Pats-Texans Breaks ESPN Most Watched TV Ratings

[shmessy]

Patriots’ playoff victory over Texans sets viewership record on ESPN - The Boston Globe

The broadcast drew 37.965 million viewers across ESPN, ABC, and ESPN Deportes, and 37.910 million across ESPN and ABC alone.

www.bostonglobe.com

"The Patriots’ 28-16 victory over the Texans last Sunday afternoon in the AFC divisional playoff round was the most-watched event in ESPN history, per Nielsen viewership data.

The broadcast drew 37.965 million viewers across ESPN, ABC, and ESPN Deportes, and 37.910 million across ESPN and ABC alone.

Both measures stand alone as a viewership record at ESPN, which launched in 1979 and has been televising the NFL since 1987....."

.

 

[TheRainMaker]

I hope Goodell sees this. Patriots being relevant are good for the NFL.

 

[shmessy]

And, of course, local yokel Ring 6 was, wrong: 45.4 million > 37.965 million.....shocker!

Rams-Bears was the most-watched divisional playoff game in NBC history

NBC has never had a divisional playoff game with as many viewers as Rams-Bears on Sunday night

theramswire.usatoday.com

NBC announced on Thursday that Rams-Bears was the most-watched divisional playoff game in the network’s history, drawing an average of 45.4 million viewers on NBC and Peacock. The previous NBC record was held by Chiefs-Oilers in 1994 when Joe Montana and Kansas City beat Warren Moon and Houston. That game drew 41.1 million viewers.

PostGame Thread Post in thread '2025 OFFICIAL Patriots Wild Card PostGame Thread: Patriots win 16-3'

Jan 12, 2026

The late Sunday slot is the coveted one for TV ratings. Houston doesn't have the cachet of the Pats, Steelers, or Bears.

I think Houston/New England is a bigger draw than LA/Chicago

• Ring 6

I think Houston/New England is a bigger draw than LA/Chicago

In what universe?

.

This one

So you actually believe "Houston/New England is a bigger draw than LA/Chicago"???????

You think the #5 vs #11 major Metropolitan markets are greater draws than the #2 and #3............

And that the game between the #2 and #3 - which is the only one where a Super Bowl Champion Quarterback is playing - is a better draw than the #5 vs #11 game???

Interesting universe you live in.

Ring 6's reply:
"The patriots are a bigger draw than both of those teams.
Don’t believe me, check the ratings.

Or are you trying to argue that playoff football ratings are based upon the size of the market the team is in and people from the rest of the country don’t actually determine which game is a better draw?"
---------------------------

Hmmmmmmm, facts are facts, kiddo. #2 and #3 markets are always larger than #5 and #11 - - no matter how much you think the world revolves around Boston.
.

 

[maust]

Whaddya think, over under on hate watching @ 85% or higher?

 

[Nikolai]

Whaddya think over under on hate watching @ 85% or higher?

Oddly enough, I don't get the normal hate from people. I've had fans of all kinds of teams come up and tell me they're rooting for the Pats. People like Maye and Vrabel, I think.

Let's see where that goes once they win a few Super Bowls.

EDIT - Strong GIF gets the laugh

 

[maust]

Oddly enough, I don't get the normal hate from people. I've had fans of all kinds of teams come up and tell me they're rooting for the Pats. People like Maye and Vrabel, I think.

Let's see where that goes once they win a few Super Bowls.

EDIT - Strong GIF gets the laugh

Yeah TBH I am getting more a sense of resignation out of my non Pats fan acquaintances than 'hate'

 

[Ring 6]

And, of course, local yokel Ring 6 was, wrong: 45.4 million > 37.965 million.....shocker!

Rams-Bears was the most-watched divisional playoff game in NBC history

NBC has never had a divisional playoff game with as many viewers as Rams-Bears on Sunday night

theramswire.usatoday.com

NBC announced on Thursday that Rams-Bears was the most-watched divisional playoff game in the network’s history, drawing an average of 45.4 million viewers on NBC and Peacock. The previous NBC record was held by Chiefs-Oilers in 1994 when Joe Montana and Kansas City beat Warren Moon and Houston. That game drew 41.1 million viewers.

PostGame Thread Post in thread '2025 OFFICIAL Patriots Wild Card PostGame Thread: Patriots win 16-3'

Jan 12, 2026

The late Sunday slot is the coveted one for TV ratings. Houston doesn't have the cachet of the Pats, Steelers, or Bears.

I think Houston/New England is a bigger draw than LA/Chicago

• Ring 6

Ring 6's reply:
"The patriots are a bigger draw than both of those teams.
Don’t believe me, check the ratings.

Or are you trying to argue that playoff football ratings are based upon the size of the market the team is in and people from the rest of the country don’t actually determine which game is a better draw?"
---------------------------

Hmmmmmmm, facts are facts, kiddo. #2 and #3 markets are always larger than #5 and #11 - - no matter how much you think the world revolves around Boston.
.

You can’t compare a 3:00 game to a 6:30 game.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Yeah TBH I am getting more a sense of resignation out of my non Pats fan acquaintances than 'hate'

With success, the hate will come (see: Mahomes Chiefs, Brady Patriots).

 

[VrabelJr]

The previous record being all the way from 1994 is incredible.

 

[Jim Plunkett]

They are fudging stats or making something up. There should be no reason this game was that big a deal. Maybe they just counted anyone who saw it for 5 seconds.

 

[farn]

I’ve been thinking a lot about Alix Earle lately.

 

[shmessy]

You can’t compare a 3:00 game to a 6:30 game.

ROFLMAO!

‘I’m Ring 6, I’m a Local Yokel and don’t know there’s a bigger world outside Boston!’

Must’ve taken a lot of strength to move those goalposts all by yourself, kid.

.

 

[NovaScotiaPatsFan]

 

[Ring 6]

ROFLMAO!

‘I’m Ring 6, I’m a Local Yokel and don’t know there’s a bigger world outside Boston!’

Must’ve taken a lot of strength to move those goalposts all by yourself, kid.

.

The entire discussion was based upon which game gets the higher viewed time slot. That game getting more viewers because it was in the time slot that always gets the most viewers says nothing about h or e many viewers the Patriots would have drawn in that time slot c

You are the one moving the goalposts, and of course rather than arguing facts you can only throw insults, the epic sign you know your argument stinks.

 

[mike_usagisan]

They are fudging stats or making something up. There should be no reason this game was that big a deal. Maybe they just counted anyone who saw it for 5 seconds.

Neilsen ratings have been changing the way they capture the size of the audience, bringing in streaming viewership and people who watch at sports bars, etc. Basically every major sports viewing event is being reported to have a bigger viewership now.

 

[Steve102]

Yeah TBH I am getting more a sense of resignation out of my non Pats fan acquaintances than 'hate'

I think people love Maye. I don't recall a Tom Brady Lover instachat or snapface account. Vrabel is immensely more likeable than Bill.

 

[NFL Mystique]

Patriots’ playoff victory over Texans sets viewership record on ESPN - The Boston Globe

The broadcast drew 37.965 million viewers across ESPN, ABC, and ESPN Deportes, and 37.910 million across ESPN and ABC alone.

www.bostonglobe.com

"The Patriots’ 28-16 victory over the Texans last Sunday afternoon in the AFC divisional playoff round was the most-watched event in ESPN history, per Nielsen viewership data.

The broadcast drew 37.965 million viewers across ESPN, ABC, and ESPN Deportes, and 37.910 million across ESPN and ABC alone.

Both measures stand alone as a viewership record at ESPN, which launched in 1979 and has been televising the NFL since 1987....."

.

I wonder if a Seattle/Rams vs Denver SB would be one of the lowest rated SB's in years. There is not much of a fan base with the Rams & Denver would be....underdogs to say the least.

 

[BennyBledsoe]

I was hoping it'd say 'and ABC' and I was right.

Which makes me wonder when they are just gonna give up and FINALLY simulcast ALL the Monday Night Football games again.

 

[NFL Mystique]

Yeah TBH I am getting more a sense of resignation out of my non Pats fan acquaintances than 'hate'

Brady/Bill gave off ****y attitudes while being a boring interview simultaneously. At least that is what many NFL fans said. Bill had the hoodie and an "f u" attitude to the league and press. Brady is a much better interview now. But that is only because he is retired.

Maye has that southern accent and is very much down to earth and hard to hate. Vrabel is more open with the media. I think playing in NE helped alot because he knows most of the press by name & got along with them as a player.

 

[Steve102]

Brady/Bill gave off ****y attitudes while being a boring interview simultaneously. At least that is what many NFL fans said. Bill had the hoodie and an "f u" attitude to the league and press. Brady is a much better interview now. But that is only because he is retired.

Maye has that southern accent and is very much down to earth and hard to hate. Vrabel is more open with the media. I think playing in NE helped alot because he knows most of the press by name & got along with them as a player.

Don't underestimate the power of the Queen Of The North and Bakemas. The fact that they've been together since middle school makes them very endearing.