CBS scored a split decision for its NFL doubleheader on Sunday.
The Week 5 NFL national window, featuring Bengals/Cowboys in 80% of markets, earned a 12.1 final rating and 21.3 million viewers on CBS Sunday afternoon — down 20% in ratings and 18% in viewership from coverage featuring Patriots/Cowboys last year (15.2, 26.1M) but up 5% and 8%, respectively, from coverage featuring Chiefs/49es in 2014 (11.5, 19.7M).
The telecast ranks as the lowest rated and least-watched national window of the young season and the third to fall under a 13.0 rating and 23.0 million viewers. Not counting Week 17, only one national window all of last season fell below those marks.
With that said, it was the first national window since Week 1 to avoid a multi-year low in ratings or viewership.
Earlier in the day, regional action earned a 9.0 and 15.2 million viewers — up 8% in ratings and 12% in viewership from last year (8.3, 13.6M) and up 2% and 4%, respectively, from 2014 (8.8, 14.7M). The telecast, which featured Jets/Steelers but also included Tom Brady‘s first game back from suspension, was just the seventh of 32 NFL telecasts this season to post an increase in ratings or viewership — and the fourth to hit a multi-year high in one or both measures.
Of note, six of the seven NFL telecasts to post gains this year have been afternoon windows on FOX or CBS. Five of those six have been early games, either the singleheader or the first half of the doubleheader.
(Wknd. numbers via ShowBuzz Daily 10/11)
