Week 2 of the NFL season brought good ratings to CBS and NBC.
Even with Tom Brady sidelined, Sunday afternoon’s Patriots/Jets clash drew stellar numbers on CBS. The game averaged a 15.2 overnight rating, not in the same zip code as some of last year’s marquee games involving the Patriots, but still a 32% improvement over the comparable game in ’07.
Meanwhile, NBC drew a 10.8/16 final rating for Steelers/Browns on Sunday night, up 10% from a 9.8 for Chargers/Patriots last year. Keep in mind last year’s Chargers/Patriots game aired opposite the Emmy Awards.
Despite solid numbers for nationally televised games on CBS and NBC, ESPN will come away with the most watched NFL telecast of Week 2. Monday night’s Eagles/Cowboys game finished as the most watched program in the history of cable television.
Ratings for FOX NFL telecasts are unavailable.
