Ratings hit a historic low for the Patriots’ Divisional Round rout of the Chargers.
Sunday’s Chargers-Patriots AFC Divisional Round game earned a 17.1 rating and 29.2 million viewers on CBS, down 7% in ratings and viewership from last year (Jaguars-Steelers: 18.3, 31.4M) and down 14% and 21% respectively from Steelers-Chiefs on NBC in 2017, which was rescheduled from 1 PM ET to primetime due to inclement weather (19.8, 37.1M).
New England’s blowout win ranks as the lowest rated Sunday Divisional Round game in more than 20 years (ratings prior to 1999 were not available). The previous low was a 17.9 for Ravens-Steelers in 2002.
It also ranks as the least-watched since 49ers-Buccaneers on FOX in 2003 (28.1M).
The historic lows are a sharp break from the overall trend this postseason. Every other game has increased from last year, including three that have hit multi-year highs.
The Chargers’ two playoff games were relatively weak draws. In addition to Sunday’s declines, the Chargers-Ravens Wild Card game posted the smallest increases of the postseason — up two percent in ratings and a fraction of a percent in viewership.
As one would expect, Chargers-Patriots was the only game of the postseason to decline in adults 18-49 (8.1, -6%). The three other games this weekend each increased, with Cowboys-Rams up 32% (to 10.4), Colts-Chiefs up 7% (to 8.1) and Eagles-Saints up 4% (to 11.0).
The full list of Divisional Round ratings is available here.
[Numbers from Nielsen via ShowBuzz Daily 1.15]
