LISTED BELOW IS THE FINAL UNOFFICIAL DISTRIBUTION OF MARKETS FOR CBS AND FOX

CBS has the doubleheader this week and Fox the single game.

Covid-19 forced two postponements this week, Tennessee-Pittsburgh and then New England-Kansas City game. It will run on the entire CBS Network, Monday at 7:05 p.m.

The Indianapolis at Chicago game was moved to the late slot at 4:25p.m. from the early slot at 1:00 p.m. This give CBS two games in the late window.

Fox is not as badly affected by the cancellations, although it had some changes too.

So based on these developments, CBS will run three games at 1 p.m.

Jacksonville at Cincinnati

Baltimore at Washington

LA Chargers at Tampa Bay

At 4:25 p.m., CBS will run these two games. 

Indianapolis at Chicago

Buffalo at Las Vegas

NOTES:

Al Michaels returns Sunday night for NBC. The Voice of NFL Primetime works the next eight NBC telecasts. The review of the Tirico-Collinsworth telecast this past Sunday is here:

How did they do? Cris Collinsworth and Mike Tirico on NBC’s Sunday Night Football, Packers-Saints

Joe Buck and Troy Aikman worked the Thursday night game and are off on Sunday. Buck will be splitting time between baseball and football as MLB’s post-season intensifies.

Sports Media Watch reports that “NFL viewership hit Week #3 highs both overall and on Monday night, but the weekend was nonetheless a mixed bag.” Fox which had Dallas-Seattle and Tampa Bay (Brady)-Denver averaged 25.8 million viewers. SMW says that Fox’ Week #3 ratings were its highest in six years. But according to SMW, CBS’ ratings were down 9% in TV households. Yet when factoring in out-of-home (digital), the NFL rating was up 1%. 

Monday Night Football on ESPN, featuring KC and Baltimore did an 8.1 rating, the network’s largest Week #3 rating in eight years.

Dick Stockton works for the fourth consecutive week, Seattle at Miami. Stockton announces Dolphins pre-season games for the local CBS affiliate in Miami.

Tom McCarthy, the capable Phillies announcer and occasional CBS play-by-player, has Jacksonville at Cincinnati. Jay Feely, the 44 year old former placekicker, comes up from his usual sideline post to team with McCarthy.

CBS’ Andrew Catalon, who’s comfortable at football, hoops and golf, does a solid and understated job. Partner James Lofton, 64, the former wide receiver and Hall of Famer, doesn’t hold back and has a quick wit.

Fox newcomer Adam Amin has the Giants at Rams. It will go to the nation’s two largest markets, New York and Los Angeles.

CBS’ number one team, Jim Nantz and Tony Romo, had the headline game, New England at Kansas City, WHICH NOW RUNS AT 7:05 TOMORROW ON THE ENTIRE CBS NETWORK. 

Kevin Harlan was assigned the postponed Tennessee-Pittsburgh game. He’ll now do national radio Monday in Green Bay. Kevin’s father Bob Harlan, 84, is retired. He was the president of the Packers. Bob worked for the club from 1971 through 2008, 37 years. He became the president in 1989. 

ESPN’s Louis Riddick is well prepared and quite knowledgeable but does talk a bit much. Play-by-player Steve Levy is a good traffic cop, giving both Riddick and Brian Griese enough runway. Bookkeeping is up to the ESPN’s producer to enforce. The best rule for the voices to follow is to talk sparingly and in measured intervals. In a three man booth, it’s tough to police.

Most of the local radio broadcasters are calling their games remotely. It’s requiring an adjustment. Some are wondering whether working remotely will continue in the future, once Covid-19 is behind us.

Largest geographical coverage for Fox Sunday is Cleveland at Dallas at 34%. That’s a 1:00 p.m. game.

Nice to see Spero Dedes get the late Buffalo-Vegas game. With the headline KC-NE game postponed, it will go to 75% of America.

Thursday, October 1

Denver Broncos at New York Jets, 8:20 p.m. on NFL Network, Joe Buck, Troy Aikman

(nationally – approx 65 million homes)

Sunday, October 4

Baltimore Ravens at Washington, 1:00 p.m. CBS, Andrew Catalon, James Lofton

(18% of the country, 29 markets )

Altoona-Baltimore-Charlottesville-Cleveland-Dallas-Erie-Greenville_Nc-Harrisburg-Harrisonburg-Lewisburg-Louisville-Norfolk-Oklahoma City-Parkersburg-Philadelphia -Pittsburgh-Raleigh-Richmond-Roanoke-Salisbury-Scranton-Sherman-Toledo-Tulsa-Washington-Weston-Wheeling-Wichita Falls-Youngstown

Pittsburgh Steelers at Tennessee Titans, 1:00 p.m. CBS, Kevin Harlan, Trent Green

Cancelled

Los Angeles Chargers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1:00 p.m. CBS, Ian Eagle, Charles Davis

(76% of the country, 192 markets)

Abilene-Albany-Albuquerque-Alexandria-Alpena-Amarillo-Anchorage-Atlanta-Augusta, Ga.-Austin-Bangor-Baton Rouge-Beaumont-Bend-Billings-Biloxi-Binghamton-Birmingham-Bismarck-Boise-Boston-Bowling Green-Bozeman-Bryan -Buffalo-Burlington-Butte-Cadillac-Cape Girardeau-Casper-Cedar Rapids-Champaign-Charleston-Charlotte-Chattanooga-Cheyenne-Chicago-Chico-Colorado Springs-Columbia-Columbus, Ga; -Columbus, Ms.;-Coos Bay-Corpus Christi-Denver-Des Moines-Detroit-Dickinson-Dodge City/Ensign-Dothan-Duluth – Chisholm-Durango-El Paso-Elmira-corning-Escanaba-Eugene-Eureka-Evansville-Fairbanks-Fargo-Flint-Florence-FlorenceFort Wayne Fresno Ft Smith Glendive Goodland Grand Island Grand Junction Great Falls Green Bay Greensboro Greenville, Ms; Harlingen  Hartford Hays Helena Honolulu Houston Huntsville Idaho Falls Indianapolis Jackson Jefferson City Johnson City Jonesboro Juneau Kalamazoo Kalispell Kansas City Ketchikan Kirksville Knoxville La Crosse  Lafayette, In.; Lafayette, La.; Lake Charles Lander Lansing Laredo Las Vegas Lewiston Lincoln Little Rock Lubbock  Macon Madison Mankato Mason City Medford Memphis Meridian Miami  Milwaukee Minneapolis Minot Missoula Mobile Monroe Monterey Montgomery Montrose Nashville New Orleans New York North Platte Odessa Omaha Panama City Beach Pasco Peoria Phoenix Pittsburg Portland,, Me,; Portland, Or;  Presque Isle Providence  Quincy Rapid City Reliance Reno Rochester Rock Island Rock Springs Rockford Roseburg Roswell Sacramento Salt Lake City San Angelo San Antonio San Francisco Sault Saint Marie Scottsbluff/Gering Seattle Shreveport Sioux City Sioux Falls Sitka South Bend Spartanburg Spokane Springfield Springfield St Joseph St. Louis Syracuse Terre Haute Topeka Tucson Twin Falls Tyler Utica Victoria W. Palm Beach Waco Walker Watertown Wausau Wichita Williston Wilmington Yakima Bakersfield Ft Myers  Los Angeles Palm Springs San Diego Santa Maria Tampa Yuma

Seattle Seahawks at Miami Dolphins, 1:00 p.m. Fox, Dick Stockton, Brady Quinn

(12% of the country, 27 markets)

Anchorage Bend  Billings Boise Butte Chico  Eugene  Eureka  Fairbanks  Fort Myers  Fresno  Great Falls    Helena  Idaho Falls  Juneau  Medford   Miami  Missoula Monterey  Portland, Or; Reno  San Francisco Seattle Spokane  Twin Falls West Palm Beach  Yakima

Minnesota Vikings at Houston Texans, 1:00 p.m. Fox, Chris Myers, Greg Jennings, Brock Huard

(7% of country, 21 markets)

Beaumont Cedar Rapids  Davenport Des Moines  Duluth  Fargo Green Bay Houston La Crosse              Madison  Mankato Milwaukee Minneapolis Minot Ottumwa Rapid City Rochester Sioux City Sioux Falls    Victoria   Wausau

New Orleans Saints at Detroit Lions, 1:00 p.m. Fox, Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma

(11% of the country, 35 markets)

Albany, Ga;  Alexandria  Alpena   Atlanta  Baton Rouge Biloxi  Birmingham Columbus, Ga.; Columbus, Ms.;  Detroit   Dothan   Flint   Fort Wayne Grand Rapids Greenwood Hattiesburg Huntsville Jackson Lafayette  Lafayette Lake Charles Lansing Macon Marquette Meridian Mobile Monroe  Montgomery New Orleans    Panama City    Shreveport South Bend Tallahassee  Toledo Traverse City

Cleveland Browns at Dallas Cowboys, 1:00 p.m. Fox, Kevin Burkhardt, Daryl Johnston

(34% of the country, 96 markets)

Abilene, Albuquerque, Amarillo Austin Bangor, Bluefield Boston  Bowling Green  Buffalo Casper     Champaign  Charleston   Charlottesville  Chattanooga Cheyenne Chicago  Clarksburg Cleveland  Colorado Springs Columbia  Columbus, Oh.;   Corpus Christi  Dallas Dayton  Denver El Paso Elmira Erie Evansville Fort Smith Gainesville  Grand Junction Guam  Harlingen  Harrisburg  Harrisonburg Honolulu Indianapolis  Jackson    Johnstown  Jonesboro  Joplin  Kansas City Knoxville  Laredo Las Vegas Lexington  Lima Lincoln Little Rock Louisville Lubbock  Memphis Nashville Norfolk  North Platte Odessa Oklahoma City  Omaha Orlando Paducah    Parkersburg  Peoria  Philadelphia  Pittsburgh Portland, Me; Presque Isle, Providence Puerto Rico Quincy Richmond Rochester Rockford Salisbury Salt Lake City San Angelo San Antonio Sherman Springfield, Il;  Springfield, Ma;  Springfield, Mo; St. Joseph St. Louis Syracuse Terre Haute Topeka Tri-Cities Tulsa Tyler US Virgin Islands Waco Watertown Wheeling Wichita Wichita Falls Youngstown

Arizona Cardinals at Carolina Panthers, 1:00 p.m. Fox, Kevin Kugler, Chris Spielman

(8% of country, 15 markets)

Augusta  Charleston Charlotte Columbia Greensboro Greenville Greenville Myrtle Beach Phoenix  Raleigh Roanoke  Savannah  Tucson  Wilmington Yuma

Jacksonville Jaguars at Cincinnati Bengals, 1:00 p.m. CBS, Tom McCarthy, Jay Feely

( 6% of the country, 15 markets)

Albany-Cincinnati-Columbus, Oh.-Dayton-Gainesville-Hattiesburg-Hazard-Huntington-Jackson, Ms.-Jacksonville-Lexington-Lima-Orlando-Savannah-Tallahassee

Indianapolis Colts at Chicago Bears, 4:25 p.m. CBS, Greg Gumbel, Rich Gannon

(25% of the country, 80 markets) 

THIS GAME WAS MOVED FROM 1:00 p.m. to 4:25 p.m.

Albany-Alpena-Beaumont-Billings-Bismarck-Bowling Green-Bozeman-Bryan -Butte-Cadillac-Cape Girardeau-Cedar Rapids-Champaign-Chattanooga-Chicago-Des Moines-Detroit-Dickinson-Duluth – Chisholm-Escanaba-Evansville-Fargo-Flint-Florence-Fort Wayne-Gainesville-Glendive-Grand Island-Great Falls-Greenbay-Hazard-Helena-Houston-Huntsville-Indianapolis-Jackson-Jacksonville-Johnson City-Jonesboro-Kalamazoo-Kalispell-Kirksville-Knoxville-La Crosse -Lafayette_In.-Lansing-Lexington-Lima-Lincoln-Louisville-Madison-Mankato-Mason City-Memphis-Milwaukee-Minneapolis-Minot-Missoula-Nashville-North Platte-Omaha-Peoria-Quincy-Rapid City Reliance Rock Island Rockford Sault Saint Marie Savannah Sioux City Sioux Falls South Bend St. Louis Tallahassee Terre Haute Toledo Victoria Walker Wausau Williston

New York Giants at Los Angeles Rams, 4:05 p.m. Fox, Adam Amin, Mark Schlereth

(27% of the country, 18 markets)

Albany Bakersfield  Baltimore  Binghamton Burlington Cincinnati  Hartford  Jacksonville  Los Angeles New York Palm Springs  Sacramento San Diego Santa Barbara Tampa Utica Washington Wilkes-Barre

Buffalo Bills at Las Vegas Raiders, 4:25 p.m. CBS, Spero Dedes, Adam Archuleta

(75% of the country, 156 markets)

Albany-Abilene-Albuquerque-Alexandria-Altoona-Amarillo-Anchorage-Atlanta-Augusta, Ga-Austin-Bakersfield-Baltimore-Bangor-Baton Rouge-Bend-Biloxi-Binghamton-Birmingham-Boise-Boston-Buffalo-Burlington-Casper-Charleston-Charlotte-Charlottesville-Cheyenne-Chico-Cincinnati-Cleveland-Colorado Springs-Columbia-Columbus, Ga.-Columbus, Ms.-Columbus, Oh.-Coos Bay-Corpus Christi-Dallas-Dayton-Denver-Dodge City/Ensign-Dothan-Durango-El Paso-Elmira-corning-Erie-Eugene-Eureka-Fairbanks-Florence-Fresno-Ft Myers -Ft Smith-Goodland-Grand Junction-Greensboro-Greenville, Ms-Greenville, Nc-Harlingen -Harrisburg-Harrisonburg-Hartford-Hattiesburg Hays Honolulu Huntington Idaho Falls Jackson Jefferson City Juneau Kansas City Ketchikan Lafayette, La. Lake Charles Lander Laredo Las Vegas Lewisburg Lewiston Little Rock Los Angeles Lubbock  Macon Medford Meridian Miami  Mobile Monroe Monterey Montgomery Montrose New Orleans New York Norfolk Odessa Oklahoma City Orlando Palm Springs Panama City Beach Parkersburg Pasco Philadelphia  Phoenix Pittsburg Pittsburgh Portland, Me- Portland, Or- Presque Isle Providence  Raleigh Reno Richmond Roanoke Rochester Rock Springs Roseburg Roswell Sacramento Salisbury Salt Lake City San Angelo San Antonio San Diego San Francisco Santa Maria Scottsbluff/Gering Scranton Seattle Sherman Shreveport Sitka Spartanburg Spokane Springfield, Ma- Springfield, Mo- St Joseph Syracuse Tampa Topeka Tucson Tulsa Twin Falls Tyler Utica W. Palm Beach Waco Washington Watertown Weston Wheeling Wichita Wichita Falls Wilmington Yakima Youngstown

New England Patriots at Kansas City Chiefs, 4:25 p.m. CBS, Jim Nantz, Tony Romo 

THIS GAME WAS POSTPONED ON SATURDAY AND WILL BE PLAYED AT 7:05 P.M MONDAY ON ENTIRE CBS NETWORK

Philadelphia Eagles at San Francisco 49ers, 8:20 p.m. NBC, Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth

(100% of America)

Monday, October 5

New England Patriots at Kansas City Chiefs, 7:05 p.m. on CBS, Jim Nantz and Tony Romo

(100% of America)

Atlanta Falcons at Green Bay Packers, 8:50 p.m. on ESPN, Steve Levy, Brian Griese, Louis Riddick

(nationally -approx 85 million homes)