A widely expected rout delivered the lowest Patriots playoff rating in 12 years.
Last Saturday’s Titans-Patriots AFC Divisional Round game had a 14.5 rating and 26.7 million viewers on CBS, down 9% in ratings and 10% in viewership from last year (Texans-Patriots: 16.0, 29.8M) and down 23% and 21% respectively from 2016 on NBC (Packers-Cardinals: 18.8, 33.7M).
The Patriots’ blowout win was the lowest rated and least-watched Divisional Round game in any window since 2009. It was also the lowest rated and least-watched Patriots playoff game since 2006.
In the Tom Brady era, only three Patriots playoff games have had a smaller audience: 2006 against Jacksonville (22.6M), 2004 against the Titans (25.9M) and 2006 against Denver (26.3M).
Entering Conference Championship weekend, all eight NFL playoff games have declined to multi-year lows. This year marks the first time under the current scheduling format — which dates back to 2002 — that the first eight playoff games have declined.
In adults 18-49, Saturday’s game pulled a 7.9 rating — down 16% from last year (9.4) but TV’s highest rating in the demo since Giants-Cowboys on NBC in September (9.1). Keep in mind afternoon games have pulled higher ratings, including Jaguars-Steelers (8.9) and Saints-Vikings (10.6) the following day.
Late Saturday Divisional Round Ratings, Viewership, Past Decade
[Sat. numbers via ShowBuzz Daily 1.17]
