ESPN last night earned a 6.2 overnight rating for the Panthers' 45-21 win over the Dolphins, marking the fourth-lowest "MNF" rating since ESPN acquired the package prior to the '06 season. Last night's rating is down 21% from a 7.9 overnight for the comparable Bengals-Giants matchup in Week 10 last year. Two years ago, ESPN drew an 8.6 for Texans-Bengals in Week 10. Dolphins-Panthers peaked at an 8.0 rating between 9:45-10:00pm ET. The game delivered a 23.3 local rating in Charlotte (9.0 on ESPN, 14.3 on WSOC-ABC) and a 12.1 in Miami-Ft. Lauderdale (4.7 on ESPN, 7.4 on WPGL-ABC). Raleigh-Durham (12.0), Greensboro (11.7) and New Orleans (10.6) rounded out the top five (Josh Carpenter, Assistant Editor).
BAIT & TACKLE: In Miami, Barry Jackson writes for the "first time in memory, a network analyst criticized" Dolphins coach Adam Gase’s play-calling on a game telecast. ESPN's Jon Gruden said he keeps "waiting (for Gase) to let Jay Cutler throw downfield." Gruden also said that the Dolphins are the "most inconsistent team he has seen on offense and defense." Gruden overall had "little patience for the Dolphins" (MIAMI HERALD, 11/14).
LOCAL FIGURES: The Patriots' 41-16 win over the Broncos on "SNF" delivered a 34.7 local rating in Boston, which is the market's second-best NFL figure of the season, behind Week 7's Falcons-Patriots matchup on "SNF" (Patriots). Meanwhile, in Chicago, Phil Rosenthal notes local ratings for the Bears "remain strong" despite "all the forces pulling down NFL television ratings nationally." The Bears' 23-16 loss to the Packers on WFLD-Fox on Sunday averaged a 22.4 local rating in Chicago (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 11/14).
