TV ratings, fantasy football, the Sunday Ticket: Could the NFL be any bigger?

Thinking out loud — while wondering if this transitional age thing means on a hot day you don’t know what you really want — ice cream or beer?

∎Can you make the argument that “NFL football is bigger than life itself?” You might.

ESPN had its best-ever "Monday Night Football" audience. YouTube’s debut as the carrier for NFL Sunday Ticket has already signed up more subscribers than all of last year on DirecTV. The ESPN Fantasy mobile app had its first 10-million-visitor day last Sunday.

And Week 1 NFL telecasts were up 7% across the board from a year ago. Pro football isn’t just popular; it’s a cultural icon. You know, football, hot dogs, apple pie and — wait, what?

∎J-E-T-S, Jets! Jets! Jets! That’s what TV execs likely won’t be exclaiming now that Aaron Rodgers is down for the count with a torn Achilles. They still have six prime-time appearances scheduled and four more in the late Sunday window, including the first-ever Black Friday game on Amazon.

But they also beat Buffalo in overtime without Rodgers on a walk-off punt return for a touchdown by an undrafted free agent. Yeah, that's football. These storylines just grow on trees.

∎I really dislike thinking any game is must-win early in a season — especially in Week 2 of a 17-game slate. But if you believe this Patriots’ edition is contention-worthy within the AFC East division, and it just might be, then Sunday night against the Miami Dolphins is as close to must-win as you can get.

0-and-2 to start the season, with both losses at home, and 0-1 in the division? Well, you could win ‘em all from there, I suppose. But only 10% of 0-2 starts since 1970 have reached the postseason.

Pigs could also fly tomorrow. The heat will come — from the media, from the fans. Bill Belichick doubters will spread their feathers like strutting peacocks if the Patriots lose to Miami.

Big game, yes. A seminal moment, if nothing else. Time to recover if they don’t win? Yes. Likely they would recover? Well — not with every member of their starting offensive line injured at midweek. Or two of their alleged top receivers nursing boo-boos.

∎Not for nuthin’ but I thought TB12 Day was much ado about — nuthin’. Is that even possible? To be continued June 12, 2024. We’ll thank him all over again.

∎Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and Miami looked almost unstoppable in their win over the Chargers. He’s 4-0 as a starter against New England. The Dolphins’ defense, however, is very much a work-in-progress. Can the Pats generate enough “O” to beat that “D?”

At least they’ll look good in the process, wearing old friend Pat Patriot plus the throwback red jerseys Sunday. Shades of 1985, we’re back to the future.

∎This week’s “No matter how bad you have it, someone else has it worse” moment — forget the Jets losing Rodgers. New York Giants, hello! A 40-0 blasting at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys? Embarrassing.

∎Bruce Arena resigned as coach and sporting director of the Revolution. His replacement, Richie Williams, is now also out — on an extended "vacation." Rumors were running rampant about a team walkout this week until they got the scoop on just why their coach was forced to resign.

Are the inmates running the asylum, or is it Warden Norton from Shawshank Prison running the show? And will the boss throw the players into the hole for being obtuse?

∎This Revs team is in second place in the MLS’ Eastern Conference. What happened to just playing ball? All this drama.

∎Rhody inched up a couple of spots in the Top 25 this week, to No. 20/21 in the two FCS polls after their opening CAA win over Stony Brook.

∎Brown opens its season Saturday playing at Bryant in Smithfield. The Bears finished 3-7 a year ago but return 15 starters and 29 seniors for their 137th season of varsity football.

∎Told ya. Holy Cross almost pulled off a win at Boston College, despite having no headsets for their coaches. The Crusaders’ staff lost their communication between the sideline and press box during last Saturday’s game. The Eagles were not required to give up their ability to communicate to even things out — because it wasn’t a conference game. So they didn’t.

∎A few questions on PC’s hockey Friars this season? PC was picked for sixth in the Hockey East preseason coaches’ poll this week, behind BU, BC, Merrimack, Northeastern and UConn. Some of those questions may get answered early, with the season opening series at Michigan Oct. 7-8.

∎X post of the Week I, from @jtomase: “Red Sox ticket price for this afternoon’s game vs. Yankees on StubHub: $1. WooSox ticket price for tonight's game vs. Syracuse on StubHub: $5.”

∎Those of a certain age and recollection of the silver screen might remember Ashley Crow played the role of Jenny Heywood in the movie “Little Big League?” Billy Heywood was her son, the kid with a rocket arm. Her son in real life is outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, and the top Cubs’ prospect got his call to the majors this week, three years after being a first-round draft pick.

∎My buddy, “Big E,” sez he wants to lose 10 pounds this year. And only has 15 more to go.

∎Be very, very careful with this one: Fox sez they want to create a new 16-team postseason hoop tournament that would feature non-NCAA teams from the Big East, Big Ten and Big 12. It might also benefit athletes with NIL dollars.

But if TV continues this inexorable march toward ruling over all athletics, and dictating policy and action with that added $$$ …

… Let’s put it this way. Eat too much, you get fat. And potentially unhealthy. This might also lead to “power” leagues going off on their own, which would be unhealthy for everyone who loves the sport — and the NCAA Tournament.

Something cool — more and more teams are taking exhibition games and turning them into charitable opportunities. St. John’s and Rutgers will turn a "secret scrimmage" into a fundraiser for pediatric cancer research.

∎The Big East schedule? CBS’ Jon Rothstein was first to report the Friars and Georgetown (Ed Cooley’s return) will roll out on Saturday, Jan. 27, at the AMP.

Students back for that one. Now, do we go for an afternooner or early evening encounter with the entire day set up for imbibing? A Tall Boy return? Dollar Beer Day/Night? A guy can dream.

∎The Big East opener is scheduled for Dec. 19, also at the AMP, against the reigning Big East Player of the Year, Cumberland’s Tyler Kolek and preseason favorite Marquette. Big statement opportunity for Kim English’s team right out of the gate with back-to-back home games to begin league play. Buckle up.

∎Awful news for Xavier big man Zach Freemantle, likely to miss at least the first half of the Musketeers’ season with continued foot problems, after missing 15 games last season. Jerome Hunter may also miss the season. Replacing all-Big East caliber players in the post isn’t an enviable task.

∎Big East preseason poll update, through thine own eyes: 1) Marquette 2) UConn 3) Creighton 4) Villanova 5) St. John’s 6) Providence 7) Xavier 8) Seton Hall 9) Georgetown 10) Butler 11) DePaul.

Giving Ed Cooley and his staff a shot at pulling the Hoyas out of the cellar. And succumbing to the hype around Rick Pitino’s rebuild at St. John’s — plus the Friars losing a bulky big guy themselves in Will McNair. Size matters in this Big East.

∎Bryant assistant coach Brett Putz, along with his dad – is traveling and recruiting across the country in an RV. 3,800+ miles, covering seven states and more than 60 schools. An ingenious way, really, to reach out to prospects first-hand — and save on the recruiting budget.

Should have had a marketing deal with Stuckey’s, or Buc-cees, or some truck stop travel company (Love’s?) along the way, don’cha think?

∎North Carolina’s recent public complaints about NCAA policies on transfer waiver policies are funny. This comes from a school where the basketball program got away with academic fraud — for years — and never really suffered from it.

And the Tar Heels’ complaints helped light a fire under an angry mob of fans who have threatened volunteers on the NCAA’s decision committees. Yeah, all class right there.

∎The NBA is talking fines for resting healthy players. Maybe up to $1 million or more for multiple offenders. I mean, you buy a ticket, you should have a reasonable expectation of what to expect, or WHO to expect, to be playing, am I right?

Otherwise, isn’t that, um, fraud? Michael Jordan played in 82 games and averaged 37 minutes per game back in ’02-’03. He was 40 years old. And today’s players need rest?

∎If it hadn’t before, it has now. The world has caught up to the United States in basketball. Team USA lost to Canada in the World Cup Bronze Medal game last week. We are mere mortals if we don’t send our tip-top players into competition. Sorry, Dr. Naismith.

Or should that be, “Congratulations, Dr. Naismith, on your contribution to global sports and society?” Just sayin’.

∎ICYMI, former Friar and longtime NHL executive Brian Burke, along with Brown grad and current Boston College coach Katie King are among the inductees into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame’s Class of 2023.

∎X post the Week II, from @RossDellinger: “Twenty flights, clandestine commissioner meetings, a near invite to the Pac-12 and a $200M+ pledge from Texas oil tycoons. Inside SMU’s Power 5 campaign & the billionaire behind it. “It’s a couple hundred million dollars. I’m not losing sleep over it.”

Interested in having your questions on Rhode Island sports (and yes, that includes the Patriots, Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics) answered in a somewhat timely fashion? Think out loud and send your questions, comments and local stories to jrbroadcaster@gmail.com. We’ll share mailbag comments/Facebook posts/threads right here! Join me on Twitter/X, @JRbroadcaster…on Facebook, www.facebook.com/john.rooke, and on Instagram and Threads @JRbroadcaster.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: NFL football getting larger than life? How about Tom Brady's day?