I turned the game off early in the 2nd quarter and watched a baseball game on Extra Innings instead. I'm from Chicago and like Mike Ditka, but he contributed absolutely nothing to this broadcast unless talking over his partners counts. Greenberg was so awful doing the play by play that even Pam Ward would have been an acceptable replacement. Mike Golic had some intelligent things to say, but between Iron Mike interrupting and the lousy sound quality, whatever he brought to the table was lost. A terrible broadcast presentation in all respects.

Personally, I enjoyed the "average guy watching a ballgame" approach. To me, it was a bit refreshing.

To each his own.

I suspect that ESPN will blame it on "predictable market shifts," similar to what they're blaming Yahoo! Sports passing them up this month on.

Or (MORE LIKELY) maybe they'll say it's because they didn't have any celebrities in the booth this time. See?????!!!!!! They want celebrities! We don't give 'em Jamie Foxx and Tom Cruise and see what happens?

SF/AZ is a game with no national buzz at all and the announcing team didn't help. Also, Jaws with Vermeil and Nessler last year and it was the Jaws/Vermeil teamwork that made it work with a competent play-by-play man like Brad Nessler.

Nessler over Tirico
Jaws over Joey THEEEZman
Anyone over Tony

GO ESPN GO, Cross Promote your SH*T to death and kill your network

Another likely ESPN "theory": This is what happens when the NFC East is not involved. No New York. No Cowboys. No Ratings.

To anonymous, we'll see what happens when the WWL gives us the dog turd Philadelphia - Washington matchup next week, a game that would need a time machine set to 1988 to be appointment television.

My theory on declining viewership? Probably a bunch of people like me -- just didn't watch the damn thing. People might be willing to supress the gag reflex to watch one gala production of ESPN MNF. Two, forget it, and especially if it's two ass-donkey teams from the NFC west.

And I live in the Bay Area.

In response, there's no doubt in my mind that Washington and Philly will get higher ratings. But I'd like to see how they do outside of the I-95 corridor. Or, as ESPN calls it, "the rest of the country."

I think everyone is missing the point here. I work in advertising and last years MNF opener was a HUGE advertising opportunity due to the "newness" of MNF on ESPN. Last year was ESPN's first year hosting MNF (yes we all saw the ads) so people tuned in just to see how cable would handle a primetime network staple. I'm pretty sure this year with the debacle that is Tony Kornheiser already established, they lost a lot of the casual viewer..

P.S.

Last year the fist MNF game produced the largest viwing audience in ESPN history! With obvious spillover into the SD-OAK game..Yeah I dont think the comparison is that fair..

Good stuff RS...thanks for the info. I was doing the math and it's about a 1.5-2.0 million difference. Not a whole lot really.

The NFC East is more interesting than any other division. Period.

AFC West