The Cowboys have generated some of the largest audiences this NFL season, but attracted one of the smallest on Saturday night.
The Week 15 Jets/Cowboys NFL regular season game earned a 4.3 final rating and 7.4 million viewers on NFL Network Saturday, ranking 93rd out of the 95 total telecasts this season — ahead of only Titans/Jaguars in Week 11 (4.2, 6.6M) and Buccaneers/Rams two nights earlier (3.8, 6.0M), both of which also aired on NFL Network.
The four lowest rated and least-watched games this season have aired exclusively on NFL Network, no real surprise given its limited distribution compared to the other NFL broadcasters. NFL Network’s six exclusive telecasts thus far rank among the seven lowest rated and least-watched, the lone exception being Lions/Chiefs on FOX in Week 8 — one of the 9:30 AM ET games (5.3, 8.4M).
Of the nine Cowboys games to have aired on NFL Network (dating back to 2006), Saturday’s game ranks fourth in ratings and fifth in viewership. It should be noted that seven of the Cowboys’ nine Thursday Night Football games have aired on Saturday nights.
The Jets’ win trailed competing coverage of the Democratic presidential primary debate on ABC (4.9, 8.0M), but easily topped the debate among adults 18-49 (2.4 to 1.3).
Ratings/Viewership For Cowboys on NFL Network
Asterisk (*) indicates Saturday game
| Year | Wk. | Opponent | Rtg. | Vwrs. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 15* | vs. Jets | 4.3 | 7.41M |
| 2014 | 14 | at Bears | 5.5 | 9.11M |
| 2011 | 15* | at Buccaneers | 3.3 | 5.62M |
| 2010 | 16* | at Cardinals | 3.8 | 7.84M |
| 2009 | 15* | at Saints | 5.7 | 10.50M |
| 2008 | 16* | vs. Ravens | 3.4 | 5.76M |
| 2007 | 16* | at Panthers | 2.9 | 4.79M |
| 13 | vs. Packers | 5.4 | 10.05M | |
| 2006 | 15* | at Falcons | 2.6 | 4.10M |
(Sat. numbers via TV Media Insights)
