A lopsided matchup of sub-.500 teams, on a night when baseball and the NBA provided tough competition, set all-time record lows for primetime NFL on broadcast television.
FOX and NFL Network earned a combined 5.6 rating and 9.10 million viewers for Broncos-Cardinals on Thursday Night Football, down 35% in ratings and 37% in viewership from last year (Chiefs-Raiders: 8.6, 14.4M) and down 36% and 37% respectively from the fourth TNF simulcast in 2016 (Broncos-Chargers: 8.7, 14.5M)
Versus the comparable Week 7 TNF game in 2016, Bears-Packers, ratings fell 35% (from 8.6) and viewership 36% (from 14.2M).
The Broncos’ blowout win ranks as the lowest rated and least-watched primetime NFL game ever on broadcast television. The previous lows were a 6.3 and 10.01 million for Seahawks-Buccaneers on NBC in 2008.
Five of the ten lowest rated and least-watched primetime games have been Thursday Night Football simulcasts.
Broncos-Cardinals aired opposite Game 5 of the Red Sox-Astros American League Championship Series, which had a 4.0 and 6.52 million. It also overlapped with the beginning of LeBron James‘ Lakers debut on TNT, which had a 2.05 and 3.31 million. While TNF won the head-to-head, the competition likely played a role in the record-low.
For the night, TNF ranked third among all television programs behind “The Big Bang Theory” (12.2M) and “Young Sheldon” (11.0M) on CBS. It won the night in adults 18-34 (2.2), adults 18-49 (2.8) and adults 25-54 (3.5), despite hitting all-time lows in the latter two demos.
The full list of 2018 NFL ratings is available here.
Lowest Rated/Least-Watched Primetime NFL Games on Broadcast
Asterisk (*) indicates NFL Network simulcast
Lowest Rated
Least-Watched
#
Year
Game
Rtg
Net
#
Year
Game
Vwrs
Net
1
2018
DEN-ARIZ
5.6
FOX*
1
2018
DEN-ARIZ
9.10M
FOX*
2
2008
SEA-TB
6.3
NBC
2
2008
SEA-TB
10.01M
NBC
3
2017
DEN-IND
6.5
NBC*
3
2017
DEN-IND
10.64M
NBC*
4
2017
MIA-BAL
7.0
CBS*
4
2007
NO-SEA
11.19M
NBC
5
2007
NO-SEA
7.1
NBC
5
2017
MIA-BAL
11.36M
CBS*
6
2016
SF-AZ
7.4
CBS*
6
2004
TB-STL
11.48M
ABC
T7
2014
TB-ATL
7.5
CBS*
7
2001
TEN-OAK
11.71M
ABC
2001
TEN-OAK
7.5
ABC
8
2014
TB-ATL
11.88M
CBS*
9
2011
IND-NO
7.6
NBC
9
2005
BAL-GB
12.05M
ABC
10
2004
TB-STL
7.7
ABC
10
2016
SF-ARIZ
12.07M
CBS*
| Lowest Rated | Least-Watched | ||||||||
| # | Year | Game | Rtg | Net | # | Year | Game | Vwrs | Net |
| 1 | 2018 | DEN-ARIZ | 5.6 | FOX* | 1 | 2018 | DEN-ARIZ | 9.10M | FOX* |
| 2 | 2008 | SEA-TB | 6.3 | NBC | 2 | 2008 | SEA-TB | 10.01M | NBC |
| 3 | 2017 | DEN-IND | 6.5 | NBC* | 3 | 2017 | DEN-IND | 10.64M | NBC* |
| 4 | 2017 | MIA-BAL | 7.0 | CBS* | 4 | 2007 | NO-SEA | 11.19M | NBC |
| 5 | 2007 | NO-SEA | 7.1 | NBC | 5 | 2017 | MIA-BAL | 11.36M | CBS* |
| 6 | 2016 | SF-AZ | 7.4 | CBS* | 6 | 2004 | TB-STL | 11.48M | ABC |
| T7 | 2014 | TB-ATL | 7.5 | CBS* | 7 | 2001 | TEN-OAK | 11.71M | ABC |
| 2001 | TEN-OAK | 7.5 | ABC | 8 | 2014 | TB-ATL | 11.88M | CBS* | |
| 9 | 2011 | IND-NO | 7.6 | NBC | 9 | 2005 | BAL-GB | 12.05M | ABC |
| 10 | 2004 | TB-STL | 7.7 | ABC | 10 | 2016 | SF-ARIZ | 12.07M | CBS* |
[Numbers from Nielsen via Programming Insider 10.19]
