Pats-Texans Breaks ESPN Most Watched TV Ratings

Ring 6 said:

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

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shmessy said:

In what universe?

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Ring 6 said:

This one

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shmessy said:

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.

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maust said:

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

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Nikolai said:

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

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shmessy said:

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

BostonWolverine said:

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

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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?"
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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.
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maust said:

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

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Ring 6 said:

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

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shmessy said:

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.

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Jim Plunkett said:

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.

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maust said:

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

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shmessy said:

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....."

.

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maust said:

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

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NFL Mystique said:

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.

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