CBS had a modest rise in ratings and viewership for the Patriots’ close win over the Colts.
The Colts/Patriots NFL national window earned a 14.2 final rating and 23.596 million viewers on CBS, up 10% in ratings and 8% in viewership from Week 11 last year (NYJ/NE: 12.9, 21.748 mil), and up 17% and 20%, respectively, from 2008 (12.1, 19.690 mil).
The telecast ranks as the fifth-lowest rated, fifth-least viewed NFL national window of the season (11 telecasts).
In each of the past seven years, the annual head-to-head meeting between the Patriots and Colts has aired nationally — three times on NBC’s Sunday Night Football (2009, 2008 and 2006), twice on the NFL national window on CBS (2010 and 2007; both times airing in 96% of TV markets), once on ABC’s Monday Night Football (2005), and once as the NFL Kickoff Game (2004).
Of those seven games, Sunday’s telecast ranks as the second-most viewed, trailing only the 2007 game (33.819 mil), and the third-highest rated, trailing the ’07 game (20.1) and the 2005 game (14.3).
Colts/Patriots topped Sunday Night Football on NBC (NYG/PHI: 13.9, 23.204 mil), marking the tenth time in eleven weeks, and the 19th time in the past 20 NFL weeks, that the NFL national window has topped SNF.
Ratings/Viewership For NFL National Windows During 2010 Season
| Date | Featured Game | Net | Rating | Viewership | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 2009 | +/- | 2010 | 2009 | +/- | |||
| Sun., 9/12/10 | Packers 27 | FOX |
16.5
|
14.8
|
11%
|
28,023
|
25,109
|
12%
|
| Eagles 20 | ||||||||
| Sun., 9/19/10 | Patriots 14 | CBS |
16.2
|
14.5
|
12%
|
27,010
|
23,879
|
13%
|
| Jets 28 | ||||||||
| Sun., 9/26/10 | Colts 27 | CBS |
14.0
|
10.9
|
28%
|
23,134
|
18,150
|
27%
|
| Broncos 13 | ||||||||
| Sun., 10/3/10 | Washington 17 | FOX |
13.8
|
13.1
|
5%
|
23,134
|
22,026
|
5%
|
| Eagles 12 | ||||||||
| Sun., 10/10/10 | Titans 34 | CBS |
12.7
|
12.7
|
even
|
20,787
|
20,915
|
-1%
|
| Cowboys 27 | ||||||||
| Sun., 10/17/10 | Cowboys 21 | FOX |
15.7
|
14.6
|
8%
|
25,980
|
23,946
|
8%
|
| Vikings 24 | ||||||||
| Sun., 10/24/10 | Patriots 23 | CBS |
13.1
|
16.8
|
-22%
|
21,918
|
28,399
|
-23%
|
| Chargers 20 | ||||||||
| Sun., 10/31/10 | Vikings 18 | FOX |
15.2
|
17.4
|
-13%
|
25,221
|
29,820
|
-15%
|
| Patriots 28 | ||||||||
| Sun., 11/7/10 | Colts 24 | CBS |
16.3
|
11.8
|
38%
|
27,789
|
19,285
|
44%
|
| Eagles 26 | ||||||||
| Sun., 11/14/10 |
Cowboys 33
|
FOX |
15.5
|
15.9
|
-3%
|
26,226
|
26,747
|
-2%
|
|
Giants 20
|
||||||||
| Sun., 11/21/10 |
Colts 28
|
CBS |
14.2
|
12.9
|
10%
|
23,596
|
21,748
|
8%
|
|
Patriots 31
|
||||||||
