A matchup of disappointing teams delivered a 12-year ratings low on Sunday Night Football.
Bears-Rams averaged a 9.7 rating and 16.85 million viewers on NBC Sunday night, marking the lowest rated and least-watched Week 11 Sunday Night Football game since 2007 (Patriots-Bills: 9.3, 14.48M).
In addition to the multi-year lows, ratings and viewership topped only Steelers-Chargers in Week 6 (8.6, 14.89M) as the lowest for the series this season.
The Rams’ win, which peaked with 18.5 million viewers from 9:15-9:30 PM ET, declined 9% in ratings and 11% in viewership from last year (Vikings-Bears: 10.7, 18.84M) and 18% and 20% respectively from 2017 (Cowboys-Eagles: 11.9, 21.06M). Including streaming, viewership fell 10% to 17.2 million.
Six of NBC’s 12 NFL windows this season have declined. Despite the lower numbers, SNF is still averaging 20.5 million viewers across all platforms (+4%) — its highest 11-week average since 2015.
SNF averaged a 5.1 rating in adults 18-49 (-12%), its lowest in Week 11 since ESPN last held rights in 2005 (Chiefs-Texans: 2.9). It also averaged a 3.5 in adults 18-34 (-19%), also the lowest since 2005 (2.6).
Chicago led all markets Sunday night with a 28.9 rating and a 46 share, followed by Milwaukee (15.8/26), Las Vegas (15.5/27) and San Diego (14.8/29). Los Angeles rounded out the top five at a 14.0/27.
[Nielsen estimates from NBC Sports, ShowBuzz Daily 11.19]
