CBS led all NFL overnights yesterday with a 15.1 rating for its national window coverage, which featured Panthers-Raiders in 63% of markets. The window, which is CBS' second-highest rated of the season, is down 10% from the net's comparable window last year, which featured Steelers-Seahawks in 98% of markets. CBS saw a 13% increase for its regional window, which drew an 8.8 overnight compared to last year's 7.8. Meanwhile, NBC's "SNF" saw a 27% drop for the Chiefs' OT win over the Broncos, which drew an 11.8 overnight compared to a 16.2 for a Patriots-Broncos OT affair in Week 12 last year. Fox' singleheader yesterday earned an 11.0 overnight, down 17% from a 13.3 for the comparable Week 12 window in '15 (Josh Carpenter, Assistant Editor).
|
NFL WEEK 12 SUNDAY OVERNIGHT RATINGS
|
| NET |
'16 TELECAST
|
RAT.
|
'15 TELECAST
|
RAT.
|
% +/-
|
| Fox |
(single)
|
11.0
|
(single)
|
13.3
|
-17.3%
|
| CBS |
(regional)
|
8.8
|
(regional)
|
7.8
|
12.8%
|
| CBS |
Panthers-Raiders (63%)
|
15.1
|
Steelers-Seahawks (98%)
|
16.7
|
-9.6%
|
| NBC |
Chiefs-Broncos
|
11.8
|
Patriots-Broncos
|
16.2
|
-27.2%
|
REASONS TO GIVE THANKS: Fox drew 35.1 million viewers for the Cowboys' 31-26 win over the Redskins in the late afternoon window on Thanksgiving Day, marking the most-watched regular-season game ever on the net. Redskins-Cowboys also was the most-watched NFL regular-season game on any network since NBC's Chiefs-Cowboys matchup on Thanksgiving in '95 (35.2 million). CBS last year drew 32.5 million viewers for Panthers-Cowboys in the late window. In Thursday's early window, CBS drew 27.6 million viewers for the Lions' last-second win over the Vikings, marking the net's most-watched NFL game since Panthers-Cowboys on Thanksgiving last year. Fox drew 25.4 million viewers for the early window Thanksgiving Day game last year, which featured Eagles-Lions. In primetime Thursday, NBC drew 20.9 million viewers for the Steelers' 28-7 win over the Colts, down 25% from 27.8 million for the Bears' 17-13 win over the Packers in the comparable matchup last year. That game was the NFL's best Thanksgiving primetime audience since launching the window in '06 (
Carpenter).
MAKES YOU WONDER: THE MMQB's Peter King writes the NFL's ratings decline so far this season is either a "big coincidence or dumb scheduling luck," as three of the highest-rated games this year have been played since the election. There is "still no disguising the fact" that ratings were down 12% across the board, with prime time down more than Sunday afternoon. It is also "unlikely the number will be sliced significantly from here on out, barring a tightening of the races involving two of the biggest teams in TV games," as the Cowboys and Patriots both enter the final six weeks with two-game leads in their divisions. King: "We’ll see" (MMQB.SI.com, 11/28).
THE KICK IS GOOD! In N.Y., Bob Raissman writes CBS "hit a home run" with a kicking segment on “The NFL Today” yesterday featuring former NFLer Jay Feely. The goal was to "figure out why so many 33-yard PATs are being missed," and CBS' presentation was "entertaining." With Feely, CBS is the "only NFL outlet with a kicking analyst." Raissman: "Others should follow suit" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 11/28).
EAGLE EYE: In Baltimore, David Zurawik writes the CBS crew of Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts and sideline reporter Evan Washburn "delivered another strong telecast" yesterday for the Ravens’ 19-14 victory over the Bengals. Eagle seems "totally focused on delivering a steady stream of story lines, information and data to the fans without his ego getting in the way." Meanwhile, Fouts this season "seems to have adjusted his game to be a solid complement to the play-by-play lead." Zurawik: "Most of all, they don’t keep chattering away in the booth" (Baltimore SUN, 11/28).
LOW TIDE: In Miami, Barry Jackson noted one of the "mysteries" of the Dolphins' season has been why their TV ratings "remain at historically low levels," despite a 7-4 record and six-game winning streak. Dolphins games "generally have drawn" between a 12.0 and 14.0 local rating, which is down from a 16.9 average for last season. Dolphins ratings in South Florida are "much lower than the home team’s ratings in most NFL cities." Jackson noted this could mean the Dolphins’ winning streak "hasn’t appreciably increased local interest," or Nielsen’s ratings are "flawed and the homes being monitored don’t accurately reflect Dolphins interest" (MIAMIHERALD.com, 11/24).
