An AFC Championship rematch scored one of the NFL’s highest ratings since its early-decade boom.
Sunday’s NFL national window (Chiefs-Patriots in 83% of markets) averaged a 16.1 rating and 28.11 million viewers on CBS, trailing only Cowboys-Patriots on FOX in Week 12 (16.5) as the league’s highest rated regular season window since 2016 (mostly Cowboys-Steelers: 16.4).
No CBS window has had a higher rating since 2015 (Patriots-Giants: 16.3).
The telecast, which included Steelers-Cardinals and Titans-Raiders, also averaged the fourth-largest regular season audience since 2016 (Washington-Dallas: 35.11M). The top three are Cowboys-Patriots (29.47M) and a pair of Thanksgiving games: Bills-Cowboys on CBS this year (32.64M) and Washington-Dallas on FOX last year (30.52M).
It was just the third regular season window in the past four seasons to top a 16.0 rating and the seventh to exceed 28 million viewers. That compares to 19 each over the previous four (2012-15).
In addition to the overall marks, it ranks as the highest rated and most-watched Week 14 NFL window since 2015 (Cowboys-Packers: 16.5, 28.88M).
Ratings and viewership increased 13% and 12% respectively from Week 14 last year (mostly Eagles-Cowboys: 14.2, 25.12M) and 18% from 2017 (mostly Eagles-Rams: 13.7, 23.78M).
Of the 14 national windows this season, ten have increased in ratings and 11 have done so in viewership.
In other action, CBS averaged a 7.6 (-16%) and 12.59 million (-17%) for regional coverage featuring Ravens-Bills in 68% of markets.
The early window averaged a 3.3 rating in adults 18-49 (-18%) and the late window a 7.1 (+2%).
CBS is now averaging 17.71 million viewers for NFL coverage this season (+8%), its highest through 14 weeks since 2016 (17.91M).
Highest rated/most-watched NFL regular season windows, 2016-present
| Highest rated | Most-watched | ||||||||
| # | Year | Game | TV | Rtg | # | Year | Game | TV | Vwrs |
| 1 | 2019 | NE-DAL | FOX | 16.5 | 1 | 2016 | WSH-DAL | FOX | 35.11M |
| 2 | 2016 | DAL-PIT (92%) | FOX | 16.4 | 2 | 2019 | BUF-DAL | CBS | 32.64M |
| 3 | 2019 | KC-NE (83%) | CBS | 16.1 | 3 | 2018 | WSH-DAL | FOX | 30.52M |
| 4 | 2016 | DAL-GB (86%) | FOX | 15.8 | 4 | 2019 | DAL-NE | FOX | 29.47M |
| 5 | 2016 | NYG-DAL (90%) | FOX | 15.5 | 5 | 2016 | DAL-PIT (92%) | FOX | 28.88M |
| 6 | 2017 | PIT-NE | CBS | 15.2 | 6 | 2019 | KC-NE (83%) | CBS | 28.11M |
| 7 | 2016 | DAL-NYG | NBC | 14.9 | 7 | 2016 | DAL-GB (86%) | FOX | 28.01M |
| 8 | 2016 | CAR-DEN | NBC | 14.6 | 8 | 2016 | MIN-DET | CBS | 27.61M |
| 2016 | WSH-DAL | FOX | 14.5 | 9 | 2016 | NYG-DAL (90%) | FOX | 27.53M | |
| T10 | 2017 | DAL-DEN (81%) | FOX | 14.4 | 10 | 2019 | CHI-DET | CBS | 27.09M |
| 2016 | SEA-GB (67%) | FOX | |||||||
[Nielsen estimates from CBS Sports, ShowBuzz Daily 12.10]
