NFL Week Eight Overnights: CBS Leads With 16.2 For Pats-Steelers; Snow Impacts Markets

CBS led all NFL game telecasts yesterday with a 16.2 overnight Nielsen rating for the national window, which featuring Patriots-Steelers in 85% of markets. That rating excluded the Boston market, which was not reporting due to Saturday's snow storm. The 16.2 rating is down 4.7% from a 17.0 rating for Fox' national window featuring Vikings-Patriots in Week Eight last year. CBS also earned a 10.7 overnight for its regional coverage, which featured Dolphins-Giants in 80% of markets. That rating excludes N.Y. due to snow. NBC earned a 14.7 overnight for the Eagles' blowout win over the Cowboys during “SNF” last night, up 24.6% from an 11.8 rating for Steelers-Saints. The rating last night excluded the Philadelphia market due the snow storm. The broadcast led NBC to a win in primetime over CBS, which had the aid of an overrun for Patriots-Steelers. Fox earned an 11.3 for its singleheader, up 18.9% from CBS’ window in Week Eight last year. Hartford was also among the markets not reporting due to snow (Austin Karp, THE DAILY).

STAYING IN STUDIO: On Long Island, Bob Glauber reported CBS' "The NFL Today" co-host Bill Cowher yesterday said that he "plans to remain with the network next season as an NFL analyst" instead of returning to the sidelines. A day after Dolphins Owner Stephen Ross "denied reports that he had reached out to Cowher's agent to gauge interest in a possible return to the sidelines, Cowher said he had not been contacted." Cowher said, "I do not plan on coaching next year. I love where I work, and more importantly I enjoy the people that I work with up here. ... I plan on being back in the same seat next year" (NEWSDAY.com, 10/30). Cowher added that "being at CBS was a factor." Cowher: "I like the fact that what we do is about the game. There's not froufrou about it." CBS Sports Chair Sean McManus said that "CBS wants him for the long run." McManus: "Coach knows we want him there for a long time. We won't have any issues for completing a contract for as long as he wants to be here" (USA TODAY, 10/31).

ON-AIR QUALITY: In St. Petersburg, Tom Jones writes "each week, CBS' 'NFL Today' gets better." The show has "had quite a renaissance." A year ago, it was "almost unwatchable because of all the clowning around." But Jones noted it "has become more serious this season and much better, especially when Bill Cowher and Dan Marino talk." The show "has become more informative and more watchable than Fox' 'NFL Sunday'" (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 10/31). In Baltimore, David Zurawik notes during yesterday's Cardinals-Ravens game, Fox NFL analyst Brian Billick "said what the Cardinals needed to do immediately was switch rookie cornerback Patrick Peterson into man-on-man coverage" against Ravens WR Anquan Boldin. Zurawik: "No sooner were the words out of Billick's mouth, when you saw Peterson pointing to Boldin as he shifted over into just that kind of man coverage." Zurawik writes, "Anticipation, that's what separates Billick from most of the other analysts." He "saw the shift in coverage that needed to be made at [the] same time as the Arizona sideline did, and he let viewers know." That is "just the kind of thing that makes for a richer and more engaged viewing experience for fans." Zurawik contends there are "other coaches in other booths who do it, but none does it quite as well as Billick" (Baltimore SUN, 10/31).

THE UGLY TRUTH: In Denver, Dusty Saunders writes neither Fox analyst John Lynch nor Broncos radio analyst Brian Griese "tried to sugarcoat" Broncos QB Tim Tebow's performance against the Lions yesterday. Lynch was "highly critical of Tebow's passing style, particularly when Fox cameras focused on his unorthodox stance." Saunders: "Words and phrases such as 'overthrown,' 'inaccurate' and 'not a pretty ball' were a regular part of the commentary by each analyst" (DENVER POST, 10/31).

UNCENSORED TV: In San Antonio, Nick Mathews noted CBS microphones yesterday "clearly caught Jaguars quarterback Blaine Gabbert telling Texans linebacker Brian Cushing, 'Whoa there, m***********.'" Gabbert’s name "quickly became a top trending topic on twitter during the game on Sunday" (MYSANANTONIO.com, 10/30).

FEELING IMMORTAL: The intro to CBS’ “The NFL Today” yesterday featured scenes from Relativity Media’s new film “Immortals” intermixed with NFL game footage and narrated by actor Mickey Rourke. CBS’ James Brown began the broadcast by noting the film opens in theaters Nov. 11 and added, “That provides a nice segway to this. Are there any immortal teams this season?” CBS’ Bill Cowher said the Packers “are immortal” because “right now, they will be remembered for a long time” (“The NFL Today,” CBS, 10/30).