NFL Week 8 Overnights: Giants' Last-Second Win Over Cowboys Helps Propel Fox

Fox got an 18.8 overnight rating for the NFL national window yesterday, which featured the Giants’ win over the Cowboys in 98% of markets. That figure is up 16% from a 16.2 overnight for CBS’ national window in Week 8 last year, which featured Patriots-Steelers in 85% of markets. Fox also saw a 4% jump for its regional coverage in the Week 8 early window. Meanwhile, NBC earned an 11.4 overnight for the Saints-Broncos “SNF” telecast, which aired up against World Series Game 4. “SNF” is down 22.4% compared to Cowboys-Eagles in Week 8 last year, which did not have to air up against a World Series telecast and was one of the net’s best NFL game ratings last season. NBC also peaked early with the score getting out of hand. The net peaked with a 12.3 rating in the 9:30pm window before finishing with a 9.7 rating in the 11:00pm window (Austin Karp, THE DAILY).

PLAYING THE HAND THEY'RE DEALT: In Atlanta, Michael Cunningham wrote yesterday's Falcons-Eagles game was "so boring Fox NFL color analyst John Lynch actually did everyone a favor by trying to drum up some excitement when the Eagles held the Falcons to a field goal in the third quarter." Lynch and play-by-play announcer Dick Stockton "had little to work with after halftime." Dead air "doesn't work on television so the duo tried to ... create some drama whenever they could" (AJC.com, 10/28).

MINOR LIFT: In N.Y., Bob Raissman noted when the Jets traded for QB Tim Tebow during the offseason, one of the main questions was whether the move "would juice" the team's ratings. The Jets through seven games this year are averaging a 15.1 local rating compared to a 14.6 through the same period in '11. Since Tebow "hasn't seen much action, his contribution to the ratings is negligible" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 10/28).