via press release:
NFL GAME RANKS AS MOST-WATCHED SHOW ON TV
FOR SEVENTH CONSECUTIVE WEEK
Games Top Local Ratings in 25 of 30 NFL Markets
The CBS national telecast (mostly N.Y. Jets-New England) was the most watched TV program last week (Oct. 15-21) topping all sports and entertainment competition with 23.0 million viewers. This marks the seventh time in seven weeks that an NFL game has topped the viewership charts (up from six times in the first seven weeks in 2011).
For the season, NFL games rank as the 11 most-watched TV shows since Labor Day. Following are the most-watched programs this fall:
| Program | Viewers |
| 1. NBC Sunday Night Football (Steelers-Broncos), 9/9 | 27.6 million |
| 2. FOX Sunday National (mostly 49ers-Packers), 9/9 | 26.4 million |
| 3. CBS Sunday National (mostly Broncos-Patriots), 10/7 | 24.5 million |
| 4. CBS Sunday National (mostly Texans-Broncos), 9/23 | 24.0 million |
| 5. NBC Wednesday Night Kickoff Game (Cowboys-Giants), 9/5 | 23.9 million |
| 6. CBS Sunday National (mostly Jets-Patriots), 10/21 | 23.0 million |
| 7. FOX Sunday National (mostly Giants-49ers), 10/14 | 22.8 million |
| 8. NBC Sunday Night Football (Giants-Eagles), 9/30 | 22.8 million |
| 9. FOX Sunday National (mostly Saints-Packers), 9/30 | 22.3 million |
| 10. NBC Sunday Night Football (Lions-49ers), 9/16 | 21.3 million |
| 11. NBC Sunday Night Football (Patriots-Ravens), 9/23 | 21.3 million |
Locally, NFL games topped ratings in 25 NFL markets last week:
| Program |
# of NFL Markets Ranked #1 |
| NFL Football |
25 |
| MLB Playoffs |
3 |
| Dancing with the Stars |
1 |
| Big Bang Theory |
1 |
Following is the list of the NFL markets where football was the top-rated program for the week of Oct. 15-21:
| Week of 10/15–21 |
|
HH |
HH |
RTG |
|
| Market | Game |
Date |
RTG |
SHR |
Rank |
| Pittsburgh | Steelers at Bengals |
10/21/12 |
45.1 |
62 |
1 |
| Milwaukee | Packers at Rams |
10/21/12 |
43.3 |
73 |
1 |
| Boston | Jets at Patriots |
10/21/12 |
41.4 |
65 |
1 |
| New Orleans | Saints at Buccaneers |
10/21/12 |
40.9 |
64 |
1 |
| Denver | Broncos at Chargers |
10/15/12 |
36.5 |
55 |
1 |
| San Diego | Broncos at Chargers |
10/15/12 |
34.6 |
54 |
1 |
| Cincinnati | Steelers at Bengals |
10/21/12 |
34.6 |
49 |
1 |
| Buffalo | Titans at Bills |
10/21/12 |
33.3 |
57 |
1 |
| Minneapolis | Cardinals at Vikings |
10/21/12 |
31.0 |
67 |
1 |
| Indianapolis | Browns at Colts |
10/21/12 |
29.7 |
53 |
1 |
| Baltimore | Ravens at Texans |
10/21/12 |
27.9 |
48 |
1 |
| Seattle | Seahawks at 49ers |
10/18/11 |
26.8 |
47 |
1 |
| Cleveland | Browns at Colts |
10/21/12 |
26.7 |
53 |
1 |
| Dallas | Cowboys at Panthers |
10/21/12 |
26.4 |
52 |
1 |
| Jacksonville | Jaguars at Raiders |
10/21/12 |
25.9 |
39 |
1 |
| Washington, DC | Redskins at Giants |
10/21/12 |
24.9 |
50 |
1 |
| Charlotte | Cowboys at Panthers |
10/21/12 |
23.5 |
46 |
1 |
| Nashville | Titans at Bills |
10/21/12 |
23.2 |
42 |
1 |
| Houston | Ravens at Texans |
10/21/12 |
22.0 |
44 |
1 |
| New York Jets | Jets at Patriots |
10/21/12 |
19.2 |
34 |
1 |
| Tampa | Saints at Buccaneers |
10/21/12 |
18.7 |
39 |
1 |
| Phoenix | Cardinals at Vikings |
10/21/12 |
17.6 |
38 |
1 |
| Philadelphia | Jets at Patriots |
10/21/12 |
15.1 |
26 |
1 |
| Atlanta | Jets at Patriots |
10/21/12 |
14.4 |
26 |
1 |
| Miami | Jets at Patriots |
10/21/12 |
13.5 |
26 |
1 |
AND THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS ARE #1! GO STEELERS!
What American pastime…a regular season football game gets four times more viewers than a MLB play-off game
Obviously the three where the MLB playoffs were most watched are Detroit, St. Louis, and San Fran-Oakland (all three markets’ teams were the last ones standing). That leaves Chicago and Kansas City as the only ones listed. I’m going to say DWTS was most watched in Chicago as that show tends to do best in big markets where ABC stations are glued to old women, and Kansas City would be where The Big Bang Theory drew the best numbers.