Nitpicking ... NFL Divisional Games

Only the last of the four NFL divisional playoff games produced much on-field drama this weekend, and the performances by broadcast teams were similarly unspectacular.

Still, there were some notable highs and lows.

Among the highs was the performance of the CBS Spors research and statistics crew working the Ravens-Colts game Saturday night. Just before halftime, and a game-changing touchdown by the Colts, the crew provided:
-- timely information that the Ravens had committed the most pass interference penalties in the league during the season (immediately after such a penalty had set up a Colts TD); and
-- solid, nuts-and-bolts stats within the flow of the game that the Colts produced 10 first-half touchdowns and the Ravens none as well as that Indianapolis had marched 50 yards in 58 seconds before scoring that touchdown before the break.

In terms of on-air teams, the Fox Sports tandem of Joe Buck, who might be better on football than baseball, and Troy Aikman sounded like the best of the bunch during the weekend while working the Cowboys-Vikings game. Even in a lopsided game, they were consistent with commentary and their work complemented each other regulary.

CBS's pairing of Jim Nance and Phil Simms had the weekend's most dramatic game and did fine. At the end, though, as the Jets weighted their game-ending options (go for it on fourth down, kick a field goal), Nance and Simms sounded disjointed, like they were not on the same page.

In terms of lows, CBS's Greg Gumble and Fox's Buck gladly joined the tournament-related hype that has caught the NFL (and some other sports) by storm in recent seasons. References to No. 1 seeds, and even the use of word "tournament" (no thanks, ESPN's Trent Dilfer) have become too frequent in pro football.

Announcers and networks have used the inappropriate verbage only because of the success of the NCAA Tournament in recent years.

This weekend's biggest offender was Gumble, who said the winner of the game he was working would reach the NFL's final four. Sorry, but the Final Four should apply only to college basketball. Why have the words division champions and wild card teams become taboo?

Finally, Fox also went overboard about hype regarding the Superdome in New Orleans. When the Saints victory ensured that the NFC Championship Game would be played on their home field, Fox trotted out information about other "major events" that the facility had hosted through the years. Those included Super Bowls, Sugar Bowls, BCN National Championship games, visits by the Pope and even meaningless Red Sox exhibition games.

It was an eclectic mix that seemed intended to validate the importance of the conference championship game, but when papal visits and meaningless baseball games show up on the same list it only confuses the matter.