The Raiders’ return to the postseason was short and injury-marred, but still gave ESPN/ABC a boost in the overnights.
The Raiders/Texans AFC Wild Card Game had a 16.6 overnight rating on ESPN and ABC Saturday afternoon, up 2% from Chiefs/Texans last year (16.2) and up 27% from Cardinals/Panthers on ESPN alone in 2015 (13.1). The 16.6 is the highest for the early Saturday Wild Card window since NBC earned a 17.2 for Chiefs/Colts in 2014.
Houston’s win, which peaked at an 18.8 from 5:45-6 PM ET, delivered the fourth-highest overnight for the early Saturday Wild Card window in the past 18 years — since Bills/Dolphins in 1999 (17.9). Over that span, it trails only Jets/Bengals in 2010 (16.9), Chiefs/Colts in 2014 and Saints/Seahawks in 2011 (18.3).
The game edged Saturday’s Lions/Seahawks nightcap on NBC (16.5), marking the first time the early Saturday Wild Card window has topped the late game since 2005.
Houston led all markets with a 31.2 rating, down 4% from last year (32.6). It was followed by Norfolk, VA (24.8), Richmond, VA (24.1), Sacramento (22.8) and Atlanta (22.2). The Bay Area ranked outside of the top ten with a 17.8 rating.
(Numbers from ESPN)
