The Bills’ return to Sunday Night Football did not move the needle much in either direction.
The latest edition of NBC’s Sunday Night Football (Bills-Steelers) averaged a 10.5 rating and 18.14 million viewers, down 3% in ratings but up slightly in viewership from last year (Eagles-Rams: 10.8, 18.12M) and down 5% in both measures from 2017 (Cowboys-Raiders: 11.1, 19.19M).
Buffalo’s win tied the lowest Week 15 SNF rating since 2013 (Bengals-Steelers: 9.9), matching Cardinals-Eagles in 2015.
Ratings and viewership topped the Bills’ previous Sunday Night Football appearance, in 2007 against the Patriots (9.3, 14.48M).
Including streaming, the game averaged 18.5 million. The Sunday Night Football package is now averaging 20.5 million viewers across TV and digital (+4%), the highest through 15 weeks since 2015.
For the season, Bills-Steelers ranks 11th in ratings and 12th in viewership out of NBC’s 17 windows.
Buffalo led all markets Sunday night with a 49.4 rating and 69 share, up 40% from the Bills’ previous SNF game in 2007 (35.3). Pittsburgh ranked second at a 45.9/64. New Orleans was the top neutral market with a 20.3/29. Ft. Myers, Fla. (15.7/26) and Baltimore (15.5/26) rounded out the top five.
SNF scored a 5.0 rating in adults 18-49 (-8%), the series’ lowest Week 15 rating in the demo since ESPN last held rights in 2005 (Falcons-Bears: 4.1). It also drew a 3.5 in adults 18-34 (-13%), also the lowest in Week 15 since 2005 (3.4).
[Nielsen estimates from ShowBuzz Daily 12.17, NBC Sports]
