One of the ugliest primetime NFL games in recent memory delivered one of the worst primetime NFL ratings ever on broadcast television.
Dolphins-Ravens drew a 7.0 rating and 11.4 million viewers on CBS and NFL Network Thursday, off 19% in ratings and 20% in viewership from the fifth Thursday Night Football simulcast last year, Packers-Bears in Week 7 (8.6, 14.2M), and down 25% and 23% respectively from the fifth simulcast in 2015, Falcons-Saints in Week 6 (9.3, 14.8M).
Compared to last year’s Week 7 TNF game, Jaguars-Titans exclusively on NFL Network, ratings increased 119% from a 3.2 and viewership 124% from 5.1 million.
The Ravens’ 40-0 drubbing — just the ninth primetime game this century decided by at least 40 points, per Pro Football Reference — delivered the second-lowest primetime NFL rating ever on broadcast television. The record-low is 6.3 for Seahawks-Buccaneers on NBC in 2008.
The six lowest rated games have each been decided by double-digits, with half of those decided by 40+ points.
Thursday’s game also earned the third-smallest primetime NFL audience ever on broadcast, ahead of Seahawks-Buccaneers in ’08 and Saints-Seahawks on NBC in 2007 (11.2M). Keep in mind both of those games aired opposite a Game 7 in the MLB ALCS, while this year’s game had no substantial competition.
TNF scored a 3.4 rating in adults 18-49, which may be the lowest ever for a primetime NFL game on broadcast. The 2008 Saints-Seahawks game had a 3.9 in the demo. CBS did not disclose streaming figures.
The complete list of NFL ratings this season can be found here.
Lowest Primetime NFL Ratings Ever on Broadcast TV
| LOWEST RATED | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
#
|
Rtg. | Game | Margin | Net |
| 1 |
6.3
|
2008: SEA-TB | TB +10 | NBC |
| 2 | 7.0 | 2017: MIA-BAL | BAL +40 | CBS/NFLN |
| 3 |
7.1
|
2007: NO-SEA | NO +11 | NBC |
| 4 | 7.4 | 2016: SF-AZ | AZ +12 | CBS/NFLN |
| 5 |
7.5
|
2014: TB-ATL | ATL +42 | CBS/NFLN |
| 6 | 7.6 | 2011: IND-NO | NO +55 | NBC |
| LEAST-WATCHED | ||||
|
#
|
Rtg. | Game | Margin | Net |
| 1 |
10.0M
|
2008: SEA-TB | TB +10 | NBC |
| 2 | 11.2M | 2007: NO-SEA | NO +11 | NBC |
| 3 |
11.4M
|
2017: MIA-BAL | BAL +40 | CBS/NFLN |
| 4 | 11.5M | 2004: TB-STL | STL +4 | ABC |
| 5 | 11.9M | 2014: TB-ATL | ATL +42 | CBS/NFLN |
| 6 | 12.1M | 2016: SF-AZ | AZ +12 | CBS/NFLN |
[Thu. numbers via Programming Insider 10.27]
