Even by the standards of a blowout, Jaguars-Cowboys delivered unexpectedly poor numbers on CBS.
The Week 6 NFL national window, featuring Jaguars-Cowboys in 85% of markets, had a 10.2 rating and 17.64 million viewers on CBS — down 15% in ratings and 14% in viewership from last year (mostly Steelers-Chiefs: 12.0, 20.6M) and down 35% and 37% respectively from 2016 on FOX (mostly Cowboys-Packers: 15.8, 28.0M).
Not counting Week 17, when FOX and CBS air competing doubleheaders, Sunday’s 10.2 rating is the fourth-lowest for the late doubleheader window since at least 2000 (278 telecasts). Only Week 5 of the 2007 season (9.5), Week 4 of last season (9.1) and Week 16 in 2016 (8.1*) did worse.
It fared better in viewership, ranking as the 28th-least watched (again excluding Week 17).
So far this season, the NFL national window has declined three times in six weeks. The Jaguars’ two appearances have each declined double-digits, despite the team facing prominent opponents New England and Dallas.
Sunday’s telecast was an exception in an otherwise strong Week 6. Five of six windows posted an increase in ratings and/or viewership. The full list of Week 6 NFL ratings is available here.
Earlier Sunday, CBS drew a 7.0 and 11.5 million for the first half of its doubleheader — up 6% in ratings and 5% in viewership from last year (6.6, 10.9M) but down 9% and 13% respectively from 2016 on FOX (ft. Philadelphia-Washington: 7.7, 13.2M).
Both telecasts hit season-lows in their respective windows.
* The 2016 telecast was part of a special Christmas Eve Saturday doubleheader, in which the featured game aired in the early window.
Lowest NFL Ratings in Late Doubleheader Window (2001-Present)
[Numbers from Nielsen via ShowBuzz Daily 10.16]
