Monday’s Jets/Patriots game did not live up to the hype, but still put up strong numbers on ESPN.
The Patriots’ 45-3 win over the Jets earned a 10.0 U.S. rating and 16.533 million viewers on ESPN Monday night, up 21% in ratings and 23% in viewership from Week 13 last year (BAL/GB: 8.3, 13.478 mil), and up 70% and 86%, respectively, from Week 13 in 2008 (JAX/HOU: 5.9, 8.897 mil).
The game ranks as the fourth-highest rated, fourth-most viewed Monday Night Football telecast of the season (14 telecasts).
Additionally, this marks the ninth-most viewed Monday Night Football game ever on ESPN (82 telecasts), and the 11th-most viewed program in cable television history.
Nine of the eleven most-viewed cable programs in history have been Monday Night Football games on ESPN.
Through Week 13, ESPN is averaging an 8.9 U.S. rating and 14.365 million viewers for NFL coverage, down 1% in ratings and viewership from last year (9.0, 14.476 mil).
(ESPN press release)
