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Manning-Brady Matchup Delivers Best AFC Championship Overnight Rating In 29 Years

A highly anticipated matchup between future HOFers Tom Brady and Peyton Manning helped CBS to the best AFC Championship overnight rating in 29 years. The Broncos' 20-18 win over the Patriots from 3:00-6:45pm ET drew a 31.8 overnight, which is the best for the AFC title game since Broncos-Browns drew a 31.9 on NBC in '87. Broncos-Patriots also is the best early window championship game -- AFC or NFC -- since '87. Yesterday was the first time in 12 years that the AFC Championship game in an early window topped an NFC Championship in the late window -- dating back to a previous Brady-Manning matchup. Broncos-Patriots also is up big from a 24.2 for Patriots-Colts in the primetime window last year and marks the best rating for any AFC or NFC Championship since Fox drew a 33.4 overnight for Giants-49ers in the late window in '12. Broncos-Patriots opened at a 24.7 rating at 3:00pm and grew steadily during the game, peaking at a 36.6 rating from 6:00-6:30pm. Denver drew a 52.1 local rating for the game yesterday, while Boston drew a 49.6. Meanwhile, Fox drew a 26.8 overnight for the Panthers' 49-15 win over the Cardinals in the NFC Championship, up from the Patriots' blowout of the Colts last year on CBS in primetime, but down from the net's Seahawks-49ers in '14, which drew a 31.0 rating. Panthers-Cardinals actually opened up at 6:45pm with a 22.6 rating, which was 3% better than where last year's Patriots-Colts opened in primetime. But last night's rating peaked at a 29.2 from 8:00-8:30pm and declined for the rest of the broadcast. Charlotte drew a 54.2 local rating for the NFC Championship, marking an NFL Playoffs record for the market. Phoenix drew a 43.9 local rating, also a record for the market (Austin Karp, Assistant Managing Editor).

AFC/NFC CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP OVERNIGHT RATINGS TREND
YEAR
NET
AFTERNOON MATCHUP
RAT.
NET
PRIMETIME MATCHUP
RAT.
'16
CBS
Broncos-Patriots
31.8
Fox
Panthers-Cardinals
26.8
'15
Fox
Seahawks-Packers
29.1
CBS
Patriots-Colts
24.2
'14
CBS
Broncos-Patriots
29.5
Fox
Seahawks-49ers
31.0
'13
Fox
49ers-Falcons
26.1
CBS
Ravens-Patriots
27.9
'12
CBS
Patriots-Ravens
29.1
Fox
Giants-49ers
33.4
'11
Fox
Packers-Bears
30.0
CBS
Steelers-Jets
31.3
'10
CBS
Colts-Jets
28.4
Fox
Saints-Vikings
33.3
'09
Fox
Cardinals-Eagles
24.0
CBS
Steelers-Ravens
23.8
'08
CBS
Patriots-Chargers
27.4
Fox
Giants-Packers
31.7
'07
Fox
Bears-Saints
26.2
CBS
Colts-Patriots
28.1
'06
CBS
Steelers-Broncos
24.6
Fox
Seahawks-Panthers
22.1
'05
Fox
Eagles-Falcons
28.6
CBS
Patriots-Steelers
27.0
             

JUST FOR KICKS: In N.Y., Bob Raissman writes neither Phil Simms nor Jim Nantz "provided the key piece of analysis" for Broncos-Patriots. Instead, CBS analyst Jay Feely "delivered the goods" when discussing Patriots K Stephen Gostkowski's missed extra point in the first quarter. There are "not many new frontiers to explore when it comes to in-game NFL analysis." But the kicking game is "critical" and an "untapped area of analysis" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 1/25). In N.Y., Phil Mushnick writes Feely, who was an "engaging interview" as a player, is "just as strong -- and speaks concisely -- as a CBS sideline man" (N.Y. POST, 1/25). 

HEY ARNOLD: SI.com's Richard Deitsch writes there was "strong directing" by CBS NFL Lead Game Director Mike Arnold following Broncos-Patriots. Arnold "rightly stayed" with Manning following the game and the "sequence of shots in order: Tom Brady and Peyton Manning talking; Patriots coach Bill Belichick embracing Manning; Tom Brady walking off the field dejectedly; Manning embracing New England special teams player Matthew Slater; Manning embracing Patriots linebacker Dont'a Hightower; back to Brady walking off the field, all framed by streaming confetti." Viewers "felt like they were on the middle of Sports Authority Field at Mile High" (SI.com, 1/24). 

FOLLOW-UP QUESTION? The N.Y. DAILY NEWS' Raissman notes with 8:07 left in the third quarter, CBS' Nantz "recounted what a tough season" Manning had endured. Nantz: "Including allegations of HGH, which he fiercely denies." Raissman: "Will Nantz have any follow-up HGH commentary during Super Bowl 50?" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 1/25). Nantz said of his comments regarding Manning to WFAN-AM host Mike Francesa: "It's taken on a life of its own and I am a little bit amused by it. I think it really has been misportrayed or overblown and I have been anxious for the chance to clarify that" (SI.com, 1/24).

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