“MNF” Finishes Strong; Jets Sees Ratings Soar; Playoff Ads

Last night's "MNF" broadcast on ABC, featuring Vikings-Ravens, earned a 13.4/21 overnight Nielsen rating, up 26% from the 10.6/21 for last year's comparable Cowboys-Titans.

BIG GAMES GET BIG RATINGS: In N.Y., Richard Sandomir notes that Sunday's Jets-Raiders, which the Jets needed to win to earn a playoff spot, earned a 16.6 overnight Nielsen rating, the "highest for any game on any network this season." The game earned a 17.1 overnight on WCBS-CBS in N.Y., making it the station's "third highest Jets' rating since a 17.7" on November 8, 1998 (N.Y. TIMES, 1/8)....In Boston, Bill Griffith notes Sunday's Patriots-Panthers game, in which the Patriots clinched the AFC East Division title, earned a 31.0/59 overnight in the Boston market. The rating was the highest for a Pats game this season and the highest for a 1:00pm Pats game since December '97 (GLOBE, 1/8).

PLAYOFF PUSH: The NFL's ad campaign around the playoffs, titled "In Their Own Words," debuted this past weekend and extends across various platforms, including TV, radio, and print; programming on ESPN and DirecTV; and special promos on NFL.com. For the campaign, NFL Films interviewed 20 current and past players and coaches who describe what the playoffs mean to them. The spots use the tag, "This Is What It's All About," and feature, among others, Kurt Warner, Shannon Sharpe, Ray Lewis, Jon Gruden, Bill Cowher, Mike Singletary and Ronnie Lott (NFL).

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TOO HOT TO PUT IN STOCK: In IL, Kim Mikus notes that after the Bears clinched the NFC Central Division title on Sunday, Bears fans "bombarded sports stores Monday morning" in search of official Division championship merchandise. Most stores will not have merchandise available for two-to-four days. Mikus reports that any items featuring LB Brian Urlacher, QB Jim Miller and RB Anthony Thomas are the "hottest sellers" (Illinois DAILY HERALD, 1/8).