Like the Cowboys/Eagles nightcap, Saturday afternoon’s Jets/Bengals matchup drew big numbers for NBC.
The Jets’ win over the Bengals drew a 15.2/29 rating and 25 million viewers on NBC Saturday, up 16% and 19%, respectively, from Falcons/Cardinals last year (13.1/26, 21 mil), and up 9% in ratings and viewership from Washington/Seahawks in ’08 (14.0/27, 23 mil).
Jets/Bengals stands as the highest rated, most-viewed early Saturday Wild Card game since Bills/Dolphins in ’99 (18.1/40, 25.3 mil).
Ratings/viewership for early Saturday Wild Card game since ’99
| Year | Date | Featured game | Net | Rating | Viewers (000) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2010
|
Sat., 1/9/10 | Jets/Bengals | NBC |
15.2/29
|
25,000
|
| 2009 | Sat., 1/4/09 | Falcons/Cardinals | NBC |
13.1/26
|
20,953
|
| 2008 | Sat., 1/5/08 | Washington/Seahawks | NBC |
14.0/27
|
22,994
|
| 2007 | Sat., 1/6/07 | Chiefs/Colts | NBC |
12.6/26
|
19,700
|
| 2006 | Sat., 1/7/06 | Washington/Buccaneers | ABC |
14.2/29
|
21,818
|
| 2005 | Sat., 1/8/05 | Rams/Seahawks | ABC |
14.6/29
|
21,882
|
| 2004 | Sat., 1/3/04 | Titans/Ravens | ABC |
14.6/29
|
22,654
|
| 2003 | Sat., 1/4/03 | Colts/Jets | ABC |
13.0/27
|
19,663
|
| 2002 | Sat., 1/12/02 | Buccaneers/Eagles | ABC |
13.1/28
|
—
|
| 2001 | Sat., 12/30/00 | Colts/Dolphins | ABC |
12.7/30
|
—
|
| 2000 | Sat., 1/8/00 | Titans/Bills | ABC |
14.3/36
|
—
|
| 1999 | Sat., 1/2/99 | Bills/Dolphins | ABC |
18.1/40
|
25,300
|
(Fang’s Bites)
