One of the NFL's longest-standing rules may be hitting the bricks and that could be good news for some television viewers.
For much of the past four decades, when an NFL game failed to sell out at least 72 hours in advance of kickoff, the local broadcast could be "blacked out," preventing fans from viewing their local team on TV.
In 2012, the NFL relaxed the rule by allowing teams to lift the blackout if at least 85% of tickets were sold. The league gave teams the flexibility to set their own blackout benchmark between 85 and 100 percent.
The FCC voted Wednesday in favor of a proposal to eliminate blackouts, saying the rule should be adjusted for the times.
"The sports blackout rules were originally adopted nearly 40 years ago when game ticket sales were the main source of revenue for sports leagues...," the FCC said. "Changes in the sports industry in the last four decades have called into question whether the sports blackout rules remain necessary to ensure the overall availability of sports programming to the general public."
Even if the government eliminates its rule, nothing would preclude leagues, networks and cable outlets from agreeing to their own deals that would include a blackout rule, either matching the current structure or agreeing to a revised one.
The networks pay a combined total of about $3 billion a year to broadcast NFL games based on a nine-year deal signed in 2011 worth almost $28 billion. Neither Fox Sports nor CBS Sports, the main carriers of the NFL, had any comment on the FCC's proposal.
The NFL said in a statement that it will "strongly oppose any change in the rule. We are on pace for a historic low number of blackouts since the policy was implemented 40 years ago. While affecting very few games the past decade, the blackout rule is very important in supporting NFL stadiums and the ability of NFL clubs to sell tickets and keeping our games attractive as television programming with large crowds."
Although some blackouts have been avoided when businesses stepped up and purchased the remaining tickets, only one game in the 224 games played this season was blacked out – the Cincinnati Bengals at San Diego Chargers on Dec. 1. There is a chance this week's Buffalo Bills game will be blacked out in its local market.
That compares to 105 games (out of 210) blacked out in 1978.
Consumer activists welcomed the FCC decision.
"Eliminating these rules is a small, but important step," said John Bergmayer, Senior Staff Attorney at Public Knowledge, a group that defends consumer rights. The FCC "should not be in the business of putting its thumb on the scales in a way that harms viewers," he said.
NFL blackout rule contested, but no light for fans yet
Down the stretch we come, and oh what a stretch -- of disappointment -- it will be.
Only four teams have clinched playoff spots, meaning that 15 teams remain in contention for the final eight. In other words, almost as many teams will be eliminated from the postseason as will clinch during the next two weeks. Those numbers are not unusual relative to previous seasons, but they bring us to familiar ground: Is a 12-team playoff field large enough? Should the NFL pursue commissioner Roger Goodell's recent musings on adding two spots for the 2015 season? Or would playoff expansion minimize the 50-50 drama we're experiencing now and dilute the postseason product later?
At the top, concerns about watering down the postseason might be exaggerated. Looking back at the past 10 playoff fields reveals that no losing teams and only five 8-8 teams would have been among the 20 No. 7 seeds. If you subscribe to the theory of NFL parity, there isn't likely to be a material difference in quality between a No. 6 or No. 7 seed.
A 14-team field would also award greater value on the No. 1 seeds, which likely would be the only teams to receive a first-round bye. It could also come in concert with a shorter preseason, according to Goodell, a trade that many fans and players would accept.
The final two weeks of the regular season could lose some level of excitement given the presumed reduction of impact games, a particularly notable byproduct this season, as seven of eight division titles remain unawarded. But that drop could be replaced by the additional thrill of two more fan bases experiencing a week of playoff intensity.
In short, there's a lot to like about playoff expansion if you can get past the traditionalist view of elite playoff fields. What do NFL coaches and players think? NFL Nation asked around this week.
The NFL has provided all of the clinching scenarios this week, and we have the NFL standings memorized.
Now let's shake up the whole picture again.
This is my favorite time of year. There are so many permutations of how the next two weeks could go, but it never materializes how we expect it to. Thus far, only four teams have punched their ticket into the playoffs. Here are some of the craziest scenarios that could still happen over the next two weeks:
AFC North's No. 2 or nothing scenario
If Baltimore and Cincinnati both win Sunday, the AFC North title will be on the line during their Week 17 showdown. There's a real chance that the winner of Ravens-Bengals in Week 17 could be the No. 2 seed in the AFC, and the loser of the game would fall right out of the playoffs.
There are a lot of X-factors in this scenario, but it would create perhaps the most important Week 17 game of all time. Not only would it be a play-in game, the winner would essentially win two games, skipping right past Wild Card Weekend. Imagine Bengals fans knowing they could host a divisional round game or be headed home for the offseason.
Arizona wins out and it doesn't matter
The Cardinals could win in Seattle, and then defeat San Francisco in Week 17 to get to 11-5. The Cardinals would be one of the hottest teams in the league, and it probably wouldn't matter. Here's how: The 49ers will clinch a playoff spot with a win over Atlanta Monday night, a likely result. The Cardinals would also lose any tiebreaker with New Orleans if the Saints finish at 11-5 and second place in the NFC South. In short: The Cardinals need to root for the Saints to win in Carolina on Sunday. Because the Cardinals hold the tiebreaker over the Panthers, Arizona has to hope Carolina doesn't win the NFC South. Speaking of which ...
Arizona loses in Seattle, makes the playoffs anyhow
This is probably the Cardinals' most realistic route to the playoffs. Arizona could lose in Seattle, but the Cardinals would still make the playoffs if they beat San Francisco in Week 17 and Carolina lost their final two games.
The Panthers face the Saints this week and then head to Atlanta for the season finale. It would be a surprise if Carolina lost both of those games, but crazier things have happened.
Such as ...
Pittsburgh to the playoffs
At 6-8, the Steelers haven't been eliminated yet. They need to win their final two games to have a chance, and then it gets really tricky. Baltimore and Miami would both have to lose their final two games, and San Diego would have to lose at least once. Pittsburgh also needs the New York Jets to win the last two weeks for a chance.
(It's complicated to explain why, but essentially the Steelers need the Jets to knock out Miami with their division record if everyone was 8-8.)
So, yes: The Browns-Jets game has playoff implications Sunday. Browns fans like Marc Sessler could watch their team eliminate the Steelers from contention. It's not a playoff win, but it's not bad.
It would be fun if the Steelers just got to Week 17 with this scenario alive.
Peyton Manning returns to Indianapolis in wild-card round
The Denver Broncos are in good shape to win the AFC West, but it's not a sure bet yet. If the Broncos were upset in Houston this week, Kansas City could push Denver all the way down to the AFC's No. 5 seed if the Chiefs won out.
As the No. 5 seed, the Broncos would head on the road in the wild-card round. Their most likely opponent there: the Colts. It would be too cruel for Manning to have another one-and-done playoff experience in Indianapolis.
The Patriots don't make the playoffs
There's been an assumption all season that New England would be a big part of the playoffs. They still are in good position to get a playoff bye, but nothing is guaranteed yet. New England could fall right out of the playoffs, with the Miami Dolphins winning the AFC East. The Patriots would need to lose at home against Buffalo in Week 17 for this to happen, which sounds rather unlikely. (Then again, they barely beat Houston and Cleveland.) Another Miami loss also would clinch the AFC East for the Patriots.
Carolina could be the No. 1 seed or fall out of the playoffs
The Panthers have to worry about the scenario mentioned above where Arizona finishes with 11 wins to knock out the Panthers. Then again, the winner of New Orleans-Carolina still has a chance to get home-field advantage for the playoffs.
For that to happen, Seattle would need to lose their final two games. San Francisco would need to win their final two games, which would give the 49ers the NFC West. Carolina and New Orleans both beat San Franciso, so both teams would win any tiebreaker at 12-4.
After four weeks of voting in 10Best-com's Readers' Choice contest, your votes helped identify the "Best NFL Stadium." The winners are:
1. Lambeau Field - Green Bay
2. Soldier Field - Chicago
3. M&T Bank Stadium - Baltimore
4. Lucas Oil Stadium - Indianapolis
5. AT&T Stadium - Arlington, Texas
6. Heinz Field - Pittsburgh
7. Sports Authority Field at Mile High - Denver
8. Raymond James Stadium - Tampa Bay
9. CenturyLink Field - Seattle
10. Arrowhead Stadium - Kansas City
10Best and USA TODAY congratulate the winners! A new Readers' Choice category launched this week. Vote now for Best Cruise Region, and see previous winners and vote in all underway contests at 10best-com/awards/travel/-
Denver Broncos star linebacker Von Miller has left Sunday's game against the Texans with a knee injury, and the team said he will not return.
Miller suffered the injury during the first quarter, but was able to walk off the field on his own.
Miller was the second overall pick in the 2011 draft and won Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. He was suspended for the first six games of this season after violating the league's drug-abuse policy.
He has started all nine games since his return and has five sacks.
Denver center Steve Vallos was also injured in the first quarter and is out with a concussion.
Houston cornerback Johnathan Joseph injured his foot in the second quarter and will not return.
Clay Matthews leaves game
Packers linebacker Clay Matthews has been knocked out of Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers after appearing to reinjure his right thumb.
Steelers wideout Emmanuel Sanders was also knocked out with a right knee injury. Sanders, the team's second-leading receiver with 65 catches, had a 1-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter.
Matthews got hurt after sacking Ben Roethlisberger at the Packers 43 with about five minutes left in the second. Matthews appeared to be in pain as soon as he got up and ran to the sideline.
Teammates B.J. Raji and Mike Neal patted Matthews on the back as he was attended to on the bench before Matthews went into the locker room.
Matthews missed four games after hurting the thumb while recording a sack Oct. 6 against Detroit. He leads Green Bay with 7½ sacks.
Inside linebacker Brad Jones also left the game for the Packers with an ankle injury. His return was questionable.
Panthers' Steve Smith out with knee injury
Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith will not return after injuring his knee in Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints.
Smith initially injured the knee running a slant route in the first quarter and was taken to the locker room for observations. He returned midway through the second quarter with the Panthers trailing 6-0 and ran one route, but was limping noticeably. He quickly pulled himself out of the game and walked straight to the locker room while favoring his left knee.
Smith has been replaced by Ted Ginn Jr.
Saints safety Kenny Vaccaro's return is doubtful after he injured his lower left leg. Vaccaro was carted off the field after the medical staff placed an air cast placed on his left leg.
Panthers defensive tackle Colin Cole injured his calf and his return is doubtful.
Rams' Jake Long carted off
St. Louis Rams offensive tackle Jake Long was taken off the field on a cart with a right knee injury at the end of the first offensive series. The team said Long's return was doubtful.
It appeared Long's knee gave out on pass protection against the Buccaneers' Adrian Clayborn on Sunday. He has started every game at left tackle.
Long was the first overall pick of the 2008 draft and is finishing the first year of a two-year free agent deal.
Rodger Saffold moved from right guard to left tackle and Shelley Smith took over at right guard. Saffold was the left tackle his first three seasons with St. Louis and moved to right tackle when Long signed, and has made five starts at guard.
Bills also lose player to knee problem
Buffalo Bills rookie receiver Marquise Goodwin has been ruled out after hurting his right knee against the Miami Dolphins.
Goodwin was hurt late in the first quarter on Sunday. He fell awkwardly while being tackled into the Dolphins' sideline by linebacker Koa Misi for a 3-yard loss on an end-around. Goodwin walked slowly off the field. He then spent several minutes on the Bills' sideline before being escorted to the locker room.
The Bills are already down starting receiver Stevie Johnson, who has been excused to be with his family following the death of his mother.
Official also hurt
Umpire Butch Hannah left the game against the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets after appearing to suffer and injury to his face late in the first half.
After an 8-yard run by the Browns' Chris Ogbonnaya, it appeared Hannah made contact with Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie's right shoulder pad as he was spotting the ball. Hannah then stumbled into Jets defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson before going down to the turf, holding his face.
Trainers from both teams checked on Hannah, who walked to the locker room under his own power.
He was not back on the field to start the second half. There was no immediate word on the nature of the injury.
NFL injuries: Von Miller, Steve Smith, Jake Long suffer knee injuries
The final regular-season game in the stadium's 32-year NFL history ended with a playoff berth for the San Francisco 49ers. Linebacker NaVorro Bowman's 89-yard interception return with 1:10 remaining punctuated a wild fourth quarter, resulting in a 34-24 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.
"A little bit of magic left in this building," 49ers president Jed York told NFL Media columnist Michael Silver after the game.
It could not have been scripted much better. Niners fans, hoarse from screaming during a 35-point final quarter, can leave the stadium with Super Bowl dreams dancing in their heads. There's even a chance the 49ers could host a playoff game or two at Candlestick if the 49ers win in Arizona next week and the Seattle Seahawks get upset at home against the St. Louis Rams. That scenario would give the 49ers the NFC West crown and a playoff bye.
That's not likely to happen, but neither was the ending to this game. Moments before his interception, Bowman let an onside kick attempt get past him. Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, who played outstanding just like in the NFC title game last year against the 49ers, was moving the ball at will late in the game. With the ball in the red zone, the Falcons looked to be headed for a tie game at worst.
Niners defensive coordinator Vic Fangio dialed up an all-out blitz, Ryan got rid of the ball quickly, and 49ers cornerback Tramaine Brock broke fast on a pass intended for Harry Douglas. What followed is a play that will go down in 49ers lore.
"Best birthday present I've ever gotten," said 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh on the day he turned 50. "Second only to being born."
The big play saved an otherwise uneven game from the 49ers' defense, which gave up 402 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns. San Francisco's passing attack struggled to get in rhythm in the first half against a mediocre defense. It was not one of the 49ers' better games overall, but it was their fifth straight win.
San Francisco did not want to travel to Arizona next week needing a win to make the playoffs. Instead, the 49ers already know they will get a chance to defend their 2012 NFC title as a wild-card team at worst.
After starting the season 1-2, the 49ers have won 10 of their last 12 games. San Francisco lost nailbiters to New Orleans and Carolina, but the 49ers' offense and Colin Kaepernick are in better shape now with receiver Michael Crabtree playing well.
There probably won't be another game played at Candlestick Park, but there's still a little bit of magic left in this team.
Niners win playoff spot with some Candlestick magic - NFL-com
What do you want under your favorite NFL team's Christmas tree this season?
While it may be comical to picture Commissioner Roger Goodell, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones or even someone like New England Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork up on Santa's lap, some of their wish lists for this time of year might be even longer than Sally's from A Charlie Brown Christmas. With the playoffs and draft season just around the corner, it's time to separate the naughty from the nice.
For the league overall, health might be at the top of the list, as the aftermath of looking past the concussion issue continues. With expanded rosters and a closer eye on head injuries, it seems like every week has been more of a M*A*S*H unit than a football squad.
Lots of teams will be looking for a little help for their playoff chances and seeding in Week 17 as well. More will be looking for a few balls to bounce their way once those playoffs start. Others will be hoping their draft pick pans out or that a prized free agent decides to give them a discount.
One thing is for sure: No matter how many wins or successes each team had this season, 'tis the season for wanting, and there is much to be desired heading into the most important time of the year for each and every team.
Pictures: What's on Every NFL Team's Christmas List? | Bleacher Report
The final week of the NFL regular season is upon us, and four playoff spots are still up for grabs. USA TODAY Sports breaks down what is at stake in Week 17:
NFC
Who's in: Seahawks, Panthers, 49ers
What they're playing for: Two will get a bye and one will be sent to the wild card. Seattle and Carolina enter the week as the No. 1 and 2 seeds.
NFL PREDICTIONS: Week 17 winners and losers
'NO WAY': Chris Johnson will not take a pay cut
If the Seahawks beat the Rams (starts at 4:25 p.m. ET), Seattle is the No. 1 seed with home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. If the Seahawks lose and the 49ers beats the Cardinals (4:25 p.m.), then San Francisco takes the NFC West and Seattle drops to the fifth seed. See you next at wild-card weekend.
The 49ers take the top seed if the Seahawks lose and the Panthers fall to the Falcons (1 p.m.). If the 49ers and Seahawks lose and the Panthers win, Carolina is the top seed.
Who's trying to get in: Eagles, Cowboys, Bears, Packers, Saints, Cardinals
Path to playoffs: The NFC East, with Dallas at Philadelphia (8:30 p.m.), and NFC North, with Green Bay at Chicago (4:25 p.m.), are winner-take-division games. New Orleans is in the mix for the NFC South and a bye — or the final wild card. If the Saints beat the Buccaneers (4:25 p.m.) and the Panthers lose, New Orleans wins the division and Carolina drops to a wild card. If the Saints and Panthers win, New Orleans gets a wild card. If the Saints lose and the Cardinals beat the 49ers, Arizona gets the final wild card.
CASHING IN: A.J. Green is about to be very rich ... not that he cares
BELL: Ron Rivera overcomes "unfair" speculation to lead Panthers
What they're playing for: Denver and New England currently hold the top seeds.
The Broncos can be no worse than No. 2. If they beat the Raiders (4:25 p.m. ET), Denver gets home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. If the Broncos lose and the Patriots beat the Bills (4:25 p.m.), New England gets the conference's top seed.
If the Patriots lose and the Bengals beat the Ravens (1 p.m.), Cincinnati moves up to No. 2 and gets a first-round bye. If the Patriots and Bengals lose and the Colts beat the Jaguars (1 p.m.), Indianapolis takes the second spot and bye.
And the Chiefs are playing for nothing. They are locked in as the fifth seed.
Who's trying to get in: Dolphins, Ravens, Chargers, Steelers
Path to playoffs: Miami, Baltimore and San Diego are each 8-7, and Pittsburgh is 7-8; one will take the final wild card. The Dolphins will be the No. 6 seed if they beat the Jets (1 p.m.) and the Chargers win or the Ravens lose. If the Dolphins lose, they're out. If the Ravens beat the Bengals and the Dolphins or Chargers lose (or tie), Baltimore is in. And the Chargers make the playoffs if they win and the Ravens and Dolphins lose (or tie). If all three lose and the Steelers beat the Browns (1 p.m.), Pittsburgh is the sixth seed. And if everybody loses, the Ravens win the spot.
NFL playoff scenarios: Who's in, who's trying to get in?
Wyoming junior quarterback Brett Smith announced on Friday that he will forego his senior season and enter the 2014 NFL Draft. Although he isn't a well-known NFL prospect, he is an underrated passer who has the talent to be drafted among the top-100 picks.
Smith is ranked as the No. 8 quarterback prospect for May's NFL Draft by NFLDraftScout-com. He is the first underclassman quarterback to officially add his name to the 2014 draft class.
Smith, who is reminiscent of a more controlled version of Johnny Manziel, is a better athlete than given credit with deceiving mobility and very quick feet to be elusive in the pocket and avoid pressure. He has good-enough height and has worked hard to bulk up his frame, spending considerable time in the weight room. Smith scans the field quickly, works through his reads and does an excellent job recognizing soft spots in coverage pre-snap. He is a gutsy competitor who plays the game of football with a chip on his shoulder and he'll win over NFL coaches with his attitude, work ethic and overall football passion.
Smith is extremely confident, but almost to a fault as he tests small passing windows too often, throwing into tight coverage and hoping for a positive play. He has good enough arm strength for the next level, but lacks elite velocity especially when he can't step into his throws. Smith can get jumpy and skittish in the pocket and needs to get his footwork under control. He is a high-completion passer, but his accuracy will dip when throwing on the run.
If Smith played in the SEC or another major conference, he would be a much better known quarterback prospect. A native of Salem, Oregon, he re-wrote the high school record books and was the 2010 Gatorade Oregon Football Player of the Year, but didn't receive much attention from Pac 12 schools. His only FBS-level offers were San Jose State and Wyoming, choosing the Cowboys and starting from day one as a freshman.
Smith leaves Wyoming with several school records, finishing his career with 76 touchdown passes and 97 scores overall. He set new career-bests in 2013 with 3,375 passing yards, 62.7% completions (293-for-467) and 29 passing touchdowns. On Nov. 23, Smith set a new Mountain West and Wyoming single-game record against Hawai'i with 640 yards of total offense (498 passing, 142 rushing) and eight total touchdowns (7 passing, 1 rushing).
Although Smith played well this year, the 2013 season was a disappointment as Wyoming finished 5-7, losing five of the final six games. Smith's announcement comes just weeks after Craig Bohl was named the new head coach at Wyoming, taking over for Dave Christensen, who was fired Dec. 1 after five seasons in Laramie.
Underrated Wyoming QB leaving early for the NFL - CBSSports-com
The NFL has announced its 2014 calendar. Some important dates this offseason:
Feb. 19-25 — Scouting Combine, Indianapolis.
March 3 (prior to 4 p.m.) — Deadline for teams to designate franchise and transition players.
March 8 — Teams can begin negotiating with their own free agents.
March 11 (4 p.m.) — New league year begins. Free agents may officially sign with any team, and player trading begins again. Top 51 rule of the salary cap takes effect.
March 23-26 — Owners’ annual meeting.
April 7 — Teams with new head coaches may open the offseason workout program.
April 21 — Teams with returning head coaches may open the offseason workout program.
May 8-10 — Draft, New York.
July 15 (4 p.m.) — Deadline for any player given a franchise tag to sign a long-term contract extension.
Cuts will be coming
Former All-Pro cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha called it quits this past week, and Sunday’s games will be the last for several veterans, including tight end Tony Gonzalez (if he doesn’t change his mind about retiring).
Some noteworthy veterans who could be salary cap cuts next year, with their cap number in parentheses:
Champ Bailey ($10 million), Julius Peppers ($9.8 million), Santonio Holmes ($8.25 million), Troy Polamalu ($8.25 million), Ike Taylor ($7 million), Chris Snee ($7.25 million), Roddy White ($5 million), Chris Johnson ($4 million), Cortland Finnegan ($4 million).
Vince Wilfork, coming off a season-ending Achilles’ injury and with a 2014 cap number of $8 million, may be asked to restructure his contract.
Not easily impressed
Several coaches deserve serious consideration for Coach of the Year — Bill Belichick, Ron Rivera, Andy Reid, Bruce Arians, Pete Carroll, and Chip Kelly among them.
Reid appears to be the early favorite based on his instant turnaround of the Chiefs, who went 2-14 last year, but it doesn’t sound like he’d get a vote from Jerry Angelo, the Bears’ GM from 2001-12 who had an interesting perspective on the situation.
“Anyone who knew the Chiefs’ situation could say whoever got the job was going to win eight games,” Angelo wrote on Twitter this past week. “It was the best job of the eight that opened last year. The best thing they did was trade for an established quarterback, and it was the right move. And instead of winning eight games, they became a playoff team. They played one of the most favorable schedules the first half of the season. They were undefeated going into their ninth game vs. Denver. They were 9-0. Of those wins, only one team [Dallas] had a winning record when they played them. My point, the pieces were in place and the schedule worked in their favor.”
NFL coaches could be fired on Monday - Sports - The Boston Globe
Nick Foles and Philadelphia's high-scoring offense needed a little help from the defense to make sure it was the same old sad ending for the Dallas Cowboys.
Foles threw two touchdown passes, one to NFL rushing champion LeSean McCoy, and Brandon Boykin had a game-sealing interception to help the Eagles beat the Cowboys 24-22 in a win-or-go-home game for the NFC East title Sunday night.
The Cowboys lost to a division rival with a playoff berth on the line for the third straight year, and nobody can blame Tony Romo for this crushing loss.
Kyle Orton, filling in two days after Romo underwent back surgery, had Dallas about 40 yards from field goal range with 1:49 remaining. But he threw behind Miles Austin on the first play, and into the arms of Boykin.
"We kept fighting. We believed in each other," said Foles, who was 17 of 26 for 263 yards after throwing for only 80 in a 17-3 loss to Dallas at home. "When the offense was struggling, the defense picked us up."
The Eagles (10-6) will host New Orleans in a wild-card game Saturday night, while the Cowboys (8-8) have now dropped a finale to each division rival the past three seasons and have missed the playoffs four straight years. Dallas is 136-136 since the start of the 1997 season.
"It's unthinkable, really, to me to be sitting here three years in a row and this game ends up putting us at .500 and this game eliminates us from going to the playoffs," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said.
McCoy, who had a 3-yard scoring catch, rushed for 131 yards to finish with 1,607 yards and become the first Philadelphia running back to win the rushing title since Hall of Famer Steve Van Buren in 1949.
"With the stats and the records, none of that stuff means anything, if you don't win in the end," McCoy said. "That's the most important thing."
The Eagles won the division for the first time since 2010 a year after going 4-12, which led to Andy Reid's departure and the hiring of Chip Kelly and his fast-paced offense from Oregon.
Dallas trailed 24-16 when Orton threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to Dez Bryant. Orton went back to Bryant for the 2-point conversion, but Cary Williams dove to punch the ball away.
But the Eagles, with the second-ranked offense in the NFL, couldn't run out the clock against the league's worst defense. Foles even tried to throw on third down, but had to slide short of the first down when nobody was open.
Boykin took care of things from there.
"It definitely wasn't our best, but some guys came up with some huge plays when we needed them to," said Connor Barwin, who knocked down a fourth-down pass earlier in the fourth quarter.
Romo was the quarterback for losses the past two seasons to the New York Giants and Washington -- and against the Eagles in the same scenario in 2008.
The Cowboys were down 10-0 early in the second quarter and never led, but still found a way to make it interesting without Romo and defensive leader Sean Lee, who was out with a sprained neck.
Regardless, Dallas is only the third team in NFL history to finish with three straight 8-8 records, according to STATS. And those are in Jason Garrett's three full seasons as coach.
"You feel a tremendous sense of pride about how the team played, how they fought, how they scratched, how they clawed, how they battled," Garrett said. "But having said that, we didn't get the job done."
Orton, who was 30 of 46 for 358 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in his first start in two years, was the first Dallas starter not named Romo in an elimination game since a playoff loss to Carolina with Quincy Carter under center during the 2003 season.
The Cowboys weren't shy about throwing without Romo.
Trailing by one, Dallas tried to pass on fourth-and-1 from the Philadelphia 40 early in the fourth quarter, and Barwin knocked down Orton's throw to DeMarco Murray, who was open in the flat.
That decision came after Garrett called a timeout moments before the Eagles would have been called for a false start on fourth down from the Dallas 1. The defense bailed him out by stuffing Foles on a sneak.
After the Cowboys' failed fourth-down try, Foles led a steady march to Bryce Brown's 6-yard run for an eight-point lead with 6:09 remaining.
Notes
Cowboys K Dan Bailey had three field goals and made his last 21 of the season. He was 28 of 30. ... McCoy had 134 yards from scrimmage and finished with 2,146 to break Brian Westbrook's team record of 2,104 from 2007. ... Murray had 51 yards rushing and finished with 1,124, the most for Dallas since Emmitt Smith had 1,203 in 2000. ... Eagles WR DeSean Jackson had 28 yards for No. 2 on the franchise's single-season receiving yardage list with 1,332. Mike Quick had 1,409 in 1983.
NFL Recap - Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys - Dec 29, 2013 - CBSSports-com Game Recap
Barely 12 hours after the NFL's regular season ended, five head coaches were unemployed. Fired on Monday were Washington's Mike Shanahan, Detroit's Jim Schwartz, Minnesota's Leslie Frazier and Tampa Bay's Greg Schiano.
The Cleveland Browns didn't even wait that long, dismissing Rob Chudzinski on Sunday night after just one season on the job.
Shanahan, who won two Super Bowls in Denver in the 1990s, spent four seasons with the Redskins and was 24-40. Frazier had a little more than three seasons with the Vikings to compile an 18-33-1 mark, and Schwartz coached the Lions for five seasons, finishing 29-52.
Schiano only got two years with the Buccaneers, going 11-21. He had three years and $9 million left on his contract.
Tampa Bay also fired general manager Mark Dominik.
"It's tough for the players to see your coaches go. You never want to see anybody get fired," Pro Bowl defensive tackle Gerald McCoy said. "Me personally, I haven't had any, consistently, in my career. Third head coach, going on my fifth year and three head coaches. Add up everybody, it'll be six D-line coaches."
The Buccaneers, who also have fired the likes of Tony Dungy and Jon Gruden, hired Schiano out of Rutgers in 2012 and went 6-4 before losing five of their last six games. They dropped their first eight games this season and finished 4-12.
One coach allegedly on the hot seat was retained: Rex Ryan, who has one more year on his contract, is staying with the New York Jets after a surprising 8-8 record in his fifth season at the helm.
While some of the fired coaches might have seen it coming, Chudzinski certainly didn't despite going 4-12 and losing his final seven games and 10 of 11.
"I was shocked and disappointed to hear the news that I was fired," said Chudzinski, who grew up a Browns fan. "I am a Cleveland Brown to the core, and always will be. It was an honor to lead our players and coaches, and I appreciate their dedication and sacrifice. I was more excited than ever for this team, as I know we were building a great foundation for future success."
As the coaching searches begin, agents will float the names of their clients — Penn State's Bill O'Brien seems to be the hottest candidate and has interviewed for Houston's vacancy. The Texans (2-14), who own the top choice in May's draft after losing their final 14 games, released coach Gary Kubiak late in the season.
Whoever gets hired in each place will face mammoth rebuilding projects. Overall, the six teams seeking new coaches went 24-71-1.
Shanahan had one season remaining on a five-year contract worth about $7 million a season. He blamed salary cap restraints for part of the Redskins' collapse from NFC East champion in 2012 to 3-13 and eight consecutive losses.
Washington was hit with a $36 million salary cap penalty over two seasons for dumping salaries into the 2010 uncapped season, and Shanahan said it prevented the team from pursuing free agents it had targeted.
But his real undoing, along with the poor records in three of his four seasons, was a contentious relationship with star quarterback Robert Griffin III. RG3 did not speak with the media on Monday.
Frazier took over for Brad Childress in Minnesota for the final six games of 2010. He got the Vikings to the playoffs as a wild card last season, riding an MVP year from running back Adrian Peterson. But he never solved the Vikings' quarterback situation — three QBs started in 2013 — and the defense, Frazier's specialty, ranked 31st overall and against the pass.
"It's a harsh business," safety Harrison Smith said. "As a player, we all love coach Frazier, as a coach, as a man. You can't meet a better guy. And also as a player, we didn't make enough plays on the field. So you just feel like you let him down a little bit."
The Lions were considered an underachieving team the last two years under Schwartz. After a 6-3 start this year in a division where the Packers and Bears lost their starting quarterbacks for lengthy periods, Detroit fell apart down the stretch. It lost six of its last seven.
He had two years and almost $12 million remaining on his deal, signed after the Lions hired him to fix a team that went 0-16 in 2008.
"From where we were in 2008 to where we are now it's a big difference," quarterback Matthew Stafford said. "We owe a lot of that to him. He's a really smart guy and helped us get to where we are. Obviously, we didn't win as many games as we needed to or as we should have this year."
The playoffs are finally here in the NFL, making the games better and ultimately much harder to pick.
No longer do we get cookies like the Jacksonville Jaguars visiting the Denver Broncos, but that doesn't scare our experts. Heading into wild-card weekend, there are four games to make a call on. Some of the teams involved are highly battle-tested like the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints, while others are relative newcomers, such as the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs.
For our experts, some games were harder to decipher than others. Of our six pickers, only one went with the Saints and none picked the Packers to win at Lambeau Field. The San Diego Chargers were also only picked once, as they are a 7.5-point road underdog against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The toughest game seems to be the Indianapolis Colts hosting Kansas City. The vote is split on this one, perhaps because both are 11-5 and tough to figure out.
Wild Card weekend: Schedule released for opening rounds
Without further bluster, here is what our experts have to say about each contest: NFL wild card weekend picks: Expert predictions for all four games - SBNation-com
We won't have a repeat Biletnikoff Award winner in 2014. This year's recipient, Oregon State receiver Brandin Cooks, will forego his senior season to enter the NFL Draft. Which is probably the right move for Cooks considering it's hard to imagine him having a better season in 2014.
Cooks caught 128 passes for 1,730 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2013. He also rushed for 217 yards and another two touchdowns, which are the kind of numbers you need to put up if you're going to win such a major award while playing for a 7-6 team on the west coast.
Cooks is listed at 5-foot-10, so he'll likely be seen as a slot receiver on the NFL level, but he's still projected to be a first or second round draft pick. As players like Wes Welker have proven in recent years, you don't have to be tall to be a successful receiver on the NFL level, and Cooks' work returning kicks and punts on special teams will only add to his value.
The answers will be provided soon enough, where it matters most – on the field.
But as another NFL postseason kicks off this weekend, the questions persist.
A few things to wonder about …
How dangerous are the Packers with Aaron Rodgers back?
Green Bay's wait for its former MVP quarterback to return from a broken collarbone was rewarded by the best-case scenario.
You know what they say: Just get in. Anything can happen.
Like last weekend, when Rodgers connected with Randall Cobb on a 46-yard, fourth-down heave at Chicago that won the NFC North crown. Or like three years ago, when the Packers got in as a sixth seed and won it all.
The Packers (8-7-1) were 6-2 this season in games that Rodgers started and finished. But there can be no magical playoff run this time unless Green Bay, suspect defense in tow, can find a way to handle a physical 49ers team that it has succumbed to three times since the start of the 2012 season. With the forecast for temperatures near 32 degrees in Philadelphia on Saturday night, New Orleans coach Sean Payton had his team practice outdoors this week.
The Saints are 0-5 in road playoff games in franchise history. The 3-5 road record during the just-completed regular season reflected that a Drew Brees-armed offense scores about half as much on the road as it does in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. New Orleans averaged 34 points per game at home, 17.8 on the road.
The Saints are bringing a better defense under first-year coordinator Rob Ryan -- New Orleans ranked fourth for yards allowed one season after allowing an NFL-record 7,092 yards. Yet the unit couldn't hold up in crunchtime of two of the most heartbreaking road losses this season – at New England and at Carolina. So it still might take winning a shootout.
Does Cam Newton have to produce bigger passing games for the Panthers to advance?
Not necessarily. The Panthers are built for the tough, gritty, tightly contested games that often mark the higher competition of postseason football. One of the NFL's most dominant defenses will keep them in most games, and they have demonstrated a knack for rallying to pull out games at the finish.
Yet balance is a virtue. Carolina has the NFL's 29th-ranked passing attack. And with Newton's most proven wideout, Steve Smith, nursing a knee injury, the ripple effect could be a crucial factor.
Still, Carolina has been one of the NFL's best teams on third downs. While Newton hasn't produced the huge passing numbers, he's raised his game by making better decisions that ultimately reduce the chances of losing.
And with the game on the line, all stats go out the window.
Can Andy Dalton raise his game for the Bengals?
Dalton is just the fifth quarterback in NFL history to lead his team to the playoffs in each of his first three seasons, but to this point he has not demonstrated any ability to spark his team to a higher level in January. Cincinnati was eliminated the last two seasons in first-round openers at Houston, with Dalton combining for four picks and zero TDs. Yet playing in his first home playoff game should make a difference – at least for the opening round. In going 8-0 at home this season, Cincinnati averaged 34.4 points and posted an average margin of victory of 17.6 points per game.
Still, it has been such an up-and-down season for Dalton. He ranked third in the NFL with 33 TD passes, but no quarterback in the playoffs threw as many interceptions (20).
How can the Patriots offense thrive without Gronk?
It has been a season of adjustments for Tom Brady and the New England offense, but losing the 6-6 weapon that is all-pro tight end Rob Gronkowski becomes more glaring in the red zone. The Patriots have plugged leaks with the likes of receivers Danny Amendola and Julian Edelman, but they lack the radius to create red-zone mismatches.
So much will undoubtedly ride on Brady's arm. Despite Brady's modest numbers this season, his impact in developing targets throughout the season has been essential.
But he can't create another Gronkowski. Maybe New England's best answer when it gets into the red zone was demonstrated in Week 17 with the power running of LeGarrette Blount, whose 24-carry, 189-yard game was the biggest rushing performance by a Patriot since 1998.
Have the 49ers solved their issues in the passing game?
Getting Michael Crabtree back surely made a difference. It is no coincidence that Colin Kaepernick – who finished the regular season with a 310-yard outing at Arizona that marked his biggest passing game since his career-high 412-yard game in Week 1 against Green Bay – has been in a better rhythm since Crabtree returned from his torn Achilles in Week 13.
During the last six games, when the 49ers mounted a six-game winning streak that is longest in the NFL as the playoffs begin, Kaepernick has a 10-1 TD-to-interception ratio that is best in the league.
With their tough defense and potent rushing attack, the 49ers probably don't need Kaepernick to pass for 300 yards on a weekly basis. But if they can throw effectively when they need to or want to – and Crabtree's presence opens windows for Anquan Boldin and Vernon Davis -- it would add another dimension to the most dangerous wild-card entrant in the playoffs.
Is Peyton Manning destined for another playoff letdown?
Manning is a shoo-in to win a record fifth NFL MVP award with his record-breaking season, but the real drama is whether he can win a second Super Bowl title.
For all of his greatness, though, he needs help. When the Broncos squandered their No. 1 seed in last year's playoffs, they were ultimately done in by a defensive meltdown.
That remains a threat, especially with the Denver defense having lost its premier pass rusher in Von Miller. All season, Manning has produced the points to take the pressure off the D.
That won't change now.
Will the up-tempo Eagles offense work in the playoffs?
Former Oregon Coach Chip Kelly entered Saturday night as one of the few successful coaches to enter the NFL and make it to the playoffs in his first year of coaching. Many will follow the previous coach through the post season just to see how far he can take the Philadelphia Eagles. In a way it is like the Oregon Ducks version of the Pro/NFL season. With Kelly and his Birds getting a lot of attention, how many folks will actually put down a bet on the game?
Personally, someone made a bet for me that Kelly would make the Super Bowl. Thinking back to last year when it was made it was sort of a funny thought, but I may end up being the only one laughing come February. Sports betting has been around for a long time, but Online Sports Betting has come to the forefront over just the last 20 years or so. Apparently betting during the NFL playoffs is big business.
Now the bad news: in the State of Oregon Sports Betting is ‘legal’, but only through legally licensed businesses, which there currently are none in existence in the state. That leaves Oregon residents to turn to the internet, which according to Oregon law is illegal.
A little research turned up SportsBettinginOregon-com, who also state that the laws are somewhat ambiguous, as they primarily reference those engaged in an Internet gambling business, rather than those who are playing. But they have pretty much chalked it up as the whole of Internet gambling being illegal (in Oregon). If you like to do more than make gentleman’s bet with your buddies, you may want to contact a lawyer for further clarification. As of now, there are no regulated sports betting locations in Oregon. In looking at the rules for online gambling many sites say:
1. They are not attorneys who are interpreting the law and
2. Many then throw out the ‘options’ for online gambling.
There is one truth out of all of this. A group tried in 2012 to legalize gambling in the State, but voters rejected it on the ballot. There were inklings of another group attempting to get it back on the ballot for 2013, but it did not happen.
It is actually considered a Class C Felony if you are caught gambling online in the State of Oregon. In other words a $1250 fine and you will have to pay back double what you won to the loser. I will not give any advice as far as online gambling goes, but if you plan on making a wager on any NFL Playoff game or any other game, you may want to reconsider or call your friends in Vegas or Atlantic City for some assistance, or maybe plan a trip to see the in-laws out of state.
Now being illegal to gamble doesn’t mean it’s illegal to check out the spread. In fact, as of Saturday morning, the online betting site Online Sports Betting at Bet Online Sportsbook has the Eagles at -3 over New Orleans.
To see the spread on your favorite NFL game (Denver! –ed) you can check out Online Sportsbook At Bet Online Sports book.
So far this season Chip Kelly’s team has been somewhat up and down, but has found a way to win when they have needed to. Sound familiar? They enter the NFL Playoffs on Saturday night as the #3 seed and take on #6 seed New Orleans. The Saints have never won a playoff game on the road. They are 0-5. Not to mention it’s going to be quite cold in Philly for the game. The winner moves on next week to take on either #2 seed Carolina or the top seed on the NFL #1 Seattle.
Online Betting on NFL Playoff Games This Weekend and Expecting a Big Payout? Don't Bet On It. | Eugene Daily News
Mike Munchak's loyalty to the Tennessee Titans was plain to see at the top of his bio. After 32 years with the same organization, his loyalty ultimately cost him his job.
The Titans announced Saturday that Munchak was fired after three seasons as head coach. NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported that Munchak's unwillingness to make changes to his staff, including a promotion of defensive assistant Gregg Williams and the firing of offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains. The organization was unhappy with the direction of Loggains' pass-happy attack.
The Saturday firing ends a roller coaster week for Munchak. Perhaps it is best for everyone that the organization makes a fresh start under new CEO Tommy Smith, who took over after the passing of Bud Adams. It would have made no sense for Munchak to remain in place with an offensive system that he didn't believe in.
Perhaps more than any team in the league, the Titans need an identity. They have some defensive talent in defensive tackle Jurrell Casey and a fine cornerback pair, but the whole group did not add up to the sum of their parts. It is strange to hear that the organization wanted the Titans to run the ball more, because Chris Johnson has been an overpaid and overrated back for a long time. Giving him more carries hardly sounds like solution for the Titans' ills. If anything, the Titans stayed loyal to Johnson for too long.
The Titans' next coach will also have a difficult choice to make with Jake Locker. The quarterback showed promise in 2013, but he can't stay healthy. Rapoport previously reported that the Titans don't plan to pick up the team's $13 million option on Locker for 2015. Johnson's future is cloudy, with NFL Media columnist Mike Silver previously reporting Johnson is not expected to be back. Johnson has said he will not take a pay cut to stay in town.
General manager Ruston Webster is still in place, but this is an organization that is starting from scratch. The team's next coach will require a clear vision on how to turn this roster around, because it has been floundering around .500 for five consecutive seasons, without a calling card on either side of the ball.
The Titans look like more of a rebuilding project than many of the jobs that came open this offseason.
Tennessee Titans searching for an identity - NFL-com
It was better than any holiday movie Hollywood threw at us, more compelling even than last week's zany run of college bowl games and light-years more entertaining than the third season of "Homeland." As pure entertainment goes, the first weekend of the NFL playoffs was pretty close to perfect. Which is why the NFL needs to leave it alone.
That's right. Please don't expand the NFL playoffs. They're too good the way they are.
In the four games played over the two days, we saw a 28-point second-half comeback and two games decided on last-second field goals. Three of the four teams that won were trailing at halftime, and the other (San Francisco) was behind in the fourth quarter. Four fan bases woke Monday morning with broken hearts, but two of them (Philadelphia and Kansas City) root for teams that finished in last place a year ago and whose 2013 seasons offered bright hope for the future.
No matter which team you like, or even if you don't like any of them, the quality of the NFL product on the field and on your television screen was at its blissful best from Saturday afternoon through Sunday night. The league should embrace this, not water it down.
The NFL has said it would like to expand its playoffs. The modest initial proposal is to add a team in each conference, starting with the 2015 season, but there has been talk of further expansion. The supporters of this idea speak of broadening the excitement base -- of allowing more fan bases and more teams to hope. Both No. 6 seeds won this weekend. Each of the past three Super Bowl champions has played on the first weekend. Each year offers more proof than the last that all you have to do is get into the tournament to have a chance to win it all.
I don't argue that last fact, but I do have some questions about it. The first is whether the league really thinks we're all dumb enough to believe this is about justice for teams like the 10-6 Arizona Cardinals or, even worse, the 8-8 Pittsburgh Steelers, who just missed this year's playoff field. If the NFL expands its playoff field, it's not out of some charitable motivation to include more deserving teams. The NFL's only motivation, for anything, is revenue expansion and enhancement. This plan would make the league's owners more money, and that's why it's being discussed. Truthfully, it's why I can't believe it hasn't already been approved.
But that's fine. It's a business, as we all know, and the NFL's owners have the right to cash in on their league's towering popularity. I just think it's important for this league, as it is for any business, to consider the effect of profit-driven change on the quality of its product.
Only one of the eight teams on the field this weekend wasn't up to the task, and that was the Cincinnati Bengals. And the reason they flopped wasn't that they weren't qualified. Honestly, the Bengals have more talent on their roster than the Chargers do. They were an 11-5 division champion whose quarterback had a rotten day. San Diego ran its typically great, patient game plan, made fewer mistakes and won a game between two obviously qualified playoff teams. The way it should be.
There was no game this weekend in which a team looked overmatched -- no team in the playoff field that performed as though it didn't belong. The NFL should view this as a good thing. From a product-quality standpoint, it's better to risk leaving a strong team out of your playoff field than to invite weak ones into it. Arizona, which won in Seattle two weeks ago, may have been a worthy playoff team this year. But you can't count on a conference's seventh-best team to always be that. At some point, you're going to be forcing teams into the field that simply aren't good enough to be there.
Everybody remembers the Seattle team that won the NFC West at 7-9 in 2010, and the Tim Tebow Broncos who won the AFC West at 8-8 in 2011. Everybody remembers those teams winning their first-round games. But they both got blown out in the second round. Anybody remember those games? Of course not, because they stunk. The NFL's regular season is fraught with too many dull mismatches. As great as the game is when it's at its best, it's stone-cold boring when at its worst. Inviting the mismatches into January would be a major mistake.
This will fall on deaf ears, I am certain, because our nation's mindless hunger for the NFL and the owners' pursuit of every attainable dollar adhere to the same guiding principle: More is better. But before anyone goes rushing off to make the NFL playoffs bigger, I think we should all stop for a minute and consider whether that would actually be a positive. After what we just watched this weekend, I wouldn't change a thing.
2013 NFL playoffs -- Playoff expansion is unnecessary move, Roger Goodell - ESPN
Bradenton native who went on to play football for Florida State, and in the NFL, has died.
Todd Williams was found dead Monday at the Sarasota Suites Hotel, just hours before the Seminoles won a national championship. On Friday, the 35 year old Williams complained to his mother of feeling sick. The Manatee County Sheriff's Office says the haven't found any sign of foul play, but an autopsy will be performed.
Williams played offensive tackle, becoming one of the state's top prospects after his senior season at Southeast High School. He was a redshirt freshman on the Seminoles' 1999 National Championship team. Williams was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the 2003 NFL Draft, going on to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Green Bay Packers.
Bradenton native, and former NFL Player found dead - Sarasota News | Mysuncoast-com and ABC 7: News
Johnny Manziel announced Wednesday that he'll enter the 2014 NFL Draft, bringing an official end to one of the most prolific two-year college football careers ever for a quarterback. The Texas A&M star leaves the Aggies with two years of college eligibility remaining, but projects as a first-round pick in the May 8-10 draft.
Manziel made the announcement in a letter titled "Thank you, Aggieland!" posted at texags-com: "After long discussions with my family, friends, teammates, and coaches, I have decided to make myself available for the 2014 NFL Draft. The decision was not an easy one. Anyone who has ever watched a football game at Kyle Field knows that leaving that atmosphere, those Saturdays with excitement, color, and noise, will be hard for me. I cannot begin to tell you what the support of the school, my teammates, Coach Sumlin, Chancellor Sharp and the fans has meant to me over the last two years. The Heisman Trophy belongs as much to you as it does to me. My teammates and I never doubted the value or the deep and real spirit of The 12th Man. It is not a myth. Anyone one has ever played football for Texas A&M knows that passion is real.
"I promise you I will always be an Aggie. I will always try to make you as proud of me in the NFL as I did at Texas A&M. While there are many wonderful memories I will take with me -- big wins, surprising upsets, and Bowl victories -- I most cherish standing arm in arm with my teammates during the postgame, singing the alma mater, or jumping into the stands to feel real Aggie spirit. I regret we weren't able to bring a National Championship to College Station, but I assure you a championship is going to come soon with Coach Sumlin and these talented players. And when it does, you can bet I will be with you to cheer and celebrate. I'll probably be the loudest one there.
"Thank you for making my college years very special. The faces, the friends, the fans, and the experience will forever be an important part of my life. Gig 'em Aggies! I'll always love you guys."
Manziel's decision was first reported by NFL Media analyst Gil Brandt on Dec. 30, and Brandt confirmed Wednesday that Manziel's paperwork for early entry declaration had been received. The Aggies also have lost Manziel's favorite receiver, 6-foot-5 Mike Evans, to early draft entry.
Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin gave Manziel the highest of praise in a release by the school.
"In all of my years of coaching, Johnny Manziel is the most exciting football player I have ever seen," Sumlin said. "We appreciate everything he has done for Texas A&M and Aggie football and wish him nothing but the best."
The school also released a tribute video to Manziel's career, replete with highlights: Johnny Manziel announces decision to enter 2014 NFL Draft - NFL-com
For much of the past four decades, when an NFL game failed to sell out at least 72 hours in advance of kickoff, the local broadcast could be "blacked out," preventing fans from viewing their local team on TV.
In 2012, the NFL relaxed the rule by allowing teams to lift the blackout if at least 85% of tickets were sold. The league gave teams the flexibility to set their own blackout benchmark between 85 and 100 percent.
The FCC voted Wednesday in favor of a proposal to eliminate blackouts, saying the rule should be adjusted for the times.
"The sports blackout rules were originally adopted nearly 40 years ago when game ticket sales were the main source of revenue for sports leagues...," the FCC said. "Changes in the sports industry in the last four decades have called into question whether the sports blackout rules remain necessary to ensure the overall availability of sports programming to the general public."
Even if the government eliminates its rule, nothing would preclude leagues, networks and cable outlets from agreeing to their own deals that would include a blackout rule, either matching the current structure or agreeing to a revised one.
The networks pay a combined total of about $3 billion a year to broadcast NFL games based on a nine-year deal signed in 2011 worth almost $28 billion. Neither Fox Sports nor CBS Sports, the main carriers of the NFL, had any comment on the FCC's proposal.
The NFL said in a statement that it will "strongly oppose any change in the rule. We are on pace for a historic low number of blackouts since the policy was implemented 40 years ago. While affecting very few games the past decade, the blackout rule is very important in supporting NFL stadiums and the ability of NFL clubs to sell tickets and keeping our games attractive as television programming with large crowds."
Although some blackouts have been avoided when businesses stepped up and purchased the remaining tickets, only one game in the 224 games played this season was blacked out – the Cincinnati Bengals at San Diego Chargers on Dec. 1. There is a chance this week's Buffalo Bills game will be blacked out in its local market.
That compares to 105 games (out of 210) blacked out in 1978.
Consumer activists welcomed the FCC decision.
"Eliminating these rules is a small, but important step," said John Bergmayer, Senior Staff Attorney at Public Knowledge, a group that defends consumer rights. The FCC "should not be in the business of putting its thumb on the scales in a way that harms viewers," he said.
NFL blackout rule contested, but no light for fans yet