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NFL Week 7 Overnights: CBS Leads With Patriots-Steelers; "SNF" Sees Sharp Drop

CBS led all Week 7 NFL broadcast windows yesterday with a 13.7 overnight rating for the Patriots’ 27-16 win over the Steelers in the national window from 4:25-7:30pm ET in 96% of markets. Fox had the national window game in Week 7 last year -- drawing a 15.8 overnight for Cowboys-Giants in 98% of markets. Patriots-Steelers peaked at a 14.8 overnight from 7:00-7:30pm ET. Meanwhile, CBS earned a 9.0 overnight for its regional window yesterday. Fox had that window last year, drawing an 8.7 overnight. Fox’ singleheader window yesterday drew a 10.2 overnight. CBS earned a 12.2 in the same window in ’15. Capping off the night, NBC averaged an 11.6 rating for the Seahawks-Cardinals 6-6 tie on “SNF.” Facing head-to-head competition from the season premiere of “The Walking Dead,” that number is down 15% from last year’s Eagles-Panthers “SNF” game in Week 7. NFL Network yesterday morning drew a 2.8 overnight for the Giants' 17-10 win over the Rams in London (Josh Carpenter, Assistant Editor).

NFL WEEK 7 SUNDAY OVERNIGHT RATINGS
NET
'16 TELECAST
RAT.
'15 NET
'15 TELECAST
RAT.
Fox
(single)
10.2
CBS
(single)
12.2
CBS
(regional)
9.0
Fox
(regional)
8.7
CBS
Patriots-Steelers (96%)
13.7
Fox
Cowboys-Giants (98%)
15.8
NBC
Seahawks-Cardinals
11.6
NBC
Eagles-Panthers
13.6

WHERE'S THE EXCITEMENT? SPORTING NEWS' Vinnie Iyer writes the Seahawks-Cardinals tie was "absolute hell, at the very worst time," for the NFL. The "last thing the league needed with its prime-time ratings in decline was Seattle and Arizona playing 75 minutes with neither a touchdown nor a winner" (SPORTINGNEWS.com, 10/24). In Tacoma, Dave Boling writes Seahawks-Cardinals "might have been the best awful game in the history of the NFL" (Tacoma NEWS TRIBUNE, 10/24). Meanwhile, in N.Y., Bob Raissman writes people watching the Giants-Rams game from London "found evidence why NFL TV ratings are down." The game was "sloppy AND boring, fitting a prevailing pattern through the first six weeks of the season." Raissman: "Can’t wait for that classic Jaguars-Titans Thursday night matchup, can you?" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 10/24). USA TODAY as part of its weekly 40 things it learned from Sunday's games writes, "We can sum up the games like this: If the play didn’t result in a penalty, there was a turnover. If there wasn’t a turnover, there was a penalty. It was ugly, folks. Everywhere. Just one of those days. ... But, yeah, a couple guys taking a knee or raising a fist during the anthem is why the TV ratings are down. Got it" (USA TODAY, 10/24). Free agent G Geoff Schwartz tweeted, "Just what the NFL ratings doctor ordered. SNF, division rivals... Going to be excellent! ... A freaking tie! 6-6! Miserable. Bad ball." The Ringer's official feed: "Hard to believe primetime NFL ratings are down when we have gems like tonight's game." Wagering analyst/podcaster Todd Fuhrman: "Going to end this NFL ratings debate once and for all. Unless you're gambling, sweating fantasy, or have a fav team the product is brutal." Barstool Sports' John Feitelberg: "I accidentally had the Jets/Ravens game on and just fell asleep on the couch for like 2 hrs. Plz subtract me from any and all ratings." Free agent LS Nate Boyer: "I'm more concerned about why the anthem protests hurt NFL ratings so much yet grown men who beat their wives do not" (TWITTER.com, 10/24).

LACK OF STAR POWER: In Boston, Ben Volin noted the NFL "hasn’t done a good job of marketing the next generation of players, concerned more with calling taunting penalties than letting players market their individuality." Patriots QB Tom Brady, Packers QB Aaron Rodgers, Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger, and Panthers QB Cam Newton "might be the only stars who can still carry a broadcast." The RedZone Channel is a "problem, highlighting some of the biggest deficiencies of a regular broadcast -- the incredible amount of downtime in a three-hour game, the inconsistencies in officiating, and poor coaching and execution." Meanwhile, the national TV matchups have "been awful," as the NFL is "not putting its best foot forward in these national TV games" (BOSTON GLOBE, 10/23). In Buffalo, Vic Carucci wrote the NFL ratings problem has the feel of "trying to plug multiple holes that have suddenly sprung in a dam." Carucci: "Something has changed and that is an audience seeking something other than what the league has to offer on a week-to-week basis. To a large degree, fans simply don’t like the product as much as before." However, there "seems little doubt that what is mostly being seen on the field just isn’t very good" (BUFFALO NEWS, 10/22). The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Holman Jenkins Jr. wrote the NFL "need not panic" yet, as there will still be an "audience for the full game, commercials and all." For a company with a message "that’s best-suited to a 30-second commercial seen by lots of young men, the NFL is still hard to beat." But for the league and its business partners, the challenge is "how to exploit the new revenue opportunities technology is creating" (WSJ.com, 10/23).

MISPLACED ANGER: In Sacramento, Andy Furillo noted 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick yesterday was "at a loss to explain how anything he might be doing is making fewer people watch his sport." He said, "I don’t know much about ratings and how they are affected and all of those things. But I don’t understand why ratings would go down, fighting for justice for people, to try to stop oppression, especially in a league that is predominantly black" (SACRAMENTO BEE, 10/24).

COULD BE BETTER: In Philadelphia, Matt Breen noted the "actual Thursday product this season has been dreadful." Last Thursday's Packers-Bears game was "another snooze fest." The matchups are "better than previous seasons, but the play is sloppy and the teams seem unprepared." The NFL "makes a ton of money" off "TNF." Breen: "It's likely not going away, but it could be improved" (PHILLY.com, 10/21). ESPN's Tom Waddle said, "I don't believe guys are ready to play on Thursday after playing on Sunday, so therefore the product on Thursday is just not good” ("Mike & Mike," ESPN Radio, 10/24).

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