The first Sunday night NFL game of the season was a big draw for NBC.
Sunday’s Week 1 Cowboys/Jets game earned a 16.9 overnight rating on NBC, up 3% from last year (DAL/WSH: 16.4), and up 26% from 2009 (CHI/GB: 13.4).
Excluding the NFL Kickoff Game, the 16.9 overnight is the highest for a regular season NFL matchup on NBC since the network resumed airing games in 2006.
Despite the massive numbers, the game drew a lower overnight than Sunday’s national window on FOX, which featured Giants/Washington (17.1).
(Information from NBC Sports Group press release via Fang’s Bites; additional information from Sports Business Daily)
