One of the more dramatic NFL playoff games in recent years put up big numbers on NBC.
The Packers/Cardinals NFL Divisional Round game earned a 20.3 overnight rating on NBC Saturday night, up 8% from Panthers/Seahawks on FOX last year (18.8) and up 5% from Colts/Patriots on CBS in 2014 (19.4). Compared to last year’s Divisional Round game on NBC, Ravens/Patriots in the early Saturday window, overnights actually dropped 3% from a 20.9.
The Cardinals’ overtime win, which came after a Packers Hail Mary at the end of regulation, scored the second-highest overnight ever for a Saturday night Divisional Round game (dates back to 2002). Broncos/Patriots in 2012 holds the top spot with a 20.6 on CBS.
For NBC, the 20.3 is the network’s fifth-highest non-Super Bowl overnight since reacquiring NFL rights — behind Seahawks/Vikings the previous week (22.5), Ravens/Patriots last year, Jets/Colts in 2011 (20.8) and Saints/Eagles in 2014 (20.5).
Overnights peaked at an 23.4 from 11:30-11:45 PM ET.
Milwaukee was Saturday’s top market with a 48.0 rating, followed by Phoenix (37.9), Minneapolis-St. Paul (30.8), Seattle (29.6) and Las Vegas (27.8).
(Sat. numbers from NBC Sports)
