With the Patriots’ undefeated run on the line against the Giants, CBS scored the second-largest NFL audience of the season over the weekend.
The Week 10 NFL national window, featuring Patriots/Giants in 66% of markets, drew a 16.3 final rating and 28.3 million viewers on CBS Sunday afternoon — up 21% in ratings and 25% in viewership from coverage on FOX featuring Giants/Seahawks last year (13.5, 22.7M) and up 14% and 18%, respectively, from coverage on CBS featuring Broncos/Chargers in 2013 (14.3, 24.1M).
The telecast, which included the Chiefs’ blowout of the Broncos in nearly a third of markets, ranks second for the season in ratings and viewership — trailing only Cowboys/Seahawks on FOX in Week 8 (17.0, 29.4M). Including the Kickoff Game against the Steelers (16.2, 27.4M), the Patriots now account for two of the three highest rated and most-watched games this season.
The last time the Patriots and Giants met in the regular season, Week 9 of the 2011 season, coverage on FOX scored a 16.7 and 28.2 million. The teams’ 2007 meeting, in which New England clinched an undefeated regular season, had 34.5 million viewers across CBS, NBC and NFL Network.
Among adults 18-49, Sunday’s national window drew an 8.7 rating — tied as the sixth-highest of the season.
UPDATE 11/20: The early doubleheader window had an 8.5 and 14.2 million, up 4% in ratings and 5% in viewership fro coverage on FOX featuring 49ers/Saints last year (8.2, 13.5M) and up 7% and 12%, respectively, from coverage on CBS in 2013 (8.0, 12.7M).
(Sun. numbers via TV Media Insights, Sports Business Daily)
