The New England Patriots quest for a perfect regular season brought big numbers to CBS and NBC last night.
The NFL Network simulcast of Patriots/Giants averaged 25.4 million viewers on CBS and NBC last night, according to preliminary numbers. CBS drew the most viewers, averaging 13.7 million viewers, versus 11.7 million for NBC. The game drew a combined 8.5/25 rating among adults 18-49, with CBS edging NBC in that department, 4.5 to 4.0.
The three most watched NFL games this season — all of which involved the Patriots — averaged 33.8 million viewers (Patriots/Colts), 30.3 million (Patriots/Steelers), and 29.1 million (Patriots/Cowboys).
Considering how tiny the viewership levels are at this time of year — and considering how small viewership usually is on Saturday nights throughout the year — these numbers are impressive. The 25.4 million viewers for Patriots/Giants marks a 36% increase over the 18.7 million viewers the Big 4 broadcast networks combined to average in prime time last Saturday.
Ratings for the game on NFL Network are currently unavailable.
FOX, which did not receive the NFL Network simulcast, averaged 5.4 million viewers for the night, and a 1.8/5 among adults 18-49.
