Thanks to the New England Patriots, it has been a nearly perfect season for CBS.
For the third time this season, CBS drew an overnight rating of 18 or higher for a regular season NFL game. The Patriots’ battle with the Pittsburgh Steelers drew an 18.4 rating yesterday afternoon, up 34% from last year, and the third highest overnight of the season. The game helped CBS win Sunday night, averaging 24 million viewers and an 8.1/22 rating among adults 18-49 from 7-7:30 PM.
The two highest overnights of the season were also Patriots games on CBS; Patriots/Cowboys in mid-October drew an 18.5, while Patriots/Colts in November drew a 22.5. Heading into yesterday’s action, NFL ratings on CBS were up 5%, making the network the only NFL rightsholder to see increased ratings from last season.
So far this season, the New England Patriots have been involved in the highest rated games on CBS, NBC and ESPN. The Patriots aforementioned game against the Colts in November gave CBS the highest regular season NFL rating in eleven years, while their game against the Eagles two weeks ago gave NBC its highest Sunday Night Football rating ever. Last Monday, the Patriots’ near loss against the Ravens gave ESPN the most viewed program in the history of cable television.
Through Sunday, five of the ten highest rated NFL games this season involved the New England Patriots.
Highest overnights for NFL games this season.
22.5: Patriots/Colts (11/4/07, CBS)
18.5: Patriots/Cowboys (10/14/07, CBS)
18.4: Patriots/Steelers (12/9/07, CBS)
17.1: Cowboys/Giants (11/11/07, FOX)
17.0: Cowboys/Washington (11/18/07, FOX)
15.9: Cowboys/Vikings (10/21/07, FOX)
15.6: Patriots/Eagles (11/25/07, NBC)
15.4: Bears/Giants (12/2/07, FOX)
14.3: Patriots/Washington (10/28/07, FOX)
14.2: Bears/Chargers (9/9/07, FOX)
