Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love address the media during a press conference. (PackersNews.com)
Hey, everyone! Happy New Year!!! 🎆 I hope that 2024 is off a great start for you and your family/friends. On this first Sunday in January (January 7), the final weekend (Week 18) of the 2023 NFL season is scheduled to take place.
And needless to say, plenty is still on the table for many teams across the National Football League as the playoffs are slated to begin next Saturday, Saturday, January 13.
Plus, for the fourteenth straight year (2010-present), divisional matchups are once again slated to close out regular season play as divisional rivalries are renewed here in Week 18.
Longtime Dallas Cowboys head coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer Tom Landry once said, "Setting a goal is not the main thing. It is deciding how you will go about achieving it and staying with that plan."
I completely agree with Coach Landry here. Every single team still in playoff contention is trying to fulfill a goal: win a Super Bowl championship 🏆 and call yourself a Super Bowl champion. As of right now, nine teams have clinched spots in the postseason (Dolphins, Chiefs, Browns, Ravens, 49ers, Cowboys, Eagles, Rams & Lions) with five spots remaining open as we enter the final regular season weekend.
During Week 18 of the 2023 NFL season, please consider some of the serious ramifications that this weekend's games have as the NFL lowers the curtain on its' 104th regular season of competition:
- 62% of teams (20 out of 32) remain the hunt for a Super Bowl 🏆, tied with the 2006 season for the most with one week left to play over the last four decades, since a record 22 teams were still alive back in 1982 (and of course, that was the strike-shortened season)
- Five playoff spots are still undesignated, the most entering the final week of regular season play since the 2020 season, when seven playoff spots were on the table entering that season's final week (Week 17).
- Four division champions have yet to be determined, the most entering the regular season finale since four divisions were yet to be locked down way back in 2014.
So tighten your belt buckles, because we are about to finish off the regular season! Furthermore, Super Bowl LVIII is Las Vegas is only 40 days away (or a little less than six weeks away)!
Highlights:
Check out this week's highlights below:
- * Week 18 Highlights (Sunday, January 7):
- A Jacksonville Jockey: Jacksonville Jaguars (9-7) linebacker Josh Allen and his squad travel to Nashville to meet up with Derrick Henry and the Tennessee Titans (5-11) in a key AFC South game on Sunday, January 7 at 1:00 PM ET on CBS. As of right now, Jacksonville is involved in a three-way logjam for the AFC South championship and the AFC's No. 4 seed to go along with that. The good news: the Jaguars own the tiebreaker with the two other teams involved in this three way tie (Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts). The bad news: If Jacksonville were to lose this game, then the Texans-Colts winner (this game will be played on Saturday night), would take the AFC South title. Travis Etienne Jr. and his teammates obviously don't want to give up the division, so a win here against a very bad Titans team is a MUST for Jacksonville in order to clinch their second straight division championship. 🎙 The golden pipes of Kevin Harlan will provide play-by-play commentary on CBS, as Harlan works alongside game analyst Trent Green and sideline reporter Melanie Collins.
- A Division Matchup Fit for Motown: Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions (11-5) play host to Justin Jefferson and the Minnesota Vikings (7-9) on Sunday, January 7 at 1:00 PM ET on FOX. These two NFC North teams tangle for the second time in three weeks. There is a lot on the line here. Amon-Ra St. Brown and his team play for either the No. 2 seed or the No. 3 seed, depending on what happens with DeMarcus Lawrence and the Cowboys (who play the Commanders at 4 p.m. ET on FOX). Camryn Bynum and the Vikings are fighting for their playoff lives, as Minnesota is hanging on by a thread in the playoff picture. The Vikings MUST come away with a victory to keep their postseason hopes alive, while a loss eliminates them entirely. 🎙 Play-by-play commentator Joe Davis, three-time Super Bowl champion and analyst Daryl Johnston & reporter Pam Oliver make up FOX's broadcast team for this Week 18 matchup inside the NFC North.
- Green Bay's Golden Chance of Punching a Playoff Ticket: Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers (8-8) host Justin Fields and the Chicago Bears (7-9) on Sunday, January 7 at 4:25 PM ET on CBS in a classic NFC North battle from Lambeau Field. Following last week's dominant 33-10 Sunday night win at Minnesota, the Packers now have a chance once again to clinch a spot in the postseason party. Last season, the Packers had a win and in scenario vs. the Lions, and the Packers squandered that chance. One year later, the Packers are faced with a similar circumstance. If Aaron Jones and the Packers handle their business, they will be heading for postseason play. However, if the Packers lose, that result coupled with a win by Minnesota, Seattle, and/or Tampa Bay + New Orleans, the Packers are done. Meanwhile, Montez Sweat and the Bears lead the league with 22 interceptions. The Bears look to spoil the day and potentially offer a major monkey wrench in Green Bay's postseason aspirations. 🎙 Jim Nantz (play-by-play), Tony Romo (analyst) & Tracy Wolfson (reporter) will provide commentary on CBS.
- A Dallas Dash Towards the Division & Second Seed: Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys (11-5) hit the road for the final 2023 regular season game against Curtis Samuel and the Washington Commanders (4-12) on Sunday, January 7 at 4:25 PM ET on FOX. In this battle between the NFC East rivals, the Cowboys have everything to play for while the Commanders look to end this season on a somewhat positive note. Tony Pollard and the Cowboys are playing for their second NFC East title in three years, and the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs (only behind San Francisco, who is the No. 1 seed and grabs the only first-round bye in the conference). Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb is having a historic season for Dallas. CeeDee officially set the new season-single Cowboys record for receiving yards (1,651 receiving yards) and receptions (122 receptions) last Saturday in the 20-19 Cowboys Saturday night win vs. the Lions (yeah, the controversy at the end was pretty bad 😡), passing Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Irvin. Keep in mind that Dallas has won 16 straight games at their home venue (8-0 this season, 8-1 last season, AT&T Stadium in Arlington, dating back to Week 2 of the last season. If the Cowboys win the NFC East division title, that means they will have an opportunity next weekend to extend that streak during Wild Card weekend play. 🎙 The FOX broadcast will be handled by Kevin Burkhardt (play-by-play), Greg Olsen (analyst), Erin Andrews (reporter) & Tom Rinaldi (reporter).
Links:
As you know, the links to the broadcast schedules and television maps are always provided to y'all, so check these out links below:
- CBS Schedule: https://tamirmoore.blogspot.com/2023/05/2023-nfl-on-cbs-schedule.html
- FOX Schedule: https://tamirmoore.blogspot.com/2023/05/2023-nfl-on-fox-schedule.html
- 506 Sports Maps: https://506sports.com/nfl.php?yr=2023&wk=18
And with that, my first season of producing these broadcast and market listings report has come to an end (since all playoff games are nationally televised)! Thank you so much for the support and love 💙 for this new aspect of the blog. I plan on continuing this for 2024, so this weekly NFL fixture is set for a sophomore sequel!
Any comments, suggestions, and updates are welcome at any time, simply just by commenting on this article (in the comments section). I look forward to you guys checking this one out.
And now, I present the Week 18 schedule for CBS and FOX (subject to change):
- Keep in mind, that these market assignments can change due to switching games (especially true this week during the regular season finale); If your market (or you see a market on the 506Sports Map swap games) changes a game assignment, please let me know.
CBS:
- NFL on CBS: Week 18 Broadcast Schedule and Regionalization (Subject to Change)
Week 18: NFL on CBS Doubleheader
Sunday, January 7
|| 12:00 PM ET:
The NFL Today
James Brown, Nate Burleson, Phil Simms, Boomer Esiason, Bill Cowher & Jonathan Jones
|| 1:00 PM ET:
vs
* Jacksonville Jaguars (9-7) vs. Tennessee Titans (5-11) (Primary) -- Kevin Harlan, Trent Green, Melanie Collins
58% of Markets Include: Albuquerque, Austin, * Baltimore, * Birmingham, Boston, Buffalo, Denver, Des Moines, Fort Myers, Fresno, Hartford, Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Memphis, Miami, Nashville, New York City, Norfolk, Oklahoma City, Orlando, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland, Providence, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Scranton, St. Louis, Tucson, Tulsa, * Washington D.C. & West Palm Beach
vs
* Atlanta Falcons (7-9) vs. New Orleans Saints (8-8) -- Andrew Catalon, Tiki Barber, Matt Ryan, AJ Ross
37% of Markets Include: Atlanta, Birmingham, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Green Bay, Greensboro, Greenville, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Mobile, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Raleigh, * Salt Lake City, Seattle, Spokane & Tampa
vs
* Cleveland Browns (11-5) vs. Cincinnati Bengals (8-8) -- Tom McCarthy, James Lofton, Jay Feely, Tiffany Blackmon
5% of Markets Include: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton & Louisville
Updates:
- Baltimore, MD; Harrisburg, PA: CLE/CIN to JAX/TEN (Fri.)
- Washington DC; Birmingham, AL: ATL/NO to JAX/TEN (Fri.)
- Salt Lake City, UT; Quincy, IL; Marquette, MI: JAX/TEN to ATL/NO (Fri.)
|| 4:25 PM ET:
vs
* Chicago Bears (7-9) vs. Green Bay Packers (9-7) (Primary) -- Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson
58% of Markets Include: Albuquerque, Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, * Denver, Detroit, Fort Myers, Fresno, Grand Rapids, Green Bay, Greensboro, Greenville, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, * Las Vegas, Louisville, Memphis, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Mobile, Nashville, New Orleans, Orlando, Phoenix, Portland, Raleigh, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, * San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Spokane, Tampa, Tucson & West Palm Beach
58% of Markets Include: Albuquerque, Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, * Denver, Detroit, Fort Myers, Fresno, Grand Rapids, Green Bay, Greensboro, Greenville, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, * Las Vegas, Louisville, Memphis, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Mobile, Nashville, New Orleans, Orlando, Phoenix, Portland, Raleigh, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, * San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Spokane, Tampa, Tucson & West Palm Beach
vs
* Philadelphia Eagles (11-5) vs. New York Giants (5-11) -- Ian Eagle, Charles Davis, Evan Washburn
33% of Markets Include: Austin, Baltimore, * Birmingham, Boston, Buffalo, Dallas, Hartford, Houston, New York City, Norfolk, Oklahoma City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Providence, San Antonio, Scranton, Tulsa & Washington D.C.
vs
* Kansas City Chiefs (10-6) vs. Los Angeles Chargers (5-11) -- Spero Dedes, Adam Archuleta, Aditi Kinkhabwala
9% of Markets Include: Des Moines, Kansas City, Los Angeles & St. Louis
Updates:
- all CBS Colorado stations; San Diego, CA & Palm Springs, CA; Las Vegas, NV & Reno, NV; Casper, WY; Omaha, NE: KC/LAC to CHI/GB (Fri.)
- Birmingham, AL: CHI/GB to PHI/NYG (Fri.)
- Rules Analyst: Gene Steratore (New York City)
FOX:
- NFL on FOX: Week 18 Broadcast Schedule and Regionalization (Subject to Change)
Week 18: NFL on FOX Doubleheader
Sunday, January 7
|| 11:00 AM ET:
FOX NFL Kickoff
Charissa Thompson, Julian Edelman, Michael Vick, Charles Woodson & Peter Schrager
|| 12:00 PM ET:
FOX NFL Sunday
Curt Menefee, Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, Michael Strahan, Jimmy Johnson & Jay Glazer
|| 1:00 PM ET:
vs
* Minnesota Vikings (7-9) vs. Detroit Lions (11-5) (Primary) -- Joe Davis, Daryl Johnston, Pam Oliver
63% of Markets Include: Albuquerque, Austin, Baltimore, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Denver, Detroit, Fresno, Grand Rapids, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Louisville, Memphis, Minneapolis, Nashville, Norfolk, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland, Richmond, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis & Washington D.C.
vs
* Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-8) vs. Carolina Panthers (2-14) -- Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma, Shannon Spake
25% of Markets Include: Atlanta, Birmingham, Charlotte, Fort Myers, Greensboro, Greenville, Jacksonville, Miami, Mobile, New Orleans, Oklahoma City, Orlando, Philadelphia, Raleigh, Tampa & West Palm Beach
vs
* New York Jets (6-10) vs. New England Patriots (4-12) -- Chris Myers, Robert Smith, Jennifer Hale
12% of Markets Include: Boston, Buffalo, Hartford, New York City & Providence
Updates:
- Salisbury, MD: MIN/DET to TB/CAR (Fri.)
|| 4:25 PM ET:
vs
* Dallas Cowboys (11-5) vs. Washington Commanders (4-12) (Primary) -- Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olsen, Erin Andrews, Tom Rinaldi
75% of Markets Include: Albuquerque, Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Birmingham, Boston, Buffalo, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Dayton, Fort Myers, Greensboro, Greenville, Hartford, Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Louisville, Memphis, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Mobile, Nashville, New York City, Norfolk, Oklahoma City, Orlando, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Providence, Raleigh, Richmond, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, St. Louis, Tampa, Washington D.C. & West Palm Beach
vs
* Los Angeles Rams (9-7) vs. San Francisco 49ers (12-4) -- Adam Amin, Mark Schlereth, Kristina Pink
14% of Markets Include: Detroit, Fresno, Grand Rapids, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego & San Francisco
vs
* Seattle Seahawks (8-8) vs. Arizona Cardinals (4-12) -- Kevin Kugler, Mark Sanchez, Laura Okmin
8% of Markets Include: New Orleans, Phoenix, Portland & Seattle
vs
* Denver Broncos (8-8) vs. Las Vegas Raiders (7-9) -- Jason Benetti, Matt Millen, Megan Olivi
3% of Markets Include: Denver & Las Vegas
Updates:
- Billings, MT: SEA/ARI to DAL/WSH (Fri.)
- Bismarck, ND: DAL/WSH to LAR/SF (Fri.)
- Rapid City, SD: DAL/WSH to DEN/LV (Fri.)
- New Orleans, LA: DAL/WSH to SEA/ARI (Thu.)
|| 7:30 PM ET:
The OT
Curt Menefee, Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, Michael Strahan, Jimmy Johnson & Jay Glazer
- Rules Analyst: Dean Blandino (Los Angeles)
- * Mandatory credit for NFL team logos: SportsLogos.Net. *
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