The numbers were not quite as spectacular as the headline indicates, but let’s give NBC a break considering what kind of a season its been.
Seahawks/Patriots earned a 12.7 final rating and 22.5 million viewers on the Week 10 edition of NBC’s Sunday Night Football, up 11% in ratings and 16% in viewership from Cardinals/Seahawks last year (11.4, 19.4M) and up 20% and 24%, respectively, from Bears/Packers in 2014 (10.6, 18.1M).
The Seahawks’ win, which peaked with 24.5 million viewers from 9:30-9:45 PM ET, was the most-watched primetime NFL game in Week 10 of the season in 18 years — since Packers/Steelers on ABC’s Monday Night Football in 1998 (22.54M to 22.51M). The 12.7 rating was the highest for a primetime game in Week 10 since Patriots/Jets in 2011 (12.9).
The multi-year highs represent a sharp turnaround from the previous nine weeks of the season, in which NBC posted declines for all ten of its telecasts.
The numbers were not just an improvement vis-à-vis last year. Sunday’s game was the most-watched primetime NFL telecast since Week 1 and tied as the highest rated.
With all of that said, Seahawks/Patriots was not exactly a ratings blockbuster. Out of NBC’s 19 regular season windows last year, the game would have ranked 11th in ratings and viewership behind such matchups as Broncos/Lions in Week 3 (13.1, 22.1M), Patriots/Colts in Week 6 (13.1, 22.8M), and Packers/Broncos opposite the World Series in Week 8 (13.0, 23.0M).
Figures do not include the 189,000 viewers who watched on NBC Sports and NFL streaming platforms. With that audience added to the mix, SNF had 22.7 million viewers.
In adults 18-49, SNF scored an 7.7 rating — up 10% from last year (7.0) and up 18% from 2014 (6.5). UPDATE 11/15: Post originally said the game had an 8.5 in adults 18-49.
(Wknd. numbers from NBC Sports Group Press Box 11/15)
