Even without Aaron Rodgers, the Packers-Steelers rivalry was enough to deliver the only NFL ratings bump of Week 12.
Packers-Steelers scored a 12.2 overnight rating on NBC’s Sunday Night Football last night, up 3% from Chiefs-Broncos last year (11.8) but down 25% from Patriots-Broncos in 2015 (16.2).
Sunday’s game marked the first time Packers-Steelers has gone to a majority of markets since 2005. That year, it had a 12.7 overnight on CBS in the national window.
Pittsburgh’s last-second win, which peaked at a 12.9 from 11-11:30 PM ET, was the only NFL window in Week 12 to post an increase over last year.
Earlier in the day, CBS scored a 13.3 overnight for the NFL national window, which featured Saints-Rams in 82% of markets — down 12% from last year (mostly Panthers-Raiders: 15.1) and down 20% from 2015 (Steelers-Seahawks: 16.7).
The 13.3 is the lowest for the Week 12 national window since at least 2002.
As for Sunday’s early windows, FOX scored a 10.0 for singleheader coverage featuring Bears-Eagles in a plurality of markets — down 9% from last year (11.0) and down 25% from 2015 (13.3).
The CBS early window had an 8.1 (-8%).
NFL ratings also took a hit on Thanksgiving. Vikings-Lions scored an 11.4 on FOX — down 21% from the same matchup on CBS last year (14.4) and down 17% from Eagles-Lions on FOX in 2015 (13.8). It was the lowest for the window since 2008. As previously reported, the day’s other games delivered a 12.4 overnight (Chargers-Cowboys on CBS) and a 9.7 (Giants-Washington on NBC).
[Wknd. numbers via Sports Business Daily 11.27, NBC Sports]
