Even sans-Drew Brees, Saints-Seahawks helped CBS to the largest Week 3 NFL audience in five years.
Sunday’s NFL national window, which featured Saints-Seahawks in 63% of markets, averaged a 13.0 rating and 22.46 million viewers on CBS — marking the most-watched Week 3 NFL telecast since 2014, when coverage featuring a Broncos-Seahawks Super Bowl rematch averaged 27.29 million.
It was also the highest rated Week 3 window since 2015, when Broncos-Lions scored a 13.1 on NBC’s Sunday Night Football.
Ratings increased 2% and viewership 1% from last year on FOX (mostly Cowboys-Seahawks: 12.7, 22.20M). The slight increase is a marked reversal from the metered market overnights, which declined 7%.
The national window has opened the season with three-straight increases, the first time that has happened since 2013. It has also cracked a 13 rating in each of the first three weeks, the first time that has happened since 2014.
Ratings and viewership were also the highest for the season’s first national window on CBS since 2015, when it aired coverage in Week 1 (Ravens-Broncos: 13.5, 23.29M). Compared to last year’s first CBS window, which aired in Week 2, ratings and viewership increased 8% and 7% respectively (mostly Patriots-Jaguars: 12.0, 20.97M).
Even with the strong numbers overall, the telecast had a 6.5 rating in adults 18-49 (-7%) — the lowest for the Week 3 national window since 2003 (5.9).
Earlier Sunday, regional action featuring Ravens-Chiefs in 65% of markets averaged an 8.3 (+1%) and 13.66 million (-1%). Despite featuring a marquee quarterback matchup of Lamar Jackson vs. Patrick Mahomes, viewership hit a three-year low. The window had a 4.0 rating in adults 18-49 (-8%).
Through three weeks, CBS is averaging a 9.8 rating (+8%) and 16.74 million viewers (+7%) for NFL coverage — its highest since 2016 (10.1, 17.40M).
The full list of 2019 NFL ratings is available here.
[Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 9.24]
