The NFL Network began its second season of expanded regular season coverage on a strong note last week.
The Week 2 Jets/Patriots “Thursday Night Football” game drew a 5.5 U.S. rating and 8.8 million viewers on NFL Network last week, up 4% in ratings and 3% in viewership from Bears/Packers last year (5.3, 8.6M). The network’s 2011 opener, a Week 10 game between the Raiders and Chargers, earned a 3.3 and 5.3 million.
The game ranks as the third-highest rated and fourth-most viewed telecast ever on NFL Network. The network’s highest rated game was Cowboys/Saints in December 2009 (5.7) and the most-viewed was 49ers/Ravens on Thanksgiving 2011 (10.7M).
In addition, the game had the best performance ever for a season opener on NFL Network. Prior to last year, NFL Network began its coverage in November.
Despite the strong numbers, “Thursday Night Football” was easily the lowest rated and least-viewed NFL window during the first week of the season (eight telecasts).
(Thu. numbers from NFL Communications)
