For the second straight week, the Broncos and Cowboys generated a season-high overnight rating.
The Week 5 Broncos/Cowboys NFL national window drew an 18.6 overnight rating on CBS Sunday afternoon, up 19% from coverage featuring Broncos/Patriots last year (15.7), and up 19% from coverage featuring Jets/Patriots in 2011 (15.6).
The 18.6 is the highest of the season for any NFL telecast, edging the previous high of 18.5 set one week earlier by coverage featuring Eagles/Broncos and Cowboys/Chargers.
Earlier in the day, regional action on CBS had a 9.7 overnight — up 4% from last year (9.3) and up 7% from 2011 (9.1).
In other afternoon action, singleheader coverage on FOX featuring Saints/Bears in 33% of markets drew a 12.5 overnight — even with coverage featuring Eagles/Steelers last year and up 17% from coverage featuring Eagles/Bills in 2011 (10.7).
In primetime, NBC’s Texans/49ers “Sunday Night Football” game had an 11.6 overnight, down a tick from Chargers/Saints last year (11.7) and down 17% from Packers/Falcons in 2011 (14.0). All six NFL telecasts on NBC this season have had declines in overnight ratings.
ESPN’s Monday night Jets/Falcons game drew an 8.6 overnight, down 14% from Jets/Texans last year (10.0), and down 24% from Bears/Lions in 2011 (11.3).
Overnights were not available for the two games on NFL Network.
(Week 5 overnights from Sports Business Daily, ESPN)
