NBC continued its hot start to the NFL season, but by the thinnest of margins.
The Week 5 49ers/Giants Sunday Night Football game drew an 11.8 final rating and 19.6 million viewers on NBC, up 1% in ratings and viewership from Patriots/Bengals last year (11.7, 19.4M) and up 13% and 11%, respectively, from Texans/49ers in 2013 (10.4, 17.7M), and the top Week 5 SNF game in four years — since Packers/Falcons in 2011 (13.4, 22.0M).
All six NFL telecasts on NBC this season have hit a multi-year high in ratings and viewership, marking the first time since resuming coverage in 2006 that the network has opened the season with six straight increases.
Despite the increase, Sunday’s telecast was easily the lowest rated and least-watched of the season — falling below the previous marks of 13.1 and 22.1 million for Broncos/Lions in Week 3. Keep in mind it was the first game of the season to air opposite AMC’s The Walking Dead, which earned a 7.1 and 14.6 million.
SNF scored a 6.9 rating among adults 18-49, actually down 7% from last year (7.4), down 1% from 2013 (7.0), and its lowest Week 5 mark in the demo since Eagles/49ers in 2010 (6.7). The Walking Dead won the head-to-head battle in the demo, earning a 7.4.
(Sun. numbers via TV Media Insights)
