1. The divisional round of the NFL playoffs delivered. There wasn’t one dud among the four games this weekend. And a lot was going on in each game. With that, here are thoughts and observations on the four broadcast crews that worked the Saturday and Sunday playoff games.
ESPN’s Joe Buck and Troy Aikman on Houston Texans-Kansas City Chiefs
The ESPN duo showed why they are the best booth in the NFL. The second you hear Buck’s voice, you instantly get the big-game feel. Buck was great as always on his calls, but Aikman showed why he’s in a class by himself as an analyst.
I’ve said a million times here in Traina Thoughts and on SI Media With Jimmy Traina that Aikman is the only analyst who will go after the referees for bad officiating. Well, he let it fly on Saturday after a terrible roughing-the-passer call against the Texans.
"Oh, come on! I mean, he's a runner. I could not disagree with that one more. He barely gets hit." - Troy Aikman
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 18, 2025
"The two Houston players hit each other. That should not have been a foul." - Russell Yurk
"They've gotta address it in the offseason..." - Aikman 🏈🎙️🦓 #NFL https://t.co/vXj2v7VTKg pic.twitter.com/QioQ5IQwhg
Every analyst should take note: That’s how you do it. I understand that NFL broadcasters are terrified of Roger Goodell and the league office, so it’s not easy to be as blunt as Aikman. But this is how you gain credibility with viewers.
I also need to offer two other pieces of kudos.
Thank you, Buck, for acknowledging the 9.5-point spread was in the balance after the Chiefs took an intentional safety with nine seconds left in the game that moved the score from 23–12 to 23–14.
"And there are a lot of people who are paying attention to that. That makes it a 9-point game, world." - Joe Buck
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 19, 2025
"Al Michaels is smiling right now." - Troy Aikman
"Al Michaels is giddy. Wow." - Buck 🏈🎙️💸 #NFL pic.twitter.com/OmyRoYyDNk
And kudos to ESPN for not going overboard with Taylor Swift and Caitlin Clark or trying to work in the Jason Kelce-Travis Kelce relationship.
The only blemish on ESPN’s production was completely dropping the ball on covering Texans defensive back Kris Boyd pushing special teams coach Frank Ross after the opening kickoff.
After Houston let up a big return, replays caught Boyd shoving his coach. And this was not a love tap. This was a legit shove.
Another look at Texans CB Kris Boyd shoving his special teams coach Frank Ross. pic.twitter.com/dvpwL05Fhj
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 18, 2025
The shove got zero follow up from Buck and Aikman. ESPN even had an additional sideline reporter (Laura Rutledge) join Lisa Salters, but we got absolutely nothing on Boyd’s shove. It needed to be addressed.
Fox’s Kevin Burkardt and Tom Brady on Washington Commanders-Detroit Lions
The constant critiques of Tom Brady in his rookie year as an analyst has made it almost impossible to judge Brady. Every word is hyper-analyzed, which is what happens when 1) you replace an A+ analyst in Greg Olsen and 2) make $375 million.
I thought Brady was fine. He’s at his best when he’s analyzing a play and using the telestrator to show viewers what happened in a play. It still feels like he’s holding back and not going 100%.
On last week’s SI Media With Jimmy Traina, I got into a debate with The Athletic’s Richard Deitsch about Brady’s supposed conflict of interest in calling the Lions game while also trying to hire Detroit offensive coordinator, Ben Johnson, in his role as Las Vegas Raiders minority owner. We agreed that Fox/Burkhardt/Brady needed to acknowledge what was going on with Brady and Johnson.
Well, they did acknowledge it late in the first quarter and it was so awkward.
Kevin Burkhardt & Tom Brady headon addresses that elephant in the room: Tom still commentating while being a Raiders minority owner and heavily involved in the new coaching search. #WASvsDET @kevinburkhardt vows @TomBrady will be here all 10 yrs.
— The Whole Delivery (@TWDTV1) January 19, 2025
🎥 @sluggahjells pic.twitter.com/8e6bKySkiH
Brady looked like he wanted no part of that conversation and gave the viewers a nothing answer. The segment was made even awkward when Burkhardt and Brady mentioned that Brady was staying with Fox and would be there for 10 years. The entire thing was strange.
However, Brady deserves credit because he called out Johnson late in the game when the Lions ran a trick play that resulted in wide receiver Jameson Williams throwing an interception. So much for that conflict of interest.
Jameson Williams should know not to throw this. This is insane. pic.twitter.com/tzdhyk0UjE
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 19, 2025
One thing I enjoy about Brady is when he can’t hide his disgust when a quarterback makes a bad play. As the ball was in the air on Jared Goff’s pick-six, Brady audibly let out a low, “Ohhhh.” You can feel the disappointment.
COMMANDERS PICK-6. WASHINGTON LEADS 24-14.
— NFL (@NFL) January 19, 2025
📺: #WASvsDET on FOX
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/LgPnGmkrvy
NBC’s Mike Tirico and Cris Collinsworth on Los Angeles Rams-Philadelphia Eagles
One of the many things that makes Tirico so good is that he doesn’t try to BS the viewers. When Tirico isn’t sure about something, he tells the audience. This is very rare for broadcasters. With visibility a problem thanks to the snow in Philly, Tirico was unsure of certain things here and there and he would let us know that. When he wasn’t quite sure of where the ball was spotted or whether a penalty flag was throw, he told us. That honesty is refreshing.
On the flip side, Collinsworth had the worst moment of any broadcaster this weekend when he said, “It took a lot of guts to take the ball out of Saquon Barkley’s hands on second down” when the Eagles were trying to close out the game late. That’s a statement that insults your audience. Plain and simple.
Guts had nothing to do with that play call. It was poor coaching and stupidity. I’m not sure why Collinsworth would sugarcoat it by saying it was guts.
CBS’ Jim Nantz and Tony Romo on Baltimore Ravens-Buffalo Bills
Romo must have gotten inspired by Aikman because he was as vocal about a bad call as I’ve ever heard him when he called a holding penalty against the Bills “terrible” in the first quarter.
That's not a penalty pic.twitter.com/RVtUfuXSu4
— CJ Fogler 🫡 (@cjzero) January 20, 2025
Romo was also all over a missed late hit call against the Bills in the second quarter.
"I see Oliver that grabs him right before he's out of bounds... They're allowing him to finish the tackle there, as opposed to a hit that happens or is initiated after he's out of bounds." - Gene Steratore
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 20, 2025
"I feel like that was late." - Tony Romo
"I do too." - Jim Nantz #NFL pic.twitter.com/MlD92LefHI
Yes, please. More of that.
Romo’s also had a strong moment when he criticized Buffalo’s play calling on its final drive which resulted in a field goal instead of a touchdown.
He also showed he’s still got it when it comes to predicting plays, even though he hardly does it anymore. On one particular play, he circled the middle of Baltimore’s defense, which was wide open, and said Josh Allen would keep it and run it in that direction—and he did.
2. The visual of Barkley breaking off a 78-yard touchdown run in the snow was stunning. Tirico had an outstanding call on the TV side.
SAQUON BARKLEY 78 YARDS GOOOOODBYE!
— NFL (@NFL) January 19, 2025
📺: #LARvsPHI on NBC
📱: Stream on @NFLPlus + Peacock pic.twitter.com/88LvtJoEFa
On the radio side, Ian Eagle, calling the game for Westwood One, was also electric on Barkley’s long score.
Saquon Barkley had a day 🤯 #LARvsPHI
— Westwood One Sports (@westwood1sports) January 19, 2025
200+ yards, multiple 60+ yard TDs (Déjà vu right?)
Listen to the play of the day, then catch all the highlights on our website!
🗣️: Ian Eagle, Charles Davis & @nacholeber https://t.co/5uzOOFcu6O pic.twitter.com/Kl3QQD0sLb
3. I really hate the practice of dragging out someone’s old tweet with a sports prediction or sports take after that prediction or take doesn’t pan out. But this one from March 2024 is truly too good to pass up.
Commanders having one of the worst offseasons I can recall from a new regime
— kev mahserejian (@RotoSurgeon) March 13, 2024
Zach Ertz, Austin Ekeler, and Bobby Wagner as marquee signings. Retread HC Dan Quinn who was far from 1st choice and ass backwards Kingsbury at OC. Cherry on top will be if they pass on Maye for Daniels
4. The Commanders-Lions game on Saturday night drew 33.6 million viewers on Fox. That was down from the 37.5 million people who watched the Green Bay Packers-San Francisco 49ers divisional playoff game on Fox in the same time slot last year.
America better wake up and realize Jayden Daniels might be the most exciting player in the league.
5. Does anyone outside of Ohio or Indiana know there is a college football championship game tonight? College football needs to fix its postseason scheduling, ASAP.
Ohio State and Notre Dame should’ve played Friday night going into the two NFL games. Playing on the Monday after the divisional round of the NFL playoffs saps the national championship game of any juice or momentum going in.
Anyway, just a betting note for those who plan to wager.
.@CFBPlayoff title game favorites have won - and covered - past 5 championships. In 2019 title game, Alabama (5-point favorite vs. Clemson) was last favorite to lose, falling to Tigers 44-16 #CFBPlayoff
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) January 20, 2025
6. The latest Sports Media With Jimmy Traina podcast features a conversation with The Athletic’s sports media reporter, Richard Deitsch.
Topics covered include why the NFL’s playoff ratings have been down, NFL broadcasters; what Deion Sanders coaching the Dallas Cowboys would mean for networks; Tom Brady’s alleged “conflict of interest” as part Raiders owner calling a Lions game while trying to hire Detroit’s offensive coordinator, Ben Johnson; a disappointing college football playoff rating; Notre Dame’s national appeal; the usefulness of NFL rules analysts in the booth; the WWE’s new partnership with Netflix and more.
Following Deitsch, Sal Licata from WFAN radio and SNY TV in New York joins me for our weekly “Traina Thoughts” segment. This week’s subjects include NFL betting, the NFL divisional playoff games, Chris “Mad Dog” Russo meeting Timothée Chalamet on the red carpet for A Complete Unknown, a new Jerry Springer documentary, Sal getting in trouble at home and much more. Plus, there is a surprise appearance from Russo.
You can listen to the SI Media With Jimmy Traina podcast below or on Apple and Spotify.
You can also watch SI Media With Jimmy Traina on Sports Illustrated‘s YouTube channel.
7. RANDOM VIDEO OF THE DAY: Since today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day …
Be sure to catch up on past editions of Traina Thoughts and check out the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast hosted by Jimmy Traina on Apple, Spotify or Google. You can also follow Jimmy on X and Instagram.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Observations on ESPN, CBS, Fox, NBC Broadcasts of the Divisional Round.
