ESPN drew a 10.4 overnight for its '14 "MNF" finale last night, which saw the Bengals secure a playoff spot with a 37-28 win over the Broncos. That figure marks the second-best "MNF" overnight this season, behind only Redskins-Cowboys on Oct. 27 (12.1). The '14 "MNF" finale also was up 22% from an 8.5 in Week 16 last year for Falcons-49ers, which marked the last regular-season game ever at Candlestick Park. Last night's game peaked at an 11.9 rating from 11:30-11:45pm ET. The game drew a 40.9 local rating in Cincinnati (13.3 on ESPN, 27.5 on WLWT-NBC). It also drew a 39.9 rating in Denver (18.5 on ESPN, KTVD-Ind.) (Austin Karp, Assistant Managing Editor).
FLEXING ITS MUSCLE: The NFL on Monday announced the rest of the Week 17 TV schedule, with Lions-Packers moved to 4:25pm ET on Fox. Panthers-Falcons was cross-flexed and will air at 4:25pm on CBS. Jaguars-Texans has been moved to 1:00pm on Fox. Most markets will see four Sunday afternoon games (two on CBS, two on Fox), plus NBC's "SNF" Bengals-Steelers matchup (NFL).
BEAR NECESSITIES: In Chicago, Lewis Lazare noted the Bears last week benched QB Jay Cutler for Jimmy Clausen, and the curiosity factor "definitely drew a few more" of the Bears' "angry fan base to their television sets." Sunday's Lions-Bears game earned a 24.4 local rating in Chicago on WFLD-Fox, up from a 23.7 for the Saints-Bears "MNF" matchup the previous week. Lions-Bears "peaked at 29.3 rating during the game's final quarter-hour as, remarkably, there still seemed a possibility the Bears might win" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 12/22).
