Ratings predictions: Thanksgiving NFL, 49ers-Ravens and more

Bills-Cowboys (4:30p CBS): The Bills were not an obvious choice for the NFL’s Thanksgiving showcase. After ending a lengthy playoff drought two years ago, Buffalo finished just 6-10 last season — in keeping with a run of mediocrity that dates back two decades. Luckily for the NFL, 2019 has been a rare good year for the Bills, who enter the holiday at 8-3. Ratings will likely drop from last year, when Dallas faced rival Washington (12.5), but should comfortably top the Cowboys’ 2017 game against the Chargers (11.1). Prediction: 12.0.

Saints-Falcons (8:20p NBC): NBC scored good results for Falcons-Saints last Thanksgiving, so the NFL scheduled a rematch this year. The Falcons entered last year’s game at 4-6 and are somehow even worse this time around, 3-8. Fortunately for NBC, one of those three wins was an upset of New Orleans last month, which adds some much-needed intrigue to what is a mismatch on paper. Expect a modest drop in ratings from last year’s 10.1. Prediction: 9.3.

Bears-Lions (12:30p FOX): For a few weeks this season, the NFC North looked strong from top to bottom. Needless to say, that is no longer the case. While the Packers and Vikings remain contenders, the Bears and Lions are anything but. Expect ratings to drop from the same matchup last year, which saw Chicago enter at a Division-leading 7-3 (12.3). Prediction: 10.9.

The NFL elected not to flex Sunday’s possible Super Bowl preview between the 49ers and Ravens, leaving arguably the biggest game of the season in the 1 PM ET slot. Both teams enter Week 13 coming off of dominating primetime performances, with San Francisco’s defense and Baltimore’s MVP front-runner Lamar Jackson dominating the headlines.

The singleheader window can draw primetime-level ratings with the right matchup. Anything above an 11.7 would be the highest rating in the window since 2015. Prediction: 12.0.

After their nasty brawl a couple of weeks ago, the NFL flexed Browns-Steelers out of the Week 13 national window. Instead, CBS will air Raiders-Chiefs in most markets, a battle for AFC West supremacy that lost a lot of luster after Oakland’s embarrassing loss to the Jets last weekend. Ratings should fall well short of last year’s comparable window, which featured Vikings-Patriots (13.5). Prediction: 12.2.

Deshaun Watson is one of the NFL’s brightest young stars, but the Texans have never been a particularly strong draw. Given the Patriots’ presence, and the lowish bar set by Steelers-Chargers last year (10.5), ratings should increase. Even so, do not expect anything too impressive. Prediction: 10.9.

Since Jim Harbaugh became Michigan coach in 2015, ratings for the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry have spiked. After averaging a 4.9 rating in 2014, “The Game” has topped a 6.0 in each year since, including a 7.5 last year. With 2-loss Michigan firmly out of the playoff race, ratings should trail last year. Expect a strong number nonetheless. Prediction: 6.8.

With two SEC teams ahead of them and their QB done for the year, Alabama enters the Iron Bowl as a relative afterthought in the College Football Playoff discussion. That should sap some of the interest from Saturday’s Iron Bowl. Last year’s 5.1 rating was the second-lowest for the rivalry since 2012. Prediction: 4.9.

The Golden Gophers can still make the playoff if they win out (as unlikely a prospect as that may be), giving their rivalry game against Wisconsin greater importance than usual. In the same window last year, ABC averaged a 1.3 for Maryland-Penn State. It goes without saying that ratings will be dramatically higher this time around. Prediction: 3.3.

Ratings have dropped in three straight years for NBC’s annual Black Friday NHL game, bottoming out at last year’s 0.7 for Rangers-Flyers. With NHL ratings mostly up to start the season, expect that streak to end this year. Prediction: 0.8.

The Formula 1 season has been a success story for ESPN/ABC, with 17 of 20 races up from last year. Expect Sunday’s season finale from Abu Dhabi to join that list. Last year’s race had a 0.32 rating. Prediction: 0.40.