If relatively low by Thanksgiving standards, Saints-Falcons scored one of the top Thursday night audiences of the season.
Thursday’s Saints-Falcons NFL Thanksgiving nightcap averaged a 9.9 rating and 20.81 million on NBC, topping only Giants-Washington two years ago (8.2, 16.91M) as the lowest rated Thanksgiving game since 2011 (49ers-Ravens: 5.3) and least-watched since 2012 (Patriots-Jets: 19.21M).
Despite the low, New Orleans’ win delivered the largest Thursday night NFL audience since the season-opening Kickoff Game, which also aired on NBC (22.03M). It was also the highest rated since Eagles-Packers on FOX and NFL Network in Week 4 (10.5).
Overall, it ranks eighth out of the 38 total primetime windows this season. The top 11 primetime games, and 13 of the top 14, have aired on NBC.
Ratings and viewership declined 2% and 4% respectively from the same matchup on Thanksgiving night last year (10.1, 21.73M). Including streaming, the audience of 21.1 million declined 4% (from 21.9M).
Compared to last year’s Week 13 Thursday night game, Saints-Cowboys on FOX and NFL Network, ratings fell 21% (from 12.5) but viewership slipped just 2% (from 21.32M). That game did not take place on Thanksgiving.
Of the Falcons’ last fifteen primetime games (dating back to 2014), 12 have declined in ratings and 13 have declined in viewership.
New Orleans led all markets Thursday night with a 52.5 rating and 76 share, up slightly from last year (52.3/75). Atlanta ranked second at an 18.6/38 (+11%), followed by Albuquerque, N.M. (16.6/30), Buffalo (15.3/26) and Las Vegas (13.4/28).
Saints-Falcons averaged a 6.1 rating in adults 18-49 (-8%) and a 5.2 in adults 18-34 (-4%).
[Nielsen estimates from NBC Sports, NBC Sports PR/Twitter 12.1]
