NFL games rank as 13 of 15 most-watched shows this fall
Cowboys-Patriots on FOX Most-Watched Show of Week
NFL Games Top Local Ratings in 26 Markets
NFL games rank as 13 of the 15 most-watched shows of the fall television season.
The FOX national telecast (mostly Cowboys-Patriots) is the most-watched sporting event since Super Bowl XLV and was the most-watched program on television last week (Oct. 10 – 16) drawing an average of 28.4 million viewers. Through six weeks of the season, NFL games have been the most-watched program of the week five times.
Following are the most-watched programs this fall:
| Program | Viewers |
| 1. CBS’ Two and a Half Men (Season Premiere), 9/19 | 28.7 million |
| 2. FOX Sunday National (mostly Cowboys-Patriots), 10/16 | 28.4 million |
| 3. NBC Thursday Night Kickoff Game (Saints-Packers), 9/8 | 27.1 million |
| 4. FOX Sunday National (mostly Giants-Redskins), 9/11 | 25.8 million |
| 5. NBC Sunday Night Football (Cowboys-Jets), 9/11 | 25.8 million |
| 6. FOX Sunday National (mostly Packers-Bears), 9/25 | 24.0 million |
| 7. NBC Sunday Night Football (Eagles-Falcons),9/18 | 23.4 million |
| 8. FOX Sunday Single (mostly Lions-Cowboys), 10/2 | 23.3 million |
| 9. CBS Sunday National (mostly Packers-Broncos), 10/2 | 23.0 million |
| 10. CBS Sunday National (mostly Chargers-Patriots), 9/18 | 22.7 million |
| 11. CBS Sunday National (mostly Jets-Patriots), 10/9 | 22.6 million |
| 12. FOX Sunday Single (mostly Chi-N.O. & Dall.-S.F.), 9/18 | 22.5 million |
| 13. NBC Sunday Night Football (Packers-Falcons), 10/9 | 22.0 million |
| 14. CBS’ Two and a Half Men, 9/26 | 20.5 million |
| 15. NBC Sunday Night Football (Steelers-Colts), 9/25 | 20.4 million |
Locally, NFL games topped the ratings in 26 NFL markets last week. Following is the list of the NFL markets where football was the top-rated program for the week of Oct. 10-16:
| Week of 10/10-10/16 |
|
HH |
HH |
RTG |
|
| Market | Game |
Date |
RTG |
SHR |
Rank |
| New Orleans | Saints at Buccaneers | 10/16/11 | 50.2 | 71 |
1 |
| Milwaukee | Rams at Packers | 10/16/11 | 44.8 | 76 |
1 |
| Pittsburgh | Jaguars at Steelers | 10/16/11 | 44.8 | 71 |
1 |
| Buffalo | Bills at Giants | 10/16/11 | 38.9 | 65 |
1 |
| Boston | Cowboys at Patriots | 10/16/11 | 37.1 | 62 |
1 |
| Baltimore | Texans at Ravens | 10/16/11 | 36.4 | 59 |
1 |
| Detroit | Bears at Lions* | 10/10/11 | 36.4 | 52 |
1 |
| Dallas | Cowboys at Patriots | 10/16/11 | 35.6 | 63 |
1 |
| Chicago | Vikings at Bears | 10/16/11 | 32.1 | 46 |
1 |
| Minneapolis | Vikings at Bears | 10/16/11 | 30.4 | 45 |
1 |
| Philadelphia | Eagles at Redskins | 10/16/11 | 29.9 | 57 |
1 |
| Indianapolis | Colts at Bengals | 10/16/11 | 28.6 | 52 |
1 |
| Cleveland | Browns at Raiders | 10/16/11 | 28.0 | 44 |
1 |
| Washington, DC | Eagles at Redskins | 10/16/11 | 25.2 | 57 |
1 |
| Charlotte | Panthers at Falcons | 10/16/11 | 23.3 | 48 |
1 |
| San Fran-Oakland | 49ers at Lions | 10/16/11 | 22.2 | 55 |
1 |
| San Diego | Cowboys at Patriots | 10/16/11 | 22.1 | 43 |
1 |
| Atlanta | Panthers at Falcons | 10/16/11 | 21.0 | 44 |
1 |
| Houston | Texans at Ravens | 10/16/11 | 19.3 | 36 |
1 |
| Jacksonville | Jaguars at Steelers | 10/16/11 | 19.2 | 38 |
1 |
| Kansas City | Cowboys at Patriots | 10/16/11 | 18.6 | 35 |
1 |
| Phoenix | Cowboys at Patriots | 10/16/11 | 16.1 | 32 |
1 |
| Denver | Cowboys at Patriots | 10/16/11 | 15.6 | 36 |
1 |
| Tampa | Cowboys at Patriots | 10/16/11 | 15.5 | 30 |
1 |
| New York | Bills at Giants | 10/16/11 | 15.2 | 37 |
1 |
| Miami | Cowboys at Patriots | 10/16/11 | 13.5 | 22 |
1 |
* Local affiliate & ESPN combined
Source: NFL & The Nielsen Company
NFL Communications on Twitter
