In a reversal from the overnights, final ratings dropped for both Week 4 NFL games on CBS.
Sunday’s NFL national window (mostly Vikings-Bears) averaged an 11.3 rating and 19.80 million viewers on CBS, topping only Raiders-Broncos two years ago (9.1, 15.59M) as the lowest rated Week 4 national window since 2004 (10.6) and least-watched since 2007 (19.72M).
The telecast ranks as the lowest rated and least-watched national window of the season and the first to decline. Ratings fell 7% and viewership 4% from last year (mostly Saints-Giants: 12.1, 20.69M).
The numbers marked a reversal from the overnight ratings, which increased 6% to a three-year high.
For the first time this season, the national window was not the top NFL telecast of the week. It ranked a distant second behind NBC’s Cowboys-Saints Sunday Night Football game (13.7, 24.11M).
Earlier in the day, regional action featuring Patriots-Bills averaged an 8.7 and 14.65 million — down 6% in ratings and 5% in viewership from last year (9.3, 15.39M), but up 24% and 25% respectively from 2017 (7.0, 11.70M).
Of the six CBS NFL windows this season, four have declined in ratings and five have done so in viewership.
The early window had a 4.1 rating in adults 18-49 (-12%) and the late window a 5.8 (-5%).
The full list of 2019 NFL ratings is available here.
[Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 10.1]
