After two weeks of blowout losses and declining ratings, the moribund Cowboys not only won on Sunday, but attracted the second-largest overnight rating of the NFL season.
The Week 10 NFL national window, featuring the Cowboys’ win over the Giants in 83% of TV markets, earned a 17.6 overnight rating on FOX Sunday afternoon — up 4% from Week 10 last year (DAL/GB*: 16.9, FOX) and up 14% from Week 10 in 2008 (IND/PIT*: 15.5, CBS).
The 17.6 overnight is the second-highest of the NFL season, behind only the Vikings/Saints NFL Kickoff Game on NBC (17.7). The 17.6 is also the highest for the NFL national window since Week 13 last year (DAL/NYG*: 18.9, FOX).
This marks the fourth time in five weeks that the NFL national window has drawn at least a 17.0 overnight.
Overnight ratings for telecasts featuring the Cowboys had declined in each of the two previous weeks, with the team suffering blowout losses both times. Their 35-17 Week 8 loss to the Jaguars drew a 9.5 overnight on CBS, down 5% from last year, while their 45-7 Week 9 loss to the Packers earned a 12.4 on NBC, down 13%.
In the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader, FOX earned an 8.9 overnight for regional action featuring Vikings/Bears in 84% of TV markets — down 2% from last year (ATL/CAR*: 9.1, FOX), and down 14% from 2008 (TEN/CHI*: 10.4, CBS).
Asterisk (*) indicates regionalized telecast.
(Ratings from Sports Business Daily)
