League’s TV ratings up from last season

NFL ratings through the first four weeks of the regular season have shown a 5% increase over last season.

According to the league and Nielsen, games are averaging 16.6 million viewers on television and digital platforms.

NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” has shown the biggest jump among the weekly packages with a 6% increase. The average of 21.4 million viewers makes this the network’s best start since 2016. The DallasNew Orleans game Sunday averaged 24.7 million.

Fox’s Sunday package is averaging 19 million (5% increase) and CBS is averaging 17.1 million (4% increase).

ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” is averaging 11.6 million, which is even with last year.

Prosecutors appeal Kraft ruling.

FORT LAUDERDALE,

judge made several errors when he threw out video evidence allegedly showing New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft twice paying for sex at a Florida massage parlor, prosecutors argued in a court document, keeping alive their case against one of the NFL’s most prominent personalities.

The state attorney general’s office filed its argument with the Fourth District Court of Appeal, just before a deadline that probably would have meant the dismissal of Kraft’s second-degree misdemeanor charge. It says that Palm Beach County Judge Leonard Hanser made several errors in his May ruling, and argues that even if he didn’t, he went too far by suppressing the recordings police secretly made in January at the Orchids of Asia Day Spa.

Bengals place WR Ross on IR.

The Bengals put receiver John Ross III on injured reserve, the latest blow to a winless team that’s already missing star receiver A.J. Green.

Ross landed hard on his right shoulder during a 27-3 loss in Pittsburgh on Monday night that left Cincinnati 0-4 for the first time since 2008. The former first-round pick is eligible to return after eight games if the shoulder heals.

The third-year receiver was finally having a breakout season. After missing most of training camp with a hamstring injury, Ross led the Bengals with 328 yards receiving and three touchdown catches. He was Cincinnati’s only deep threat with Green recovering from an ankle injury suffered during training camp.

Ross was coming off two disappointing seasons. The ninth overall pick in 2017 was limited to three games as a rookie because of shoulder surgery. He finished with no catches and a fumble on his only carry.

Ross and Tyler Boyd were carrying the passing game with Green hurt. Now, there’s little experience beyond Boyd. The Bengals elevated undrafted rookie receiver Stanley Morgan off the practice squad to fill the roster spot.

Coach Zac Taylor said there’s a chance Ross could return late in the season.

Patriots kicker goes on IR. Gostkowski

The Patriots placed kicker Stephen Gostkowski on injured reserve.

The team announced the move but didn’t disclose the 35-year-old’s injury.

He is the fourth Patriots player to go on IR this season, joining receiver N’Keal Harry, left tackle Isaiah Wynn and fullback James Develin.

The franchise’s all-time leading scorer, Gostkowski has appeared in every game for New England since 2011.

But he has struggled thus far in the 2019 season, missing four extra points. He hadn’t missed more than three extra points in any of his previous 13 NFL seasons.