The Patriots’ first defeat of the season delivered good numbers on NBC.
Patriots-Ravens averaged a 12.7 rating and 22.03 million viewers on NBC’s Sunday Night Football last night, down 7% in ratings and viewership from Packers-Patriots last year (13.7, 23.68M), but up 48% and 53% respectively from 2017 (Raiders-Dolphins: 8.6, 14.36M).
Baltimore’s win, which peaked with 24.3 million viewers from 9:30-9:45 PM ET, delivered the fourth-largest primetime Week 9 audience since 1999 (Cowboys-Vikings: 23.1M). It trails only last year’s game, Cowboys-Eagles in 2015 (23.05M) and Ravens-Steelers in 2011 (22.12M).
It also ranks as the highest rated and most-watched primetime game in any week since Cowboys-Saints in Week 4 (13.7, 24.11M). No other primetime game has done better since Week 1.
Including streaming viewership, the game averaged 22.6 million. For the season, SNF is now averaging 20.5 million with streaming included (+4%) — the highest at this point of the season since 2015.
Boston and Providence (R.I.) led all markets Sunday night with a 35.5 rating. Boston turned in a 59 share and Providence a 57. Baltimore ranked third at a 33.7/52.
Pittsburgh was the top neutral market (18.8/31), with Kansas City rounding out the top five (18.3/30).
SNF averaged a 6.7 rating in adults 18-49 (-10%), topping the NFL national window on CBS (6.0) as the week’s top game in the demo. The series has topped the charts in 18-49 three times this season. It also drew a 5.0 in adults 18-34 (-14%).
[Nielsen estimates from NBC Sports, ShowBuzz Daily 11.5]
