NFL ratings were a mixed bag as usual in Week 5, with the marquee Packers-Cowboys game bearing both good news and bad.
Packers-Cowboys delivered a 15.0 overnight rating in Sunday’s NFL national window on FOX, up 15% from last year (13.1) but down 9% from 2015 (16.4). Last year’s window featured Bengals-Cowboys and the 2015 window featured Patriots-Cowboys (16.4).
Compared to last year’s game between the teams, which took place in Week 6, overnights fell 14% from a 17.4. The 15.0 is the lowest for a Packers-Cowboys game since 2010, also trailing 2015 (18.4) and 2013 (18.1).
The 15.0 trailed the Cowboys’ previous appearance in the late doubleheader window, a matchup with the Broncos in Week 2 (16.1).
In primetime, Chiefs-Texans delivered a 10.6 overnight on NBC’s Sunday Night Football, up 4% from Giants-Packers last year (9.3), though that comes with an major caveat — last year’s game aired directly opposite a presidential debate. Compared to 49ers-Giants in 2015, overnights fell 19% from a 13.1.
In a rarity, SNF posted a lower overnight than Thursday Night Football on CBS and NFL Network (11.1).
Rounding out Sunday’s play, the singleheader drew a 9.0 on CBS (-17%) and the early doubleheader window — Panthers-Lions in 50% of markets — had an 8.8 on FOX (-16%).
[Wknd. numbers via Sports Business Daily 10.9, NBC Sports]
