It was never in doubt that the NFC Championship (sorry 49ers fans!) would easily win out both with adults 18-49 and total viewers. Outside of sports, American Idol's premiere week took the top two spots with adults 18-49 and viewership. The Big Bang Theory was the week's top scripted show with adults 18-49 and viewership.
Primetime Broadcast Adults 18-49 Viewers for the week ending January 22, 2012:
| Rank | Shows | R=Repeat S=Special P=Premiere | Net | 18-49 rating | 18-49 Viewers (000) |
| 1 | FOX NFC CHAMPIONSHIP(S) | S | FOX | 21.4 | 27,368 |
| 2 | FOX NFC CHAMPIONSHIP-POST(S) | S | FOX | 12.3 | 15,707 |
| 3 | American Idol-WEDNESDAY | P | FOX | 7.4 | 9,401 |
| 4 | American Idol-THURSDAY | P | FOX | 5.7 | 7,294 |
| 5 | Big Bang Theory, THE | CBS | 5.3 | 6,836 | |
| 6 | Modern Family | ABC | 5.1 | 6,483 | |
| 7 | 2 Broke Girls | CBS | 4.6 | 5,862 | |
| 8 | Two and a Half Men | CBS | 4.6 | 5,932 | |
| 9 | How I Met Your Mother | CBS | 4.4 | 5,633 | |
| 10 | MIKE & Molly | CBS | 3.8 | 4,901 | |
| 11 | Grey'S ANATOMY | ABC | 3.5 | 4,445 | |
| 12 | ROB | CBS | 3.5 | 4,422 | |
| 13 | New Girl | FOX | 3.4 | 4,364 | |
| 14 | Alcatraz | P | FOX | 3.3 | 4,216 |
| 15 | Criminal Minds | CBS | 3.2 | 4,132 | |
| 16 | Once Upon A Time | ABC | 3.2 | 4,108 | |
| 17 | Person Of Interest | CBS | 3.2 | 4,136 | |
| 18 | GLEE | FOX | 3.1 | 3,935 | |
| 19 | Mentalist, THE | CBS | 3.0 | 3,811 | |
| 20 | OFFICE | NBC | 3.0 | 3,811 | |
| 21 | Happy Endings | ABC | 2.9 | 3,677 | |
| 22 | CSI | CBS | 2.8 | 3,636 | |
| 23 | Hawaii Five-0 | CBS | 2.8 | 3,573 | |
| 24 | BETTY WHITE 90TH BIRTHDAY(S) | S | NBC | 2.7 | 3,495 |
| 25 | Desperate Housewives | ABC | 2.6 | 3,287 |
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Primetime Broadcast Total Viewership for the week:
| Rank | Shows | R=Repeat S=Special P=Premiere | Net | # Viewers (LIVE+SD) (000) | HH RATING (LIVE+SD) | HH SHARE (LIVE+SD) |
| 1 | FOX NFC CHAMPIONSHIP(S) | S | FOX | 57635 | 30.6 | 44 |
| 2 | FOX NFC CHAMPIONSHIP-POST(S) | S | FOX | 31036 | 17.1 | 27 |
| 3 | American Idol-WEDNESDAY | P | FOX | 21931 | 12.3 | 19 |
| 4 | AMERICAN IDOL-THURSDAY | P | FOX | 18018 | 10.3 | 16 |
| 5 | Big Bang Theory, THE | CBS | 15835 | 9.3 | 15 | |
| 6 | Person Of Interest | CBS | 14400 | 8.7 | 13 | |
| 7 | Mentalist, THE | CBS | 14220 | 8.8 | 14 | |
| 8 | BETTY WHITE 90TH BIRTHDAY(S) | S | NBC | 13856 | 8.5 | 12 |
| 9 | NCIS | R | CBS | 13227 | 8.2 | 13 |
| 10 | Two and a Half Men | CBS | 13015 | 7.8 | 11 | |
| 11 | Criminal Minds | CBS | 13003 | 8.1 | 12 | |
| 12 | Off Their Rockers(S) | S | NBC | 12256 | 7.4 | 11 |
| 13 | CSI | CBS | 12015 | 7.5 | 12 | |
| 14 | Modern Family | ABC | 11890 | 7.0 | 11 | |
| 15 | ROB | CBS | 11406 | 6.9 | 10 | |
| 16 | 2 Broke Girls | CBS | 11403 | 6.8 | 10 | |
| 17 | MIKE & Molly | CBS | 11088 | 6.8 | 10 | |
| 18 | Hawaii Five-0 | CBS | 10731 | 6.6 | 11 | |
| 19 | How I Met Your Mother | CBS | 10080 | 6.1 | 9 | |
| 20 | Alcatraz | P | FOX | 10051 | 5.9 | 9 |
| 21 | Grey'S ANATOMY | ABC | 9422 | 6.3 | 9 | |
| 22 | CASTLE | ABC | 9412 | 6.1 | 10 | |
| 23 | NCIS: LOS ANGELES | R | CBS | 9396 | 6.1 | 9 |
| 24 | Once Upon A Time | ABC | 9329 | 5.4 | 8 | |
| 25 | Undercover Boss | CBS | 9246 | 5.9 | 8 |
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Nielsen TV Ratings: ©2012 The Nielsen Company. All Rights Reserved. All numbers are live viewing plus same day DVR viewing.
