The NFL's decision to keep Eagles-Rams as the featured game in the late window yesterday paid off for Fox, as the marquis matchup delivered Fox the best NFL overnight rating (16.0) this season to date. The previous high was in Week 2 for Cowboys-Broncos (15.9). The Eagles' 43-35 win over the Rams was featured in 90% of Fox markets. That figure is up 2% from Seahawks-Packers in Week 14 last year. The NFL had also decided to flex Cowboys-Giants yesterday from that late national window to Fox' regional window, and that paid off as well. Fox drew a 10.4 overnight for the regional window at 1:00pm ET, marking its best regional window since Week 1 last season. It also was up 11% from a 9.4 in Week 14 last year. Meanwhile, Ravens-Steelers saw a sharp drop on NBC last night. The "SNF" matchup drew an 11.6 overnight, which is NBC's lowest figure for Week 14 since '08, when Redskins-Ravens drew a 9.3. Ravens-Steelers also is down 30% from Cowboys-Giants in Week 14 last year. Despite the drop, "SNF" still delivered NBC a primetime win among all networks. The game peaked early at a 12.0 rating from 9:30-10:00pm ET. Pittsburgh led all markets last night with a 44.4 local rating, which is NBC's best "SNF" figure involving a Steelers game since Week 17 in '14. Baltimore was the No. 2 market with a 30.8 local rating. CBS drew an 8.6 overnight for its singleheader window yesterday, which featured the cross-flexed Vikings-Panthers game in 40% of markets. Only 4% of CBS markets saw the snow-covered Colts-Bills game. The singleheader for CBS was down 24% from last year, as the net had three games in the 4:05pm window up against Fox' national window (Austin Karp, Assistant Managing Editor).
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NFL WEEK 14 SUNDAY OVERNIGHT RATINGS
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NET
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'17 GAME
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RAT.
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'16 GAME
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RAT.
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% +/-
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CBS
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(single)
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8.6
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(single)
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11.3
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-23.9%
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Fox
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(regional)
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10.4
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(regional)
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9.4
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10.6%
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Fox
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Eagles-Rams (90%)
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16.0
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Seahawks-Packers (67%)
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15.7
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1.9%
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NBC
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Ravens-Steelers
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11.6
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Cowboys-Giants
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16.5
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-29.7%
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STILL IN A GOOD PLACE: NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell this morning downplayed suggestions that the league has "reached an oversaturation point" regarding televised games despite ratings falling this season for the second straight year. He said, "We're conscious of that (perception) and we're going to make sure that when we do something, we do it well and we do it as an event." Goodell noted "TNF" this season is the No. 2 program "in all of entertainment" ("Squawk Box," CNBC, 12/11).
NEED SOME RATINGS HELP: In Dallas, Barry Horn notes a couple of "identical double punctuated postgame tweets came from NBC and Fox" minutes after the Cowboys' 30-10 win over the Giants yesterday. The nets "remain gaga over the 7-6 Cowboys, who are still in the playoff hunt." The victory "keeps the Cowboys relevant" for their upcoming "SNF" game against the Raiders (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 12/11).
