Monday Night Football got off to a strong start in the overnight ratings.
Texans-Saints averaged a 9.3 overnight rating in the season premiere of ESPN’s Monday Night Football, the highest for the season opener in four years (2015 Eagles-Falcons: 9.8). Overnights increased 24% from last year (Jets-Lions: 7.5) and 19% from 2017 (Saints-Vikings: 7.8).
Going back further, the 9.3 is the seventh-highest Week 1 MNF overnight since ESPN began airing the series in 2006 (28 telecasts).
The Saints’ win, which peaked at a 12.8 from 10:15-10:30 PM ET, tied the second-highest Monday Night Football overnight since 2016. It matched a 2017 Cowboys-Cardinals game and trails only Chiefs-Rams last year (11.3).
Later in the night, Broncos-Raiders averaged a 7.7 — the highest for the back half of ESPN’s annual Week 1 doubleheader since 2015 (Vikings-49ers: 9.5). Overnights increased 10% from both last year (Rams-Raiders: 7.0) and 2017 (Chargers-Broncos: 7.1).
On ESPN, Texans-Saints averaged a 13.0 in New Orleans and a 7.0 in Houston, while Broncos-Raiders averaged a 17.2 in Denver and a 9.1 in the Bay Area. Including simulcast coverage on local broadcast affiliates, which does not count toward ESPN’s national ratings, Texans-Saints had a 56.8 in New Orleans and a 25.9 in Houston, and Broncos-Raiders a 34.3 in Denver and a 17.1 in the Bay Area.
Denver (13.8), Kansas City (13.1) and Jacksonville (12.8) were the top neutral markets for Texans-Saints, while San Diego (17.1), Las Vegas (14.8) and Sacramento (13.5) were the top neutral markets for Broncos-Raiders.
Top Week 1 Monday Night Football overnights on ESPN
[Nielsen estimates from ESPN]
