For at least one week, NFL ratings returned to something approaching normal.
The Week 14 NFL national window, featuring Eagles-Rams in 90% of markets, had a 16.0 overnight rating on FOX — up 2% from coverage featuring Seahawks-Packers last year (15.7) but down 13% from Cowboys-Packers in 2015 (18.4).
The 16.0 is the highest NFL overnight of the season, per Sports Business Daily, surpassing the Week 2 national window (mostly Cowboys-Broncos: 15.9).
In a more typical season for NFL ratings, a 16.0 overnight would rank on the lower end of national window telecasts. In 2013, 2014 and 2015, a 16.0 would have ranked as the fifth-lowest of the season (not counting Week 17). With that said, 16.0 is a lot closer to normal than the sub-14.0 overnights that have been typical this season.
Sunday’s telecast marked just the fifth time all season that the national window has posted an increase in overnights — and the first time without the Cowboys on the schedule.
Speaking of Dallas, early game coverage featuring Cowboys-Giants in 66% of markets had a 10.4 overnight — up 11% from last year (mostly Washington-Philadelphia: 9.4) but down 5% from 2015 (10.9).
The 10.4 is the highest of the season for the early doubleheader window, topping a 10.0 on CBS in Week 3. It is also the lowest for the Cowboys-Giants rivalry since at least the 2004-05 season, but that comes with a caveat. Sunday marked the first time since 2005 that the teams have met in the 1 PM ET window.
In other action, Ravens-Steelers delivered an 11.6 overnight on NBC’s Sunday Night Football — down a predictable 30% from Cowboys-Giants last year (16.5) and down 17% from Patriots-Texans in 2015 (13.9). Compared to the rivals’ previous SNF meeting, in Week 9 of the 2014 season, overnights slipped 3% from an 11.9.
Rounding out the weekend, CBS brought up the rear with an 8.6 for its singleheader (-24%).
[Wknd. numbers via Sports Business Daily 12.11]
