FOX draws 18.9 overnight for Giants/Cowboys, beating Vikings/Packers

For the second time this season, the Giants and Cowboys combined to draw massive numbers.

Sunday’s NFL national window, featuring Cowboys/Giants, drew an 18.9/35 overnight rating on FOX — up 16% from a 16.3/28 for last year’s Week 13 national window (mostly Steelers/Patriots or Broncos/Jets, CBS), and up from last week’s national window (mostly Bears/Vikings, FOX), which also drew a 16.3.

The 18.9 overnight is the highest of the season for an NFL telecast on any network, topping the previous high of 18.3 for the Week 8 national window (featuring Vikings/Packers).

The last five NFL national windows on FOX (Weeks 7, 8, 10, 12 and 13) have drawn five of the six highest NFL overnights of the season, including the top three. The Cowboys have been involved in four of the top games of the season, including their earlier meeting with the Giants, which aired on NBC.

Sunday’s telecast drew the highest overnight for a regular season NFL telecast on a single network since Patriots/Colts in 2007 (22.5), and the highest for an NFL telecast on FOX since Giants/Cowboys in 2006 (19.1).

Earlier in the day, regional action featuring Eagles/Falcons drew a 10.5/21 overnight rating, up 27% from an 8.3/17 for last year’s comparable window on CBS (mostly Colts/Browns).

Overall, Sunday’s NFL doubleheader averaged a 14.7/28 overnight rating on FOX, up 20% from a 12.3 for last year’s Week 13 doubleheader on CBS.

For the season, FOX is averaging a 12.8/26 overnight rating for NFL coverage, up 8% from an 11.9/24 through the same point last year.

Highest NFL overnight ratings during the 2009 season

(Fang’s Bites)