NBC and NFL Network combined for a 10.7 overnight rating for the Cowboys' 38-14 win over the Redskins on "TNF," down 24% from a 14.1 for the comparable Cowboys-Vikings game in Week 13 last year. Two years ago, Packers-Lions in Week 13 drew a 12.0 overnight on CBS and NFL Network. Thursday night's game peaked at an 11.5 rating between 9:30-10:00pm ET and gives NBC a primetime win. Dallas led all markets with a 26.3 rating for Thursday's game, followed by DC (22.7), San Antonio (21.8), Richmond (21.8) and Norfolk (20.5) (Josh Carpenter, Assistant Editor).
LOCAL TREND: In Houston, David Barron noted local ratings for Texans games are "in the midst of a solid double-digit swoon." Through 11 games, Texans games are down 18.5% in Houston from the same amount of games a season ago. At 4-7 with a playoff berth "highly unlikely, that number should decline considerably." Mediocre play "accounts for much of this year's decline." In '16, 11 regular-season games topped a 7.0 rating, but this season, the "highest regular-season rating was 6.8" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 11/30).
BIG D BIG IN ST. LOUIS: In St. Louis, Dan Caesar reports the Cowboys "occupy half the spots on the list of the 10 best-rated Sunday NFL telecasts in St. Louis this season." The Cowboys have been on St. Louis TV "eight times on Sundays this season, most of any team," and KTVI-Fox has "shown five of those contests." KTVI GM Spencer Koch said that the station "generated better football ratings on Sundays in November than did Fox stations in seven markets that have an NFL team" -- L.A., Denver, Pittsburgh, Boston, Oakland, Miami and Cleveland. Koch: "It's impressive. The NFL is alive and well in St. Louis." There also has been a "heavy dose" of Chiefs telecasts in St. Louis this season, with seven airing in the market. KMOV-CBS GM Mike Murphy said, "It’s not like (the Chiefs) are out of it. They’ve been a good pick for us." Caesar notes the Rams have been "on St. Louis TV the last two weeks, and their next two games also are to be shown locally" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 12/1).
PHIL ME IN: In N.Y., Justin Terranova writes CBS' Phil Simms has been a "good fit for the format" of "The NFL Today." After moving from the broadcast booth to the studio this year, Simms is "fitting in well" alongside the show's other on-air talent. During the broadcast of a game, Simms would have "ample time between plays to pick and choose his points alongside Jim Nantz." Now it is "more rapid fire with fast-paced takes and observations flying across the room over the course of an hour." Simms said that he has a "strong relationship with everyone in the cast," but his relationship with Boomer Esiason "stands out" (N.Y. POST, 12/1).
GOOD WORK: In N.Y., Phil Mushnick writes Fox Sports' Peter Schrager is being "assigned to lesser" NFL games. Mushnick: "As heard, and only occasionally seen, during the Panthers-Jets game this past Sunday, Schrager, as always, quickly gathered, then cleanly spoke useful information, no speeches. Radical" (N.Y. POST, 12/1).
