After hitting a multi-year low in the overnights, the NFL national window finished at a four-year viewership high.
Sunday’s Week 9 NFL national window (Packers-Chargers in 87% of markets) averaged a 12.8 rating and 22.29 million viewers on CBS, marking the largest audience for the Week 9 national window since 2015 (Broncos-Colts: 23.96M).
The telecast also ranks second among CBS windows this season, behind only the Week 3 national window (mostly Saints-Seahawks: 13.0, 22.46M).
Versus last year’s comparable window (Rams-Saints on FOX), ratings declined 2% (from 13.0) but viewership increased 1% (from 22.12M). Compared to 2017 on CBS (Chiefs-Cowboys), ratings and viewership increased 5% (from 12.2, 21.25M).
The final results were a marked turnaround from the overnights, which were down 14%.
CBS is now averaging 16.64 million viewers for NFL coverage this season (+6%), its highest through nine weeks since 2016.
For the eighth time in nine tries this season, the national window finished as the top NFL telecast of the week. It edged NBC’s Sunday Night Football (Patriots-Ravens: 12.7, 22.03M), though SNF finished with a higher rating in adults 18-49 (6.7 to 6.0).
Earlier in the day, CBS averaged a 7.0 and 11.49 million for regional action (Colts-Steelers in most markets) — down 10% in ratings and 11% in viewership from last year (8.8, 14.96M) and down a tick and 4% respectively from 2017 (7.1, 11.96M).
Ratings and viewership were the lowest for the window in Week 9 of the season since 2016 (6.9, 11.32M).
The early window averaged a 2.9 rating in adults 18-49 (-23%) and the late window a 6.0 (-3%).
[Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 11.5]
