Game Report: New England @ Houston

Game Date:  Sun Dec 13, 2015

Teams: New England Patriots @ Houston Texans

Network:  NBC

You’re reading what I hope will be one of many Game Reports in which I document my growth as a novice NFL TV fan.  You can check here if you’d like to learn more about my plans.

Pregame Thoughts

Not at all excited about watching this game.  It’s Sunday night and I have to go to work on Monday.  I hope the Patriots will lose again after two in a row.  Neutral on the Texans.  But I have to watch something this week to keep up with my program of at least one game a week.

Overall Response

Zzzzz.  Looks like Gronkowski has recovered quite nicely from his injury from a couple weeks ago.  Holy crap.  Those cheating Patriots won 26-7.  Bastards.

TV Razzle Dazzle

Blocking JJ Watt — apparently that’s the key to winning against the Texans, and they had a cool graphic all set to go.  Microfracture graphic – Michelle Tafoya explaining somebody’s knee injury;  amusing to have a little medical instruction during the game.  Seems as though that’s the bulk of Tafoya’s reporting — what’s happening off the field with newly injured players.  Given the number of injuries every game, I’d say her job is secure.

Entertainment value

1/5.  Seemed pretty one-sided.

Commercial commentary

  • Lots of ads.  116, 4.65/7.00.
  • Star Wars, Christmas and Holiday theme-ads in abundance (including one for Verizon that played several times throughout the game).
  • No fantasy football ads.  It’s been quite a while since I’ve seen one.
  • Lots of auto/truck ads (23 — close to 20% of all the ads).

Interesting Extras

Shot of Texans hosting holiday party for kids. Skanky Santa outfits for the cheeleaders.  I’ve noticed that when a player is injured they’ll mention that “he’s in the x-ray room”  Hmmm …  NFL stadiums have x-ray rooms?
Here’s the commercial roster for the show.  I’ve sorted this one by category, but  you can also see which quarter the ads were telecast and in what order.  Remember, asterisks (*) mark commercials with a football theme (especially when the product advertised is NOT explicitly football-related).

Quarter Commercials:  New England @ Houston, Dec 13 2015, NBC.  Total ads: 116 Category Ad Number Testosterone Factor: 4.65/7.00
3 Southwest Airline 70 6
HT BMW Auto 59 4
1 Cadillac Auto 19s 1
1 Chevrolet Auto 6 4
1 Chevy Auto 10 5
1 Chevy Auto 17 4
HT Dodge RAM (Star Wars) Auto 67 7
HT Ford Auto 65 5
HT GMC Auto 57 7
HT Jeep (Star Wars) Auto 61 5
2 KIA Auto 44 4
1 KIA Sorento Auto 2 3
2 KIA Sorento Auto 40 7
2 Mercedes Auto 33 7
2 Mercedes Auto 38 7
4 Nissan Auto 102 4
4 Nissan Auto 112 4
4 Nissan Rogue Auto 110 7
3 Toyota Auto 71 4
3 Toyota Auto 76 4
3 Toyota Auto 78 4
HT Toyota* Auto 63 7
4 Volkswagen Auto 95 4
4 Volkswagen Auto 97 4
2 Bud Light Beer 50 7
4 Budweiser Beer 108 4
2 National Car Rental Car Rental 49 6
1 Samsung Cellphone 14 4
2 Apple Computer 41 4
1 apple TV Computer 24 4
3 chromecast audio Computer 87 4
1 Microsoft Surface Pro Computer 7 4
3 Microsoft Surface Pro Computer 85 4
4 Microsoft Surface Pro Computer 109 5
2 Samsung Computer 48 4
4 Samsung Computer 98 4
1 Amazon Prime Delivery 9
2 Amazon Prime Delivery 55 1
1 Macy’s Department Store 25 4
4 Macy’s Department Store 99 2
1 Walmart Xmas Day Discount Store 22 3
4 Walmart Xmas Day Discount Store 113 4
1 Best Buy Electronics 28 4
1 Bose (JJ Watt) Electronics 3 7
4 Bose (JJ Watt) Electronics 105 7
HT NK Farming 66 5
2 Capital One Financial 54 2
1 Navy Federal Credit Union Financial 8 4
1 USAA Financial 31 3
2 Football Is Family Football 42 6
HT Football Is Family Football 62 7
3 NFL Network Football 89 5
HT NFL Network Thu Night Football 68 6
4 NFL Shop Football 115 3
1 Play60 Football 13 4
1 SNF All Access Football 5 7
4 Sunday Football Football 101 6
HT HOM Furniture Furniture 58 4
3 American Family* Insurance 91 3
4 Geico Insurance 107 4
3 Nationwide (Manning)* Insurance 74 6
2 H8Ful Movie 43 6
1 Mission Impossible Movie 21 7
2 Outdoor movie Movie 36 7
1 Sisters Movie 30 1
1 Star Wars Movie 16 7
4 Ted 2 Movie 104 5
3 Arby’s Restaurants 92 5
3 Chili’s Restaurants 72 4
1 McDonald’s Restaurants 15 3
3 McDonald’s Restaurants 84 4
1 Olive Garden Restaurants 29 4
2 Subway Restaurants 51 4
1 Subway (Star Wars) Restaurants 4 6
1 Wendy’s Restaurants 11 4
3 Wendy’s* Restaurants 80 6
2 Direct TV Satellite TV 52 5
3 Direct TV Satellite TV 75 6
3 Nike Sportswear 83 7
2 North Face Sportswear 37 4
4 Adele Live TV Show 106 2
2 Chicago Shows TV Show 39 6
4 Childhood’s End TV Show 114 3
1 Golden Globes TV Show 32 5
3 NBC Sport TV Show 82 6
3 Running Wild TV Show 77 4
2 Shades of Blue TV Show 46 6
HT Shades of Blue TV Show 64 6
4 Shades of Blue TV Show 116 4
3 SNL Holiday Episode TV Show 90 4
1 Superstore TV Show 27 3
1 Telenova TV Show 23 3
3 The Biggest Loser TV Show 86 4
2 The Expanse TV Show 53 4
1 The Voice TV Show 18 4
HT The Voice TV Show 56 3
4 The Voice TV Show 100 4
HT Tonight Show TV Show 69 4
4 Wed Hockey TV Show 111 7
3 Exxon Mobil Utilities 88 4
2 GE Utilities 47 6
4 PS4 Star Wars Video Game 96 7
3 X1 Infinity Video Game 93 7
2 Citizen (Eli Manning)* Watches 35 6
3 Amazon Fire Wireless 81 4
1 Sprint Wireless 26 4
3 Sprint Wireless 79 5
HT T Mobile Wireless 60 4
1 Verizon Wireless 1 4
1 Verizon Wireless 12 4
1 Verizon Wireless 20 4
2 Verizon Wireless 34 4
2 Verizon Wireless 45 4
3 Verizon Wireless 73 4
4 Verizon Wireless 94 4
4 Verizon Wireless 103 4

This article was posted on Jan 7, 2016 but dated earlier so that it would appear in the index closer to the date the game was played.