NBC was not the only network to draw big numbers for NFL coverage on Sunday.
FOX drew a 17.1 overnight rating for Sunday’s NFL national window (featuring Packers/Eagles), up 14% from coverage featuring Washington/Giants last year (15.0), up 20% from coverage featuring Cowboys/Browns in 2008 (14.3) and up 20% from coverage featuring Bears/Chargers in 2007 (14.2).
The 17.1 is the highest overnight ever for a Week 1 NFL telecast on FOX, and the highest for any regular season telecast on the network since last year’s Week 13 national window (18.9).
The national window drew the largest overnight of the day, even topping the Sunday night Cowboys/Washington game on NBC (16.6).
Earlier in the day, regional action featuring Panthers/Giants drew a 9.0 overnight, down only 4% from last year’s window, which featured the Cowboys’ season opener and the Vikings debut of Brett Favre (9.4).
The 9.0 also marks a 50% increase from the comparable window in 2008 (6.0) and a 7% rise from 2007 (8.4).
Overall, FOX averaged a 13.4 overnight for Sunday doubleheader, the network’s highest average for a Week 1 doubleheader since 1994.
