If you watched the NFL’s last two prime time games you’d have to worry about the state of the game because, yes, it has been ugly.

The New York Jets and Buffalo Bills combined for a stunning 22 penalties for 204 yards on Monday night.

Saints And Broncos Snoozer 

And Thursday night, the New Orleans Saints and Denver Broncos put on a snoozer in which some of the more compelling plays were dropped interceptions, a fumble return for a touchdown called back by an offside penalty, and the inconsistent play of two rookie quarterbacks.

But the NFL will survive this. Because the league believes the state of the game is strong. 

Just ask. 

“Terrific,” NFL executive vice president Jeff Miller said Thursday afternoon. “A lot of exciting and close games and I think our viewers have responded.”

Oct 13, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Tykee Smith (23) celebrates an interception of a ball intended for New Orleans Saints wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (22) with cornerback Tyrek Funderburk (24) and linebacker Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (9) during the fourth quarter at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Strong State Of The Game

Miller has the data to back up his point. This year the NFL has played 52 games decided by 7 points or fewer. That’s tied for the most in NFL history going into Week 7 of the season.

Scoring is up. 

(The NFL loves this, by the way, because fans love this).

League games are averaging 44.9 points per game through six weeks of play. That’s the most points per game since 2021.

And fans and viewers have responded, in that games are averaging 17.4 million viewers per game on average. That’s up from last year and the highest average through Week 6 of the season since 2015.

Oct 13, 2024; London, United Kingdom; A general overall view of the opening kickoff with the NFL shield logo at midfield during an NFL International Series game between the Chicago Bears and the Jacksonville Jaguars at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Dynamic Kickoff Working

Even the Dynamic Kickoff, which hasn’t exactly been all that dynamic, to be honest, is something of an improvement over the previous iteration of kickoffs in the NFL’s opinion.

That’s because 32 percent of kicks are being returned compared to only 17 percent at the same time last season. The math says that’s about a 90 percent increase in kickoffs being returned – which makes the play matter.

The NFL is eager to grow the game not just in the United States but abroad. 

It’s a money thing, folks.

More fans means more dollars and, obviously, one way to find more fans is to go beyond American shores.

At the league meeting held this week, owners were briefed on “what is truly a priority for the league with the collective goal of becoming a true global sport property,” according to NFL executive vice president Peter O’Reilly.

“We feel that building,” 

SAO PAULO, BRAZIL – SEPTEMBER 06: A general view prior to a game between the Green Bay Packers and the Philadelphia Eagles at Arena Corinthians on September 06, 2024 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Wagner Meier/Getty Images)

International Games Thriving

The NFL earlier this season played its first ever game in Brazil. It was a standalone game on a Friday night. And the league is giddy with the results.

The league says that game generated nearly $62 million in economic impact for São Paulo. 

A crowd of 47,252 watched the Eagles and the Packers play in a sold-out Corinthians Arena. The league proudly says that 90 percent of the tickets sold were to people from South America, with every state in Brazil represented.

“That’s what we wanted,” O’Reilly said. “We wanted to bring our game to that passionate fan base that had never experienced the NFL live on the South American continent before.”

The NFL intends to return to Brazil, perhaps even next year, despite the widespread use of censorship as instituted by that nation’s supreme court. 

The league returns every year to London and last weekend played its 38th game in that market since 2007.

Fans from 80 countries purchased tickets to the London games the past two weekends. Less than 10 percent of the tickets were purchased by American fans. 

“We’re committed to the market,” O’Reilly said. “We’ll be there for two regular-season games a year at least at {Tottenham Hotspur Stadium] through 2029 and the Jags continue their commitment to the market on an annual basis [at Wembley Stadium].”

Oct 13, 2024; London, United Kingdom; The London Games logo on the sideline during an NFL International Series game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Three Million Attend London Games

On Sunday, when the Patriots and the Jaguars play in Wembley Stadium, the NFL will be welcoming its three millionth fan through the turnstile since 2007.

The NFL is playing in Munich in Week 10. Last December, owners voted to increase international games from the five being played this year.

In 2025, the NFL will play multiple games in London, will play in Germany, hopes to return to both Mexico and Brazil and has already announced a game in Madrid. 

All this attention to international games is not without its pitfalls and the league experienced some of that recently when commissioner Roger Goodell said during a question-and-answer session in the UK that the league would at some point play a Super Bowl abroad.

Roger Goodell Super Bowl Slip

That played well with fans Goodell was addressing. It predictably had a different vibe in America. So O’Reilly had to add context to the commissioner’s statement.

“Our focus really on the international front in terms of games is around growing the number of regular season games,” O’Reilly said. “The Super Bowl, with the incredibly strong interest we have from U.S. cities to host the game … the notion of an international Super Bowl is far from the front burner.

“Obviously, we’d never rule something out down the line, but not something that we’re talking about or is front burner for us.”

This is not new, by the way. Goodell said the same thing last year at a London fan forum. And O’Reilly had to clarify last year the same way he did Thursday. 

It’s an issue Goodell should try to clean up – even as he’s been kind of busy helping the state of the game remain strong so far.