A surprising result helped Sunday Night Football pull virtually even with last year.
Colts-Chiefs averaged a 10.6 rating and 18.1 million viewers on NBC’s Sunday Night Football last night, per Nielsen fast-nationals — down a tick in ratings and 3% in viewership from last year (Cowboys-Texans: 10.7, 18.59M), but up 12% and 10% respectively from 2017 (Chiefs-Texans: 9.5, 16.53M).
The Colts’ upset win ranks fifth in ratings and viewership out of NBC’s six windows this season, ahead of only Eagles-Falcons in Week 2 (10.3, 17.64M). It was the third of those six to decline from last year, though the drop was the smallest of the three.
Even so, it also ranks as the most-watched Colts game in primetime since Thanksgiving 2016 (Colts-Steelers: 20.9M) and the highest rated since Week 6 in 2015 (Patriots-Colts: 13.1).
Including streaming, the game averaged 18.6 million viewers (-2%). SNF is now averaging 21.0 million viewers across NBC’s TV and digital platforms (+5%), the highest through five weeks since 2016.
Kansas City led all markets Sunday night with a 47.3 rating and a whopping 67 share, meaning that two-thirds of televisions in use were tuned to the game. Indianapolis ranked second at a 29.4/47.
Denver was the top neutral market at a 16.5/29. San Diego and Las Vegas tied for fourth at a 15.0. New Orleans, which is typically one of the highest rated neutral markets for NFL games, is no longer included in Nielsen overnight ratings.
Demographic data will be added when available.
[Nielsen estimates from NBC Sports]
