With CBS in the fold, even the ugliest Thursday night games can outperform previous years.
The Week 3 Buccaneers/Falcons Thursday Night Football game drew a 7.5 final rating and 11.9 million viewers on CBS and NFL Network, up 7% in ratings and viewership from Chiefs/Eagles on NFL Network and local affiliates last year (7.0, 11.1M).
The Falcons’ 42-point win ranks as the second-highest rated and fifth-most watched Thursday Night Football game ever (dates back to 2006). Keep in mind that every TNF game prior to this season aired on NFL Network alone, which is tens of millions fewer homes than CBS.
Not surprisingly, given the lopsided score, Buccaneers/Falcons ranks as the lowest rated and least-viewed primetime NFL game on broadcast in several years — since Seahawks/Buccaneers on NBC in 2008 (6.3, 10.0M). Even Colts/Saints in 2011, a 62-0 blowout that aired on NBC opposite the World Series, drew better numbers (7.6, 12.5M).
Overall, Thursday’s 7.5 rating is the third-lowest ever for a primetime NFL game on broadcast television. The Buccaneers have played in three of the five lowest rated games, and all five have involved at least one NFC South team.
Among adults 18-49, Thursday Night Football had a 4.4 rating. Last year’s Chiefs/Eagles game had a 4.0 rating in the demo, not including local affiliates.
Lowest Rated Primetime NFL Games on Broadcast TV
|
#
|
Date
|
Game
|
Net
|
Rtg.
|
Vwrs.
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sun., 10/19/08 | Seahawks/Buccaneers | NBC |
6.3
|
10.01M
|
| 2 | Sun., 10/14/07 | Saints/Seahawks | NBC |
7.1
|
11.19M
|
| 3 | Thu., 9/18/14 | Buccaneers/Falcons | CBS, NFLN |
7.5
|
11.88M |
| 4 | Sun., 10/23/11 | Colts/Saints | NBC |
7.6
|
12.47M
|
| 5 | Mon., 10/18/04 | Buccaneers/Rams | ABC |
7.7
|
11.51M
|
(Thu. numbers from CBS/NFL Network via TV By the Numbers [1], [2])
