NFL heavyweights deliver big weekend numbers

CBS saw gains with the weekend’s NFL Playoff action, with Sunday’s Steelers/Broncos game reeling in a 26.2/44 to become the highest-rated Sunday AFC Divisional Playoff game in 21 years on any network in the metered markets. Nielsen numbers also topped last year equitable game by 3%. The matchup was seen by an average of 43 million viewers, also up 3%.

The Cardinals’ OT win over the Packers led NBC to an 18.8/33 household rating and ranking as the highest-rated Saturday primetime Divisional game ever, according to Nielsen’s Fast National data. The telecast averaged 33.7 million viewers to rank as the second-most watched Saturday primetime Divisional ever with both the rating and viewership up 9% over last year’s primetime Saturday NFC Divisional Playoff. For its two January 2016 playoff games, NBC averaged 34.5 million viewers, a 19.8/37 household rating, and a 10.6 rating in the Adult 18-49 demographic records for NBC in all three metrics since acquiring the Sunday Night Football package in 2006, and up 11%, 11% and 8% respectively over last year.

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