NBC's Chiefs-Patriots Marks Lowest-Rated NFL Kickoff Game Since Titans-Steelers in '09

NBC drew a 14.6 overnight rating for the Chiefs' 42-27 win over the Patriots, marking the lowest-rated NFL Kickoff game since '09, when Titans-Steelers drew a 13.8 overnight. Chiefs-Patriots is down 12% from a 16.5 rating for Panthers-Broncos last season, and down 18% from a 17.7 for Steelers-Patriots two years ago. NBC did get a primetime win last night. Providence led all markets with a 35.6 local rating, followed by K.C. at a 35.5 and Boston at a 35.0. Denver (20.6) and New Orleans (20.4) rounded out the top five markets. On top of the Chiefs pulling away late in the game, coverage of Hurricane Irma on cable news networks and the Weather Channel also likely cut into the NFL figure. Fox Sports VP/Research, League Operations & Strategy Michael Mulvihill tweeted that those cable news nets and the Weather Channel combined for a 6.4 overnight rating last night, compared to a 4.3 on the comparable NFL Kickoff night last year (Austin Karp, Assistant Managing Editor).

FOCUSING ON THE GAME: NBC's Cris Collinsworth bought Pro Football Focus in '14, and he said that the site's "greatest value to him -- beyond being a business investment -- is how much it aids his preparation, especially since his schedule got even tighter" when NBC added "TNF" games last season. In Boston, Chad Finn reported PFF "also aids" Collinsworth during game broadcasts. PFF has 15-20 analysts "watching individual players and matchups during a game, which allows for instantaneous data-based assessments of specific performances." Collinsworth: "With the system we have established now we can do live grading. ... I go back and study what they’re evaluations are. ‘Hey, the left guard has been dominant in this game.’ And so on. I get a kick out of it. I’m taking all of the eyeballs on that game that I can possibly have" (BOSTON GLOBE, 9/7).