TV Ratings: Sunday rivals can't compete with Patriots-Colts

NBC's football dominates, while 'Desperate Housewives' is the best of the rest

Monday, Nov 16, 2009 11:34 AM

Daniel Fienberg

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TV Ratings: Sunday rivals can't compete with Patriots-Colts

Peyton Manning of the Colts

Credit: Darron Cummings/AP

Fast National ratings for Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009.

Sunday night's NFL showdown between the Patriots and Colts had been touted as the Game of the Year for weeks and that was before the Colts stunned the Patriots with a 4th quarter comeback-for-the-ages. It's not a surprise, then, that NBC's broadcast of the game helped the network rout the Sunday competition.

Among adults 18-49, NBC averaged a 6.0 rating. FOX, boosted by a little NFL overrun, had a 4.6 rating for second in the key demographic, topping the 3.5 rating for ABC and CBS' 2.3 rating.

Overall, NBC averaged an estimated 16.15 million viewers to go with a 10.0 rating/16 share. The other three networks were in a tight bunch, led by ABC's 6.7/11. CBS' 6.5/10 and the 6.4/10 for FOX followed closely.

FOX started the night in first with a 10.2/17 for NFL overrun and follow-up coverage, which also won the hour in the 18-49 demo, with a 6.5 rating. CBS' "60 Minutes" was second with a 7.8/13. ABC's "America's Funniest Home Videos" was third with a 4.8/8, leaving NBC's "Football Night in America" in fourth.

NBC shot into first in the 8 p.m. hour with an 11.4/17 for the start of the Patriots-Colts game. CBS' "The Amazing Race" was a strong second with a 6.9/10, nipping ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." FOX's "The Simpsons" and "The Cleveland Show" had a 4.7/7 and finished second in the 18-49 demo.

The football game remained in first in the 9 p.m. hour, rising to a 12.8/19 and a 7.7 rating in the key demographic for NBC. ABC's "Desperate Housewives" was a respectable second with an 8.7/13. CBS' "Three Rivers" had a 5.2/8 for third overall. FOX's "Family Guy" and "American Dad" were fourth overall, but finished third in the 18-49 demo.

NBC stayed first at 10 p.m. with an 11.1/19 for the gridiron showdown between New England and Indianapolis. ABC's "Brothers & Sisters" was second with a 6.6/11. That left CBS' "Cold Case" in third, though it improved on its lead-in both in viewers and in the 18-49 demo.

All ratings information comes from preliminary Fast National Nielsen data, which includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are subject to change, particularly in the case of live events.