NFL Game Telecasts 24 of 25 Most-Watched TV Shows This Fall
NFL games were the two most-watched shows on TV last week (Dec. 3-9) with the FOX national telecast (mostly New Orleans Saints-New York Giants) topping all sports and entertainment competition with 24.5 million viewers followed by NBC’s Sunday Night Football (Detroit Lions-Green Bay Packers) with 21.4 million viewers.
An NFL game has topped the viewership charts in all 14 weeks this season and 13 times in 14 weeks NFL games ranked 1-2 in viewership.
Locally, an NFL game was the highest-rated show in 29 of 30 NFL markets last week.
For the season, NFL games rank as 24 of the 25 most-watched TV shows since Labor Day. Following are the most-watched programs this fall:
| Program | Viewers |
| 1. FOX Thanksgiving Game (Redskins-Cowboys), 11/22 | 28.7 million |
| 2. NBC Sunday Night Football (Steelers-Broncos), 9/9 | 27.6 million |
| 3. CBS Thanksgiving Game (Texans-Lions), 11/22 | 27.3 million |
| 4. FOX Sunday National (mostly Giants-Cowboys), 10/28 | 26.9 million |
| 5. FOX Sunday National (mostly 49ers-Packers), 9/9 | 26.4 million |
| 6. FOX Sunday National (mostly 49ers-Saints), 11/25 | 24.9 million |
| 7. CBS Sunday National (mostly Broncos-Patriots), 10/7 | 24.5 million |
| 8. FOX Sunday National (mostly Saints-Giants), 12/9 | 24.5 million |
| 9. FOX Sunday National (mostly Cowboys-Eagles), 11/11 | 24.3 million |
| 10. CBS Sunday National (mostly Steelers-Giants), 11/4 | 24.2 million |
| 11. CBS Sunday National (mostly Texans-Broncos), 9/23 | 24.0 million |
| 12. NBC Wed. Night Kickoff Game (Cowboys-Giants), 9/5 | 23.9 million |
| 13. CBS Sunday National (Indy-NE & SD-Den), 11/18 | 23.6 million |
| 14. CBS Sunday National (mostly Steelers-Ravens), 12/2 | 23.0 million |
| 15. CBS Sunday National (mostly Jets-Patriots), 10/21 | 23.0 million |
| 16. FOX Sunday National (mostly Giants-49ers), 10/14 | 22.8 million |
| 17. NBC Sunday Night Football (Giants-Eagles), 9/30 | 22.8 million |
| 18. NBC Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, 11/22 | 22.4 million |
| 19. FOX Sunday National (mostly Saints-Packers), 9/30 | 22.3 million |
| 20. NBC Sunday Night Football (Cowboys-Falcons), 11/4 | 21.8 million |
| 21. NBC Sunday Night Football (Lions-Packers), 12/9 | 21.4 million |
| 22. NBC Sunday Night Football (Lions-49ers), 9/16 | 21.3 million |
| 23. NBC Sunday Night Football (Patriots-Ravens), 9/23 | 21.3 million |
| 24. NBC Sunday Night Football (Texans-Bears), 11/11 | 20.9 million |
| 25. NBC Sunday Night Football (Packers-Giants), 11/25 | 20.9 million |
| 26. CBS NCIS (Season Premiere), 9/25 | 20.5 million |
Source: NFL & The Nielsen Company
Following is the list of NFL markets where football was the top-rated program for the week of Dec. 3-9:
| Week of 12/3-12/9 |
|
HH |
HH |
RTG |
|
| Market | Game |
Date |
RTG |
SHR |
Rank |
| Milwaukee | Lions at Packers |
12/9/2012 |
52.6 |
70 |
1 |
| New Orleans | Saints at Giants |
12/9/2012 |
41.9 |
60 |
1 |
| Pittsburgh | Chargers at Steelers |
12/9/2012 |
40.5 |
67 |
1 |
| Denver | Broncos at Raiders |
12/6/2012 |
38.7 |
61 |
1 |
| Minneapolis | Bears at Vikings |
12/9/2012 |
38.4 |
67 |
1 |
| Baltimore | Ravens at Redskins |
12/9/2012 |
37.6 |
61 |
1 |
| Indianapolis | Titans at Colts |
12/9/2012 |
35.5 |
59 |
1 |
| Washington, DC | Giants at Redskins |
12/3/2012 |
31.2 |
51 |
1 |
| Cincinnati | Cowboys at Bengals |
12/9/2012 |
31.2 |
53 |
1 |
| Cleveland | Chiefs at Browns |
12/9/2012 |
30.8 |
58 |
1 |
| Seattle | Cardinals at Seahawks |
12/9/2012 |
29.4 |
58 |
1 |
| Buffalo | Rams at Bills |
12/9/2012 |
29.0 |
51 |
1 |
| Dallas | Cowboys at Bengals |
12/9/2012 |
28.7 |
55 |
1 |
| Kansas City | Chiefs at Browns |
12/9/2012 |
28.1 |
53 |
1 |
| Chicago | Bears at Vikings |
12/9/2012 |
27.7 |
52 |
1 |
| Detroit | Lions at Packers |
12/9/2012 |
27.0 |
39 |
1 |
| St. Louis | Rams at Bills |
12/9/2012 |
24.4 |
46 |
1 |
| Atlanta | Falcons at Panthers |
12/9/2012 |
23.7 |
47 |
1 |
| Nashville | Titans at Colts |
12/9/2012 |
22.8 |
38 |
1 |
| Charlotte | Falcons at Panthers |
12/9/2012 |
22.1 |
44 |
1 |
| Philadelphia | Eagles at Buccaneers |
12/9/2012 |
21.6 |
40 |
1 |
| Jacksonville | Jets at Jaguars |
12/9/2012 |
21.2 |
36 |
1 |
| Tampa | Eagles at Buccaneers |
12/9/2012 |
21.1 |
43 |
1 |
| New York | Saints at Giants |
12/9/2012 |
21.0 |
35 |
1 |
| San Diego | Chargers at Steelers |
12/9/2012 |
20.3 |
46 |
1 |
| San Fran-Oakland | Dolphins at 49ers |
12/9/2012 |
18.7 |
48 |
1 |
| Phoenix | Cardinals at Seahawks |
12/9/2012 |
17.2 |
32 |
1 |
| Miami | Dolphins at 49ers |
12/9/2012 |
14.6 |
28 |
1 |
| Houston | Saints at Giants |
12/9/2010 |
13.8 |
26 |
1 |
Source: NFL & The Nielsen Company
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