"1st n last tweet.Pack Fans might want 2 start booking flights 4 feb. Not looking ahead but u c we just have better players than other teams."
-Ryan Grant

Didn't he go to Notre Dame? How's that education working out, Ry?

Didn't he also spend all season on IR?

Justifiable with the 140 character limit.

Yes but calling a Super Bowl appearance before your team earns it when you're not even playing is stupid no matter how it's spelled.

Especially since he's been on the IR for the entire season. Not making it easy for his teammates going into a tough match-up at Solider Field.

Rex Ryan and The New York Jets are the Man right now.

I love it.

You know the network and the league are hoping for a bears/jets superbowl

I hate football right now. Fuck I hate the Jets.

The Packers and Steelers are really popular. So I think the NFL gets a good outcome no matter what.

If its Jets vs Packers, ESPN guaranteed to get Farve as an analyst for his take since he played majority of his career at Green Bay and his one year with the Jets (and the mess afterwards) is enough for them to believe he's an expert of the team.

Bears would match better with Steelers in terms of "toughness" perception with defense since both have pretty hard hitting defenses.

I'm clearly biased, I am a Bears fan. I clearly think the Bears will win and its because you mentioned Soldier Field. No one wants to play on our home field. Everyone complains about the ground there, even the Bears players. So hopefully now by playing a few games in crummy conditions, this will work to the Bears advantage, and sacking Aaron Rodgers on the cold ground concussing him wouldn't hurt either. The Bears were only 5-3 at home, BUT they did edge the Pack at Soldier in September.

I CAN'T FUCKING WAIT FOR THIS GAME

As long as the Steelers don't win it all I will be happy.

Of the final 4 teams, 3 of them have been featured predominately in the NFL as "big" teams/public teams, and the Jets have come on in the last couple years. NFL will win with the ratings no matter the combination.

lol what

lol

Someone was drunk after the game..

If the Bears don't like it either, I don't see why that particular factor gives them an advantage. And don't forget, Cutler was prone to get taken down pretty hard last time they matched up- he could just as easily get taken out. I expect Capers to blitz aggressively, early, and often, so this has to be something the Bears are mindful of.

you cant look at just the fanbase... The markets are gigantic. Casual fans who dont really care will tune in to watch the the game because everyone they know will be watching it because its in their city and your talking about the two biggest citys with teams in the country.

The national image of a team is more important than the size of the home market when it comes to ratings. Steelers - Packers is definitely the money maker.

Saints\Colts was the highest rated tv event of all time and those are both tiny markets..

NFL and ESPN did hype the game a lot about being a huge rebound for New Orleans from Katrina and the Mannings somehow having a huge influence in the area even though only the father played for the Saints. It became one of those games where the outside events contributed as much as the game itself although the game did involve 2 high scoring offenses as well.


Meanwhile, Dallas open to any offers for Dez Bryant. Nobody actually thinks Cowboys will do a trade but more of a "feeler" to see what they could get from a potential Bryant offer.

Well look at it like this. They say the playoffs brings the best outta players. The packers have been playing "playoff" games since at least week 17. I think they beat the bears by 3, but they really didnt have anything to lose even though there starters were playing. But the way rodgers raped us im never doubting him again. And The jets barely escaped pittsburgh with polamalu sidelined.....previous meetings dont mean shit i know this but i exect both these games to be hella good.....and i hope its snowing in both places

This isn't the World Series or the NBA where you need to large market teasm to get rating, Super Bowl will do huge numbers no matter what.

Yeah at Wizards games they just put up a huge Cowboys logo when the other team shoots free throws

you are incorrect... chicago/new york market would bring in the cash

Holy shit is everyone retarded?.... im not saying the packers/steelers would do shitty numbers. Im saying the networks are praying for chicago/new york.

Those two cities have never played for a league title in any sport ever.

And we're saying you're wrong. The networks aren't going to make any significant amount more money either way, anyway.

Like Instant Classic said, ratings in the NFL have little to do with the home markets. Green Bay-Philadelphia broke the wildcard round rating record this year, and that wasn't because of the market size- it was because of the national reputation of the teams and the fanbase.

Green Bay and Pittsburgh are among the largest fanbases nationally, and have a solid reputation of great football. There's no way for us to really know, but I guarantee that that matchup would put up the best numbers.

http://www.playerpress.com/uploads/I...Popularity.PNG
http://www.playerpress.com/articles/...arity-rankings

Here's some numbers.

2. Pittsburgh
T4. Chicago
T4. Green Bay
18. New York Jets

So, you could reasonable argue that Steelers-Bears or Steelers-Packers would be the media's "dream match", but certainly nothing involving the Jets.

To be fair, the Jets do share a city/states with the older Giants so it makes sense the gap in support. Its the same with every league having a multi-team city (ex. LA in NBA, NY and Chicago in MLB, etc).

Giants fanbase is stronger than Jets fanbase in New England due to it being a hotbed for Giants until Pats arrived in 1960s.

NFL could get away with having New York being heavy for the Jets this playoffs since you'd get New York/New Jersey and a good percentage of Giants fans rooting for the Jets to benefit NY but their real interest after the playoffs would be with the Giants for long term.

Hey the Broncos finally beat the Chargers.

Nice on Sunday that I got talking to 2 Jets fans and we went to Olive Garden before the game and watched the Bears game and bought me lunch. Patriots fans were fine and respectful overall, barring some dickheads when I went to the toilet at half time, but every team is bound to have a few. They'd had a couple of Bud Lights I think ;)

Okay, I think the New England win has finally sunk in. I'm now ready for Pittsburgh. 3 straight road play off wins is going to be tough, going to be a hell of a battle. Be nervous as fuck :(

I'm sure the networks would prefer Green Bay just because they have more marketable players than Chicago. People seem pretty intent on making Aaron Rodgers the new it quarterback and if he's in the Super Bowl that's definitely gonna happen.

A year after the all-1st seeded Super Bowl I'm dieing to see an all-6th seeded one. Would just be the ultimate representation of what an open and wild year it's been.

At least the Jags are more popular than the Bucs and the Rams, but that's not saying much. :-\

You'd like the NCAA tournament

Urlacher is still marketable.

And Cutler is controversial.

And what about Devin Hester?

and peppers