In a year of soft numbers, at least by NFL standards, the Cowboys and Packers delivered the biggest rating of the young season.
The Week 6 NFL national window, featuring Cowboys/Packers in 86% of markets, had a 17.4 overnight rating on FOX Sunday afternoon — up 12% from coverage featuring Chargers/Packers on CBS last year (15.5) but down 9% from coverage featuring Cowboys/Seahawks on FOX in 2014 (19.2).
The 17.4 is the highest NFL overnight of the season, topping the previous mark of 16.9 for the Week 1 national window (Giants/Cowboys in 90% of markets). FOX has aired three of the five highest rated windows in the metered markets, each featuring the Dallas Cowboys.
Sunday’s telecast was just the 9th of 33 NFL windows this season to post an increase in the metered markets, and the second national window to do so.
Despite the increase, overnights still fell short of previous Cowboys/Packers games. Last year’s Week 14 matchup scored an 18.4 overnight and their 2013 meeting had an 18.1 in Week 15. Both were the featured games of the NFL national window on FOX. The last time a Cowboys/Packers game earned a lower overnight was in 2010, when Green Bay’s blowout of Dallas had an 11.6 on NBC.
Earlier Sunday, regional action featuring Philadelphia/Washington in 39% of markets or Rams/Lions in 24% had a 9.8 overnight — down 21% from last year on CBS (12.4) and down 13% from coverage featuring Packers/Dolphins on FOX in 2014 (11.2).
(Sun. numbers via Sports Business Daily 10/17)
