A late season rematch of last year’s AFC Championship Game hit a season-low on CBS.
The Week 16 NFL national window, featuring Patriots/Ravens, earned a 14.2 final rating and 24.2 million viewers on CBS December 22 — even with coverage on FOX featuring Giants/Ravens last year (14.2, 24.2M), and up 10% and 6%, respectively, from coverage on FOX featuring Eagles/Cowboys in 2011 (12.9, 22.9M).
Keep in mind the 2011 afternoon telecasts aired on a Saturday.
The telecast ranks as the lowest rated and third-least viewed NFL national window of the season on any network. Entering Week 17, five of the six lowest rated NFL national window telecasts aired on CBS.
Despite the lower numbers, the national window was the top NFL telecast of the week.
The first game of the CBS doubleheader drew a 9.3 and 15.1 million viewers, up 8% in ratings and 7% in viewership from last year (8.6, 14.1M), and up 16% and 9%, respectively, from 2011 (8.0, 13.8M).
(Week 16 finals from Nielsen)
