Monday Night Football benefited from the Cowboys’ annual visit, but not as much as in past years.
The Week 13 Cowboys/Washington Monday Night Football game earned an 8.7 final rating and 14.2 million viewers on ESPN, up 18% in ratings and 20% in viewership from Dolphins/Jets last year (7.4, 11.8M) but down 10% and 9%, respectively, from Saints/Seahawks in 2013 (9.7, 15.5M). Ratings and viewership peaked at a 10.8 and 17.2 million from 11:30-11:45 PM ET.
The Cowboys’ last-second win ranks as the fourth-most watched Monday Night Football telecast of the season and is tied as the fourth-highest rated, matching Giants/Eagles in Week 6 in the latter measure and behind only Lions/Seahawks in Week 4 (9.0, 14.4M), Bills/Patriots in Week 11 (8.9, 14.3M) and Vikings/49ers in Week 1 (8.8, 14.3M).
The fourth-place finish is unusually low for the Cowboys’ annual MNF appearance, which ranked first or second in each of the previous five seasons.
Overall, Monday’s game marked the lowest rated and least-watched Cowboys game on MNF in eight years — since a Week 5 matchup with the Bills in 2007 (8.5, 13.0M). Their lone Monday night game last year, also against Washington, had a much higher 11.4 and 18.8 million.
MNF had a 4.8 rating among adults 18-49, up 17% from last year (4.1) but down 11% from 2013 (5.4). The 4.8 ranks just seventh out of the 14 MNF games this season.
Ratings/Viewership For Cowboys on MNF
Since Series Moved to ESPN
| Year | Wk. | Opponent | Rtg. | Vwrs. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 13 | at Washington | 8.7 | 14.15M |
| 2014 | 8 | vs. Washington | 11.4 | 18.81M |
| 2013 | 14 | at Bears | 10.2 | 16.19M |
| 2012 | 4 | vs. Bears | 10.5 | 16.62M |
| 2011 | 3 | vs. Washington | 10.6 | 17.10M |
| 2010 | 7 | vs. Giants | 11.2 | 17.95M |
| 2009 | 3 | vs. Panthers | 9.9 | 15.70M |
| 2008 | 2 | vs. Eagles | 11.3 | 18.61M |
| 2007 | 5 | at Bills | 8.5 | 13.03M |
| 2006 | 7 | vs. Giants | 10.5 | 16.03M |
(Mon. numbers from ESPN, with additional info from ShowBuzz Daily)
