NFL Week 7 ratings were a mixed bag on CBS, with the national window hitting a 16-year low.
The Week 7 NFL national window, featuring Bengals-Steelers in 63% of markets, had an 11.3 rating and 19.8 million viewers on CBS — down 10% in ratings and 8% in viewership from Patriots-Steelers last year (12.6, 21.7M) and down 22% and 19% respectively from Cowboys-Giants on FOX in 2015 (14.4, 24.5M).
The 11.3 rating is the lowest for the Week 7 national window since 2001, when coverage featuring Raiders-Eagles had an 11.1 on CBS.
The low numbers are no surprise given the weak schedule. CBS originally had only Seahawks-Giants and Broncos-Chargers scheduled in the late window, but with New York and Los Angeles a combined 3-9 entering the weekend, the NFL flexed in Bengals-Steelers.
Earlier in the day, CBS scored an 8.2 and 13.4 million — up 17% in ratings and 18% in viewership from last year (7.0, 11.3M) and up 4% and 7% respectively from 2015 on FOX (7.9, 12.5M). Not counting Thursday Night Football, it was just the third NFL telecast all season to hit a multi-year high in ratings and/or viewership.
Overall, the CBS doubleheader averaged a 9.8 and 16.7 million, up 1% in ratings and 2% in viewership from last year.
[Wknd. numbers via ShowBuzz Daily 10.24]
