NBC averaged 26.2 million viewers for Bills-Ravens, while local ratings in Western New York soaredGETTY IMAGES
The four games across the NFL Divisional Round averaged around 31 million viewers this season (two games on Fox, one on NBC and one CBS). That figure would be down around 7% from 33.2 million last season, and down around 4% from two seasons ago. The four-game average will likely beat out the figure from '18 (30.5 million). Fox’ Buccaneers-Saints in the Sunday primetime window led all games with 35.5 million viewers. However, that is likely the least-watched late Sunday Divisional game since ‘09, when CBS averaged 34.1 million for Chargers-Steelers (that window was at 4:45pm ET; the current Sunday Divisional late window starts closer to 6:45pm). Earlier on Sunday, CBS averaged 34.3 million for the Chiefs’ win over the Browns, down slightly from 35.4 million for Chiefs-Texans in the same window in ’20, but well above the 29.2 million for Patriots-Chargers at 1:00pm in ’19.
SATURDAY SLATE: Fox’ Packers-Rams led the way Saturday with 26.5 million viewers in the 4:30pm window, marking the least-watched Saturday afternoon Divisional game since Ravens-Titans averaged 25.5 million on CBS in ’09. Last season, 49ers-Vikings on NBC in the Saturday afternoon window averaged 29.3 million. In primetime on Saturday, NBC averaged 27.1 million viewers (TV+streaming) for Bills-Ravens (26.5 million on TV alone), marking the least-watched Saturday primetime Divisional game since 26.7 million averaged by Patriots-Titans in ’18 on CBS. Last season, CBS averaged 29.4 million in primetime for Titans-Ravens. The 27.1 million marks NBC's largest Saturday primetime audience in four years.
MAFIA METER: The Buffalo News' Alan Pergament points out that Ravens-Bills "exceeded the local rating for last year's Super Bowl" on WGR-NBC. It drew a 52.8 local household rating, beating out the 51.8 rating for the Bills’ win over the Colts in the Wild Card round. Ravens-Bills was the "highest-rated Bills game locally" since meters came to the city in '00.
