For the second straight week, ratings and viewership dipped for Thursday Night Football.
The Week 6 Falcons/Saints Thursday Night Football game drew a 9.3 final rating and 14.8 million viewers on CBS and NFL Network, down 7% in ratings and viewership from Colts/Texans last year (10.0, 15.9M) but up 58% and 57%, respectively, from Giants/Bears on NFL Network and local affiliates in 2013 (5.9, 9.4M).
The Saints’ win was the second straight TNF telecast to have a decline in ratings and viewership. The previous eleven to air on CBS — dating back to last season — each had increases. It also earned the third-lowest rating and viewership for a Thursday night game on CBS (13 telecasts), ahead of only Buccaneers/Falcons in Week 3 of last season (7.5, 11.9M) and Chargers/49ers in Week 16 last year (8.0, 13.0M).
Keep in mind coverage faced competition from the Mets/Dodgers MLB playoff game on TBS, which had a 4.5 and 7.4 million.
Thursday’s game scored a 4.9 rating among adults 18-49, down 9% from last year’s 5.4.
(Thu. numbers via TV Media Insights)
