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NFL ratings, which have been down significantly this season, have improved slightly since the U.S. presidential election.While viewership is down 10 percent overall through the first 14 weeks of the season compared to that time span in 2015, thats four percentage points better than the collective broadcasts were down a little more than a month ago.Its an encouraging rebound, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told ESPN on Friday. I think it proves that the election was certainly a factor.For the first nine weeks, NFL games averaged 15.5 million viewers, which was down 14 percent compared to 2015. But following the Nov. 8 presidential election, which took place two days before the start of Week 10, viewership has increased. During Weeks 10-14, NFL games averaged 18.1 million viewers, off just 2 percent compared to those weeks in 2015.As Goodell noted in a memo sent to NFL teams in October, the league has been affected by the presidential election before. In 2000, the memo said, Fox games were down 4 percent, and ABCs 7. Even worse, CBS and ESPN were down 10 and 11 percent, respectively.Goodell told ESPN that he doesnt blame all of the viewership woes this season on the political news cycle, saying he and the leagues executives have for years looked into various ways to make the game more digestible to fans.The average length of an NFL game is about 3 hours, 8 minutes, which hasnt changed substantively in the past several years, though the game might seem slower as the attention span changes due to the media landscape and social media.Im a big believer that its about the pace of the game, not the length of the game, Goodell told ESPN. If you have a great game, no one is talking about the games length. But pace is something weve been working on.One of the first experiments the league will conduct, in cooperation with its television partners, is different times and lengths of ad breaks within every Week 16 games. ?We want to re-evaluate what commercial pods should look like, Goodell said. Commercial breaks have been 2 minutes and 20 seconds for our entire history. Well, what happens if we try shorter breaks and put them in different places. It might be better for us, our fans, our television partners and even the advertisers. And its not just a media exercise, its about making it feel right to the fans in the stadium, as well.?Goodell says the average time spent for instant replay -- approximately 15 minutes per game -- also could be lessened soon.Weve had instant replay reviewed in our central office for two years now, Goodell said. In the beginning, there was a sense that it might be hard for us to have an integral role in all the games going on at one time, but theres more confidence now that were in a position where maybe instead of the official coming to the sideline, we could have a (Microsoft) Surface tablet brought out to him and we could get in his ear and make the decision quicker.As for the notion that games arent competitive enough, Goodell says the facts dont back up that assertion.?Were having our most competitive season since the early 1930s, Goodell said.The league says the average margin of victory through Week 14 is 9.83 points per game, which would be the lowest for a full season since 1932 (9.13). Some 69.2 percent of all games played this season have been within seven points in the fourth quarter (144 of 208), which would be the highest percentage for a full season since 1935 (71.7 percent), according to the league.Addressing those who say the decline in ratings is a product of too much football, Goodell says he doesnt see an issue with the quantity of games, including Thursday Night Football.I dont think weve seen anyone who wants less football, said Goodell, referencing the recent Dallas Cowboys-Minnesota Vikings game as the most watched Thursday Night Game ever.In fact, its the rise in the Thursday Night viewership that partially helped the league rebound. Those games from Weeks 10-14, which also included a highly anticipated Kansas City Chiefs-Oakland Raiders matchup, were up 35 percent compared to 2015.?Big games certainly have helped ratings rebound from the 15.5 million average seen from Weeks 1-9, as have the success of the Cowboys, who at 11-2 are tied with the New England Patriots with the best record in football.?The Week 10 Sunday game on Fox featuring the Cowboys versus the Pittsburgh Steelers drew 28.9 million viewers. Two weeks later, the Cowboys versus the Washington Redskins pulled in 35.1 million viewers on Fox. And last week, the Cowboys game against the New York Giants on NBCs Sunday Night Football was watched by 26.5 million people.Through the first 14 weeks, the biggest declines have been for ESPNs Monday Night Football and NBCs Sunday Night Football, which are down 15 and 13 percent, respectively, compared to 2015. Thursday Night Football, which is shared by the NFL Network, CBS and NBC, as well as with Twitter, is down 17 percent.Networks that air Sunday day-time games have had the narrowest drops. Fox is down 4 percent in viewership, while CBS has seen a 7 percent decline.?While the league wants to provide fans with a way to see the best moments of games on social media, executives have been weary of letting them do too much, so as not to discourage fans from watching at all. This year, the NFL put limits on what teams can put out editorially within the games and required that highlights be pulled from the leagues server.Said Goodell: You have to prepare to cannibalize yourself to deliver what the consumer wants. But we want to make sure to have the right balance. Vans Shoes Northern Ireland . They hope to persuade the other team owners and commissioner Roger Goodell to put pressure on Redskins owner Daniel Snyder to drop the nickname they find offensive. "Given the way the meeting transpired," Ray Halbritter, an Oneida representative and leader of the "Change the Mascot Campaign," said Wednesday, "it became somewhat evident they were defending the continued use of the name. Buy Vans Shoes Online Ireland . -- Aaron Murray threw for 408 yards and three touchdowns, ran for another score, and led No. http://www.wholesalevansireland.com/ . Both players have lower body injuries that will keep them out of the lineup until at least January 31, which is the first game they can be activated from IR. Vans Shoes Clearance Sale Ireland .Y. -- Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone has drawn on his Syracuse connections once again by hiring Rob Moore to take over as receivers coach. Wholesale Vans Shoes Ireland . -- Cam Newton pranced into the end zone, placed his hands over his chest and did his familiar Superman pose. With more action this weekend than a Bruce Willis movie, how is a sports fan to keep up?Sleep becomes an optional extra if youre wanting to stay on top of everything; you also need more than one screen in your house unless you plan on wearing out your remote quick-smart.Rather than write about everything taking place this weekend, weve gone through the must-watches of the NBA and NFL. Get yourself into a comfy position and settle in for the sporting smorgasboard.NBAChicago Bulls vs. Miami Heat (Live on ESPN, Friday @ 12pm AEDT)The Bulls produced their best start to a season since the 90s, when a guy named MJ was on the floor, only to follow up with three losses straight. Now theyre on the second night of a back-to-back against Miami Heat. Coming off of two days rest, the Heat should be primed and ready to go against the Bulls. With Hassan Whiteside leading the charge, the Heat are eighth for defensive rating compared with the Bulls 25th. Can the Bulls run over the Heat or will the tired legs from a heavier weekly schedule be their undoing?Odds: Miami $1.77 vs Chicago $2.05ESPN Pick: Miami to lock down the Bulls. 91-79Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Washington Wizards (Live on ESPN, Saturday @ 11am AEDT)The defending champions opened their season with a perfect 6-0 start, defeating two Eastern Conference rivals in the process, and now they travel to DC for a showdown with Washington. The Wizards, meanwhile, won only one of their opening five games. Can John Wall lead a Wizards resurgence or will King James continue to rule over the Eastern Conference?Odds: Wash $3.5 vs Cleveland $1.3ESPN Pick: Cavs to continue their dominance. 107-82?New York Knicks vs. Toronto Raptors (Live on ESPN, Sunday @ 11.30am AEDT)Both teams are playing on the second night of a back-to-back, which could make for some interesting viewing. The Knicks have played some exquisite basketball at times this season, only to follow up with a complete shambles of a performance. Raptors players and fans, meanwhile, have marvelled at the work of DeMar DeRozan, the star guard averaging 33.7 points per game through Torontos first six matches. Can the Knicks worst-ranked defence somehow slow down DeRozan, or will the Raptors roll?Odds: Toronto $1.5 vs NYK $2.55ESPN Pick: Toronto at home will feast on the Knicks. 96-87?NFLAtlanta Falcons vs. Philadelphia Eagles (Live on ESPN, Monday, RedZone from 5amm AEDT)Philadelphia started the season like a freight train, storming through their opening three opponents and making the entire City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection dream of what could happen.dddddddddddd Then came the bye, and everything fell apart; they have since lost four of their next five games and now find themselves fighting it out for a wildcard spot. The Falcons are a different story with the elite offensive duo in Matt Ryan and Julio Jones, and theyre second in the NFC behind only the Dallas Cowboys. Ryan needs 20 more yards to tally 3000 passing yards for the season, while Jones needs only 30 yards to boast 1000 receiving yards.Can the Eagles regain their early season form or will the Falcons claim another scalp?Odds: Philadelphia $1.86 v Atlanta $1.95ESPN Pick: Falcons offence to run riot. 34-16?Kansas City Chiefs vs. Carolina Panthers (Live on ESPN, Monday RedZone from 5am (AEDT)The Chiefs are stuck in the group of hell; with a 6-2 record they sit just behind the AFC West-leading Oakland Raiders (7-2) with the Super Bowl-winning Denver Broncos (6-3) nipping at their heels. The Panthers, the best team in the regular season last year before reaching, and losing, the Super Bowl, lost five of their opening six games before the Round 7 bye. Coach Ron Rivera sent his team away to get their heads right, and theyve responded by winning two in a row.Can the Panthers continue the momentum and push towards a Wildcard spot or will the Chiefs join the Raiders atop the AFC West?Odds: Carolina $1.55 v Kansas City $2.45ESPN Pick: Chiefs to steal one on the road. 24-20?New England Patriots vs. Seattle Seahawks (Live on ESPN, Monday @ 12.30pm AEDT)The 2015 Super Bowl rematch, and the past three games between the two sides have all been decided by four points or under. This season has been a different story, with the Patriots steamrolling their way to a 7-1 record with Super Bowl performances while Seattle have stumbled and fumbled their way to a 4-2-1 record that sees them sit atop the NFC West. A win against the Patriots will truly shake up the standings and help the Seahawks move closer to securing a Wildcard appearance.Odds: New England $1.27 v Seattle $3.70ESPN Pick: Patriots at home to prove too strong. 27-17 ' ' '