In a reversal from the overnights, a close finish on Thursday Night Football could not improve on the previous week’s blowout.
The Week 6 Colts/Texans Thursday Night Football game drew a 10.0 final rating and 15.9 million viewers on CBS and NFL Network, up 69% in ratings and viewership from Giants/Bears on NFL Network and local affiliates last year (5.9, 9.4M), and the second-least viewed TNF game of the season (five telecasts).
The Colts’ five-point victory — the first Thursday night game of the season to be decided by single-digits — drew a smaller audience than the Packers’ 32-point rout of the Vikings one week earlier (16.5M). It did have a slightly higher rating, however (10.0 to 9.8).
Colts/Texans also drew a smaller audience than every Sunday Night Football game on NBC since Colts/Saints in 2011 (12.5M). In just five weeks, Thursday Night Football has already accounted for the three smallest primetime NFL audiences on broadcast since that 2011 game.
Among adults 18-49, Colts/Texans had a 5.4 rating. Last year’s Giants/Bears game drew a 3.1 on NFL Network (not including local affiliates).
(Thu. numbers from CBS Press Express, additional info from TV By the Numbers)
