Game Report: Denver @ Indianapolis

Fred Mackaman

Game Date:  Sun Nov 8, 2015

Teams:  Denver Broncos @ Indianapolis Colts

Network:  CBS

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

Denver is still undefeated, so there will be some drama here.  Also I expect that they’ll play up the angle that Peyton Manning was the former QB of the Colts.  Otherwise there’s not much of interest to me about this one, and it’s a beautiful afternoon in Minneapolis to be outdoors doing something else.  Sunset is getting so early now, thought, that I’ll really only miss about the last hour of daylight by being in front of the tube for the show.  But damn — the Pittsburgh-Oakland game ran long so I’ll miss the start of the game.  Fortunately it didn’t go into overtime.

So — I missed most of the first quarter.  About 2:57 left on the clock and the Colts up 7-0.  Colts continued to dominate for most of the first half, with my Broncos scoring a fantastic defensive TD in the last minute of play.  Broncos still down, but there’s a chance.  Indianapolis looks pretty good tonight, and I don’t hate them.  And it turns out they won the game.  C’est la vie.  I was amused that the network was hyping Peyton Manning’s approach to the NFL record for yards gained or something;  he was 2 yards short of Brett Favre at the end of the game, so that record will have to wait.

Colts squeeze out a victory:  27-24.

TV Razzle Dazzle

Nothing special – typical excellent CBS coverage.

Entertainment value

This show held my interest more than most because my team was down from the start — and then came back, twice, to tie.  Sadly my Broncos lost, but it wasn’t an embarrassment.

Commercial commentary

  • 115 separate commercials — an extraordinary number in a game that started late.  T-factor 4.9/7.0.
  • 3 fantasy football ads — all for FanDuel.
  • I’m noticing more commercials with a winter holiday vibe (think Christmas).  It may be interesting to see how that trend picks up as we get closer to Black Friday and December.

Interesting Extras

A little montage about Manning and Luck — draft positions for Indianapolis.   Very brief clip showing military folks being recognized as the Colts took the field at start of game.  USS Indianapolis — last ship to sink in WW2.  WW2 monument in downtown Indianapolis.

So much to learn

I’ve been reading a little paperback called Watching Football:  Decoding America’s Favorite Game by Mark Oristano (former telecaster).  It’s answered lots of my basic questions about this game but also

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 Commercial  Sun Nov 8 2015;  CBS.  Total:  115. Category Ad Number Testosterone Factor (avg.  4.9/7.0)
1 Southwest Airlines 1 2
3 Southwest Airlines 55 2
3 Macy’s Apparel 65 1
4 Acura Auto 92 5
4 Acura Auto 103 5
HT Dodge RAM Auto 39 7
HT Dodge RAM Auto 52 7
3 Dodge RAM Auto 86 6
3 Ford Auto 88 4
3 Hyundai Sonata (Texans*) Auto 80 7
2 KIA Auto 19 3
2 Lexus Auto 24 5
1 Mercedes Auto 4 6
2 Mercedes Auto 7 5
3 Nissan Altima Auto 63 3
3 Nissan Sentra Auto 71 7
3 VW Auto 77 4
2 Bud Light Beer 15 7
3 Bud Light Beer 64 6
2 Budweiser Beer 32 6
3 Coors Light Beer 76 4
HT Michelob Ultra Beer 51 4
2 National Car Rental Car rental 36 7
4 Droid Turbo 2 Cellphone 94 3
2 iPhone 6S Cellphone 16 3
2 Samsung Cellphone 23 1
3 Samsung Cellphone 78 4
3 T-Mobile Cellphone 59 4
2 Verizon (Watt)* Cellphone 12 7
3 iWatch Computer 66 3
3 iWatch Computer 69 4
4 Walmart Discount Store 90 3
4 Best Buy Electronics 101 6
2 nexus Electronics 20 4
2 FanDuel Fantasy Football 11 7
3 FanDuel Fantasy Football 58 7
3 FanDuel Fantasy Football 67 7
2 American Express Financial 34 1
2 Metlife Financial 17 5
3 Metlife Financial 62 6
3 TD Ameritrade (Luck)* Financial 60 5
3 Voya Financial 81 4
HT Bills/Jets on NFL Network Football 46 6
HT Bills/Jets on NFL Network Football 53 5
4 Bills/Jets on NFL Network Football 93 5
3 Football is Family Football 61 7
2 Hyundai Texans Win* Football 29 5
3 NFL Monday QB Football 84 7
HT Vikings Tickets Football 47 7
2 Oikos Yogurt* Groceries 31 6
4 Head and Shoulders Shampoo* Health and Beauty 95 6
4 Home Depot Home Improvement 108 4
3 Marriott Superbowl 50 Hotel 57 4
HT American Family* Insurance 41 5
2 Nationwide (Manning)* Insurance 25 6
4 New York Life Insurance 97 5
2 State Farm Double Check Insurance 33 7
4 Jared Jewelry 113 3
3 Kay Jewelers Jewelry 74 2
1 Zales Jewelry 3 2
3 Airforce Military 68 5
HT Greenlight a Vet Military 54 4
3 Hewlett Packard Veterans’ Day Military 56 7
2 USAA Salute to Service Military 8 5
2 Creed Movie 28 7
4 In The Heart Of The Sea Movie 100 7
3 Mockingjay Part 2 Movie 72 5
1 The 33 Movie 2 5
2 The Good Dinosaur Movie 21 4
4 The Night Before Movie 98 5
4 Cialis Pharmaceuticals 112 6
2 Opdivo Pharmaceuticals 6 4
2 Prilosec Pharmaceuticals 30 4
HT Arby’s Restaurants 40 5
2 Chili’s Restaurants 14 4
4 Chili’s Restaurants 104 4
4 Outback Restaurants 96 5
4 Papa Johns (Manning)* Restaurants 107 7
4 Papa Johns (Manning)* Restaurants 110 7
HT Papa Murphys* Restaurants 50 4
4 Subway Restaurants 106 7
4 Subway Restaurants 111 7
3 Wendy’s Restaurants 82 5
4 Wendy’s Restaurants 91 4
4 Direct TV Satellite TV 109 6
3 Cabela’s Sporting Goods 87 7
4 Bridgestone Tires* Tires 99 7
4 60 Minutes TV Show 114 4
2 Big Bang Theory TV Show 9 5
3 Big Bang Theory/Mom/Two Broke Girls TV Show 83 5
HT Blue Bloods TV Show 38 5
2 Code Black TV Show 27 3
3 Code Black TV Show 85 3
2 Criminal Minds TV Show 13 4
2 Criminal Minds TV Show 26 6
3 Elementary TV Show 79 5
HT Late Show TV Show 43 4
3 Late Show TV Show 75 4
4 Late Show TV Show 115 4
2 Limitless TV Show 22 5
HT Limitless TV Show 44 6
2 NCIS TV Show 35 5
2 NCIS: Los Angeles TV Show 18 5
HT Scorpion TV Show 48 5
4 Scorpion TV Show 102 5
1 Supergirl TV Show 5 3
HT Supergirl TV Show 37 3
3 Supergirl TV Show 70 3
HT Survivor TV Show 45 5
4 Two Broke Girls TV Show 105 3
HT WCCO News (Local) TV Show 42 4
3 WCCO News (Local) TV Show 89 4
2 Call of Duty Video Game 10 6
3 Call of Duty Video Game 73 7
HT X1 Infinity Video Game 49 7

Note:  This article was first posted at renogulch.com on Monday, November 30, 2015.  It was listed with an earlier publication date so that in the index it would appear closer to the date the game was played.  