The ratings were not much to write home about — relatively speaking — in an unusual Week 13 of the NFL season.
Last Sunday’s NFL national window (Eagles-Packers in 86% of markets) averaged a 10.6 rating and 19.23 million viewers on CBS, down 13% in ratings and 12% in viewership from last year (mostly Raiders-Chiefs: 12.2, 21.90M) and the smallest audience for the window in Week 13 of the season since 2003 (19.22M).
Beyond the lopsided nature of both late games — Green Bay led at one point 23-3 and the Patriots-Chargers undercard was a 45-0 laugher — the window had to contend with unusually-high distribution for the late singleheader games on FOX, which went to 52% of markets.
CBS had better luck earlier in the day, with ratings up 21% and viewership up 23% for the first half of its doubleheader (mostly Browns-Titans: 8.5, 14.57M). While the late window faced greater competition than usual, the early window faced less — FOX aired a competing 1:00 PM ET game in only 48% of markets.
Speaking of said FOX singleheader, coverage featuring Saints-Falcons in a plurality of markets averaged an 8.4 and 15.23 million — down 30% in ratings and 27% in viewership from last year (mostly 49ers-Ravens: 12.0, 20.90M). Keep in mind that last year’s featured 49ers-Ravens game was a matchup of teams with a combined 19-3 record.
Shifting to primetime, the Chiefs’ closer-than-expected win over the Broncos averaged a 9.8 and 17.07 million viewers on NBC’s Sunday Night Football — down 20% in ratings and viewership from last year (Patriots-Texans: 12.3, 21.45M) but good enough to rank second among primetime games since Week 3. The only primetime game to rank higher over that span was the Chiefs’ previous SNF appearance against the Raiders in Week 11 (10.8, 19.57M).
The following night, Bills-49ers averaged an 8.4 and 14.17 million in a special Monday Night Football simulcast on ABC and ESPN — up 2% in ratings and 1% in viewership from Vikings-Seahawks on ESPN alone last year (8.2, 14.03M). Buffalo’s win delivered the second-largest Monday night audience of the season, behind the previous ABC simulcast in Week 2 (Saints-Raiders: 9.2, 15.59M).
Earlier in the day, a late afternoon Washington-Pittsburgh make-up game averaged a 4.3 and 7.79 million on FOX, with the caveat that the game aired in only 45% of markets. It ranks as the lowest rated and least-watched NFL window on broadcast television this season, though the limited distribution gives that statistic an obvious asterisk.
Finally, a Cowboys-Ravens make-up game on Tuesday night averaged an 8.0 and 13.54 million on FOX and NFL Network. The game was originally scheduled to air on Thursday Night Football last week. The Ravens’ win ranks as the highest rated and most-watched makeup game this season, though it was only the second of five to air in primetime.
The full list of 2020 NFL ratings is available here.
[Nielsen estimates from Douglas Pucci/Twitter, ShowBuzz Daily 12.8 a, b, 12.9]
