With the Cowboys facing the league-leading Saints, Thursday Night Football ratings approached record levels.
The Week 13 Saints-Cowboys Thursday Night Football simulcast on FOX and NFL Network delivered a 12.6 rating and 21.4 million viewers — up 42% in ratings and 47% in viewership from the ninth TNF simulcast of last season (Week 14 Saints-Falcons: 8.9, 14.6M), and up 43% and 46% respectively from the ninth simulcast in 2016 (Week 15 Rams-Seahawks: 8.8, 14.7M).
Compared to last year’s Week 13 game, Washington-Dallas, ratings increased 34% (from 9.4) and viewership 37% (from 15.6M).
The Cowboys’ win delivered the third-largest TV audience in the history of Thursday Night Football (dates back to 2006). Cowboys-Vikings had 21.8 million on NBC and NFL Network in 2016, and Patriots-Giants had 33.4 million on NBC, CBS and NFL Network in 2007. The latter game, which saw New England clinch a perfect 16-0 regular season, aired on a Saturday night.
With streaming included, Thursday’s audience of 22.2 million ranks trails only the 2007 game.
Saints-Cowboys also delivered the fifth-highest rating in TNF history, behind Patriots-Giants (18.9), Broncos-Chiefs in 2015 (12.9), Cowboys-Vikings (12.8), and Steelers-Ravens in 2014 (12.7).
The 12.6 is the second-highest primetime NFL rating of the season, behind Packers-Patriots on NBC in Week 9 (13.7). It ranks fourth in viewership, behind Packers-Patriots, Bears-Packers in Week 1 (22.1M) and Falcons-Saints on Thanksgiving (21.7M).
Ratings and viewership have now increased for nine of the last ten NFL telecast windows, the lone exception being last Sunday’s singleheader on FOX.
Demo numbers were not immediately available.
Largest Audiences For Thursday Night Football Package
[Numbers from NFL PR 11.30]
