This Book tells me everything I wanted to know, that being: "XL" has maxed out. They've shot their wad. They've blown their load. The breech is empty. They have hit the wall.
From here on in, the Programmers will be riding the Talent (that is: those without iron-clad contracts) hard with the intention of squeezing another ratings-point out of them. That kind of treatment always comes with consequences - and they're hardly ever satisfying.
But, and in the meantime, I'm also sure there's a circle-jerk going on over there anyway as being either #1 or #2 is all the National advertisers consider.
Now, the speculation can be about how long it will take to screw it up.