An overtime thriller involving the undefeated Patriots put up big numbers on NBC.
The Week 12 Patriots/Broncos Sunday Night Football game earned a 14.6 final rating and 25.2 million viewers on NBC, up 11% in ratings and 13% in viewership from Cowboys/Giants last year (13.1, 22.4M) and down 6% and 5%, respectively, from the same Broncos/Patriots matchup in 2013 (15.6, 26.5M). Last year’s meeting between the teams, which led the Week 9 national window on CBS, had a 16.8 and 29.1 million.
The Broncos’ OT win, which peaked at 27.3 million viewers from 11:45 PM-Midnight ET, ranks as the fourth-highest rated and fifth-most watched NFL telecast on NBC this season (14 telecasts). NBC scored two of its five largest audiences in Week 12, with Bears/Packers on Thanksgiving night taking the top spot (27.8M).
Sunday’s game was also the 12th of 14 telecasts on NBC to have an increase in ratings and viewership, easily the highest rate of any NFL broadcaster. Eight of those 12 have increased by double-digits.
Among adults 18-49, SNF scored an 8.5 rating — up 5% from last year (8.1) but down 13% from 2013 (9.8).
NBC has now averaged a 13.4 rating and 23.3 million viewers for NFL coverage this season, up 8% in ratings and 9% in viewership from last year (12.4, 21.3M) and the highest averages for a primetime NFL package at this point of the season since 1999 (13.7) and 1996 (23.7M), respectively.
The network has also averaged an 8.3 among adults 18-49, up 6% from last year (7.8).
(Sun. numbers/season avg. from NBC Sports Group Press Box)
