For the second straight week, the Bears were not ready for primetime.
The Week 3 Bears/Cowboys Sunday Night Football game earned a 12.9 overnight rating on NBC, down 7% from Broncos/Lions last year (13.8) but up 5% from Steelers/Panthers in 2014 (12.3). The 12.9 is the lowest for a Cowboys game on Sunday Night Football in six years, since their 45-7 loss to the Packers in November 2010 (12.4).
Overnights have now declined for all four NFL telecasts on NBC this season, though Sunday’s game was the first of those four to avoid a multi-year low.
Sunday was the Bears’ second primetime appearance in six days. Overnights dropped 11% for their Monday Night Football loss to the Eagles last week.
Dallas-Ft. Worth was the top market for the Cowboys’ easy win, turning in a 35.4 rating. In-state markets San Antonio (25.0) and Austin (23.3) followed. Norfolk, VA, was the top neutral market (20.9), ahead of fifth-place Chicago (20.1).
(Wknd. numbers from NBC Sports)
