With the Giants shorthanded, eliminated and obliterated, Sunday Night Football hit a second straight season low.
The Week 16 Giants/Vikings Sunday Night Football game drew an 11.5 overnight rating on NBC, down 10% from Seahawks/Cardinals last year (12.8), down 8% from Bears/Eagles in 2013 (12.5), and the lowest SNF overnight in Week 16 of the season since Cowboys/Washington in 2009 (11.6).
The 11.5 overnight is the lowest of the season for SNF, falling below the previous mark of 11.7 set by Cardinals/Eagles the previous week and Bengals/Cardinals in Week 11. NBC’s five lowest rated overnights this season have come in the past seven weeks.
The Vikings’ blowout win marked the third time in four weeks that overnights have declined for SNF. After posting an increase for ten of its first eleven telecasts this season, NBC has done so just twice in its past seven.
Minneapolis was Sunday’s top market with a 42.5 rating, followed by New Orleans (17.0), Albuquerque (15.9), Richmond (14.8) and Denver (14.3). Ratings in New York were not immediately available.
(Sun. numbers from NBC Sports)
