For the first time all season, Monday Night Football avoided a multi-year low in the overnights.
Bengals/Giants had a 7.9 overnight rating on the Week 10 edition of ESPN’s Monday Night Football, down 8% from Texans/Bengals last year (8.6) but up a tick from Panthers/Eagles in 2014 (7.8).
The Giants’ win, which peaked at an 8.9 from 9:45-10 PM ET, was the first MNF telecast of the season to avoid a multi-year low in the metered markets. In addition, it was the highest rated edition of MNF in the metered markets since Week 4 — when Giants/Vikings had a 9.1.
Those small positives were more a reflection of how poorly MNF has done this season than of any strength on the part of Monday’s game. Bengals/Giants continued a season-long streak of declines from last season and was the seventh of 11 telecasts to have less than an 8.0 overnight — compared to just six in the previous two seasons combined.
ESPN’s telecast had a 9.4 rating in New York City and a 9.0 in Cincinnati. Coverage was simulcast on local affiliates in both markets, with NYC’s Channel 11 turning in a mere 4.7 rating and Cincinnati’s WLWT having an 18.5.
(Mon. numbers from ESPN)
