NFL ratings, which have been down significantly this season, have improved slightly since the U.S. presidential election.While viewership is down 10 percent overall through the first 14 weeks of the season compared to that time span in 2015, thats four percentage points better than the collective broadcasts were down a little more than a month ago.Its an encouraging rebound, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told ESPN on Friday. I think it proves that the election was certainly a factor.For the first nine weeks, NFL games averaged 15.5 million viewers, which was down 14 percent compared to 2015. But following the Nov. 8 presidential election, which took place two days before the start of Week 10, viewership has increased. During Weeks 10-14, NFL games averaged 18.1 million viewers, off just 2 percent compared to those weeks in 2015.As Goodell noted in a memo sent to NFL teams in October, the league has been affected by the presidential election before. In 2000, the memo said, Fox games were down 4 percent, and ABCs 7. Even worse, CBS and ESPN were down 10 and 11 percent, respectively.Goodell told ESPN that he doesnt blame all of the viewership woes this season on the political news cycle, saying he and the leagues executives have for years looked into various ways to make the game more digestible to fans.The average length of an NFL game is about 3 hours, 8 minutes, which hasnt changed substantively in the past several years, though the game might seem slower as the attention span changes due to the media landscape and social media.Im a big believer that its about the pace of the game, not the length of the game, Goodell told ESPN. If you have a great game, no one is talking about the games length. But pace is something weve been working on.One of the first experiments the league will conduct, in cooperation with its television partners, is different times and lengths of ad breaks within every Week 16 games. ?We want to re-evaluate what commercial pods should look like, Goodell said. Commercial breaks have been 2 minutes and 20 seconds for our entire history. Well, what happens if we try shorter breaks and put them in different places. It might be better for us, our fans, our television partners and even the advertisers. And its not just a media exercise, its about making it feel right to the fans in the stadium, as well.?Goodell says the average time spent for instant replay -- approximately 15 minutes per game -- also could be lessened soon.Weve had instant replay reviewed in our central office for two years now, Goodell said. In the beginning, there was a sense that it might be hard for us to have an integral role in all the games going on at one time, but theres more confidence now that were in a position where maybe instead of the official coming to the sideline, we could have a (Microsoft) Surface tablet brought out to him and we could get in his ear and make the decision quicker.As for the notion that games arent competitive enough, Goodell says the facts dont back up that assertion.?Were having our most competitive season since the early 1930s, Goodell said.The league says the average margin of victory through Week 14 is 9.83 points per game, which would be the lowest for a full season since 1932 (9.13). Some 69.2 percent of all games played this season have been within seven points in the fourth quarter (144 of 208), which would be the highest percentage for a full season since 1935 (71.7 percent), according to the league.Addressing those who say the decline in ratings is a product of too much football, Goodell says he doesnt see an issue with the quantity of games, including Thursday Night Football.I dont think weve seen anyone who wants less football, said Goodell, referencing the recent Dallas Cowboys-Minnesota Vikings game as the most watched Thursday Night Game ever.In fact, its the rise in the Thursday Night viewership that partially helped the league rebound. Those games from Weeks 10-14, which also included a highly anticipated Kansas City Chiefs-Oakland Raiders matchup, were up 35 percent compared to 2015.?Big games certainly have helped ratings rebound from the 15.5 million average seen from Weeks 1-9, as have the success of the Cowboys, who at 11-2 are tied with the New England Patriots with the best record in football.?The Week 10 Sunday game on Fox featuring the Cowboys versus the Pittsburgh Steelers drew 28.9 million viewers. Two weeks later, the Cowboys versus the Washington Redskins pulled in 35.1 million viewers on Fox. And last week, the Cowboys game against the New York Giants on NBCs Sunday Night Football was watched by 26.5 million people.Through the first 14 weeks, the biggest declines have been for ESPNs Monday Night Football and NBCs Sunday Night Football, which are down 15 and 13 percent, respectively, compared to 2015. Thursday Night Football, which is shared by the NFL Network, CBS and NBC, as well as with Twitter, is down 17 percent.Networks that air Sunday day-time games have had the narrowest drops. Fox is down 4 percent in viewership, while CBS has seen a 7 percent decline.?While the league wants to provide fans with a way to see the best moments of games on social media, executives have been weary of letting them do too much, so as not to discourage fans from watching at all. This year, the NFL put limits on what teams can put out editorially within the games and required that highlights be pulled from the leagues server.Said Goodell: You have to prepare to cannibalize yourself to deliver what the consumer wants. But we want to make sure to have the right balance. Adidas Superstar Best Price . The Dutchmans tenure got off to a poor start when referee Guido Winkmann awarded a penalty within two minutes for Niklas Starks clumsy challenge on Alexandru Maxim. Cheap Adidas Superstar Wholesale . 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BOSTON -- Back home and rested, David Ortiz isnt ready to look at the second half of the season as the final stretch just yet.Ortiz drove a three-run homer deep into the seats in right field and Rick Porcello remained unbeaten at home as the Boston Red Sox beat the struggling San Francisco Giants 4-0 on Tuesday night.It was the 23rd homer and first since the All-Star break for Ortiz, who is keeping Boston in contention for another title in his farewell season.I can do all the thinking after the season is over, said Ortiz, who plans to retire once the season ends. Not thinking about nothing now.Otizs homer in the fourth and a solo shot by Brock Holt in the third were more than enough offensive support for Porcello to remain unbeaten at home this season.Porcello scattered four hits over 6 1/3 innings and the Red Sox won for the seventh time in eight games despite a strong start by former teammate Jake Peavy.San Francisco remained winless since the All-Star break with its fourth straight loss. The Giants had just five hits and only three runners advanced beyond first base.We just need somebody to get a big hit and inject some life into this offense, Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. We look flat right now. You look flat when you dont hit or drive in a run and they start pressing a little bit and weve got to get on track here soon.Porcello (12-2) scattered four hits over 6 1/3 innings, striking out three and walking two while improving to 9-0 at home. Porcello settled down after allowing singles to the first two batters he faced and improved to 9-0 at home this season.Porcello ended up striking out the side in the first and the Giants had two hits over the next five innings. Porcello left after walking Jarrett Parker with one out in the seventh. Reliever Robbie Ross got a quick double play to end the threat.Peavy (5-8), a key member of Bostons 2013 World Series champions, struck out six over six innings and held his former teammates to three hits, but two left the park.Ortiz nearly hit one out in his first at-bat, but the wind knocked it down for a very deep flyout to center. Ortiz came up again in the fourth and drove the first pitch he saw from Peavy way out to right.Hes a year too late if you ask me in retiring, Peavy said with a smile. Id love to play that game without him tonight.Holts solo homer to center in the third was Bostons first hit.Dustin Pedroia led off the fourth with a walk and Xander Bogaerts followed with a single,, setting up Ortizs shot to right that cleared the bullpen and several rows of seats before finally landing.ddddddddddddIt was the 526th career homer for Ortiz, who didnt seem to relish hitting it off Peavy.Peavys always going to be remembered here and welcomed to Boston, Ortiz said. Great teammate and great personality. I really enjoyed being his teammate.The Giants were in Boston for the first time since the Red Sox swept a three-game interleague series in 2007.WELCOME BACKPeavy joined the Red Sox in a deadline deal in 2013 and was traded about a year later. His short stay in Boston was memorable and the Boston fans welcomed him back with a warm reception early.I love Fenway Park and getting a chance to come back here as a visitor, Peavy said. Tonight was different because youre in compete mode and youre trying to find a way to win. But I certainly appreciate the fan response. From the time I walked out of the dugout, it was positive.KOJI CONCERNSCloser Koji Uehara came in to pitch the ninth even though it was not a save situation and left after facing just one batter. Uehara was pulled after feeling a strain in his right pectoral muscle and manager John Farrell said the Red Sox werent taking any chances.Uehara was to be evaluated Wednesday.I cant tell you at this time how much time Koji is going to miss, Farrell said.TRAINERS ROOMGiants: OF Hunter Pence (strained left hamstring) had a couple of days off during a rehab assignment with Triple-A Sacramento. Pence rested Sunday after getting hit by a pitch the day before and Sacramento was rained out Monday. ... Manager Bruce Bochy said IF Joe Panik (concussion), also rehabbing with Sacramento, could be back in the lineup as soon as this weekend.Red Sox: RHP Junichi Tazawa (right shoulder) could return to Bostons bullpen by Friday, Farrell said. ... C/LF Blake Swihart is closer to returning from a sprained left ankle, but it is not clear if he will catch again this season, Farrell said.UP NEXTGiants: RHP Matt Cain (1-5, 5.34 ERA) will get his first start since June 13 after spending more than a month on the DL with a strained right hamstring. The Giants plan to activate Cain before the game Wednesday.Red Sox: LHP Drew Pomeranz makes his Boston debut since coming over in a trade with San Diego last week. Pomeranz was 8-7 with a 2.47 ERA with the Padres. 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