Pats-Texans Breaks ESPN Most Watched TV Ratings

[UGAPatsfan]

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

Whitey Bulger was more likable that Bill. Great coach, not a fun guy.

 

[Gumby]

German commentary is pretty good. Two former coaches & three former players (incl Seabass) and they transmit with only the 3-sec delay for over the pond send and not the 30-90 sec delay of various networks. They also have a web commentator who is interacting w their sites -fans and showing posted photos from folks at game or at their homes and doing contests for tix etc. had a signed TB item once (helmet IIRC).

Also, bonus they don’t feel beholden to nyjfl when the officiating is bogus & call it like it is.

 

[shmessy]

Facts :

Networks claim historic highs for NFL Divisional games

NFL Divisional Round weekend saw the networks claim a slew of historic viewership highs, though not all of them stand up to scrutiny.

www.sportsmediawatch.com

As is almost always the case on any give NFL weekend, the most-watched game aired in the Sunday evening window as Rams-Bears averaged 45.4 million viewers on NBC

The Patriots’ win, which peaked with 44.9 million viewers in the 5:45 PM ET quarter-hour, increased 10% from last year’s Nielsen-only audience for Rams-Eagles on NBC, which aired in the same window (34.58M).

Denying that the raw numbers are driven by the time slot, is basically lying.

Ring6: "......The Patriots’ win, which peaked with 44.9 million viewers in the 5:45 PM ET quarter-hour, increased 10% from last year’s Nielsen-only audience for Rams-Eagles on NBC, which aired in the same window (34.58M).
Denying that the raw numbers are driven by the time slot, is basically lying."

Oooooh, you just fell down. Are you ok? Unknowingly, YOU just offed yourself by comparing to last year. You cannot compare "last year's Nielsen":

Sports Will See Big Boost From New Nielsen Ratings

Nielsen is rolling out an expanded methodology to measure viewing audiences, and sports will be a big beneficiary.

frontofficesports.com

As pointed out by Mike_usagisan's post earlier in this thread (the 15th from the OP): " 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."

Obejectively, you are being disingenuous again. But keep trying! Everyone still wants to hear how you think the #2 and #3 tv markets beat the #5 and #11 - even though the #11 is wicked awesome, nationally the Texans are a "who gives a ****?" attraction compared to the other three teams

Hang in there. Be Better.

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[shmessy]

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.

Ring6 should read your post.

 

[Ring 6]

Oooooh, you just fell down. Are you ok? Unknowingly, YOU just offed yourself by comparing to last year. You cannot compare "last year's Nielsen":

Sports Will See Big Boost From New Nielsen Ratings

Nielsen is rolling out an expanded methodology to measure viewing audiences, and sports will be a big beneficiary.

frontofficesports.com

As pointed out by Mike_usagisan's post earlier in this thread (the 15th from the OP): " 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."

Obejectively, you are being disingenuous again. But keep trying! Everyone still wants to hear how you think the #2 and #3 tv markets beat the #5 and #11 - even though the #11 is wicked awesome.

.

Duh, you just hurt your own argument because, if true, that would mean there was an even larger difference in last year viewership over this year.
Thanks for unwittingly sabotaging your own argument.

Everyone pretty clearly understands that an NFL playoff game watched by 40-50 million people against the country is viewed by the ENTIRE country not only people in the teams markets.
Clearly, as every information available proves, the quality of the game impacts rating far more than the markets the teams are in. And clearly as can be time slots have a huge impact on viewership and you can’t compare 2 games in different time slots. When you are watch The View don’t expect it to get the same number of viewers as a prime time show?

Here is the top 10 markets for the bears rams game.
Here are the top 10 metered markets for the Rams at the Bears game.
(Based on 56 metered markets)




Notice that LA isnt even in til 10. They were 15.7 far below markets that have no team playing it at all.

 

[TommyD4207]

Me: "How is this thread 3 pages long?"

Andy.

@shmessy

 

[Ring 6]

Ring6 should read your post.

Actually you should read them and try to understand them.

If this is correct the 2024 numbers are UNDER represented which means the small market game that got more viewers in 2024 actually had an even larger audience than reported base upon 2025 reporting.
50 mill > 45 mill
50 mill underreported >>> 45 mill

His info diminishes YOUR argument

 

[Ring 6]

Me: "How is this thread 3 pages long?"

Andy.

@shmessy

I cannot help if someone wants to continue to make a bad argument to me.

 

[DC Patriots]

the ENTIRE country

When you are watch The View don’t expect it to get the same number of viewers as a prime time show?

If this is correct the 2024 numbers are UNDER

His info diminishes YOUR argument

I was on the fence in this one until I saw your powerful use OF ALL CAPS and sick View watcher burn

 

[Ring 6]

I was on the fence in this one until I saw your powerful use OF ALL CAPS and sick View watcher burn

Glad I could help

 

[Steve102]

 

[Ring 6]

Let’s clarify.

I may or may not be right that Patriots/Texans would draw more in the prime spot. It’s an opinion and not probable.

However I am right, based upon FACT that:
1) Comparing viewership of a 3:00 game to a 6:30 game is not reasonable.
2) Viewership is heavily dependent upon time slot
3) Viewership is far more dependent upon the matchup and national popularity of the teams than the size of their market

In my opinion America was more interested in Patriots/Texans than Bears/Rams and I don’t think it was all that close, so in that time slot I believe they would outdraw. When you add in the fact that he rams perform very ooorly in their own market, less than half (15 to 35) thr in market ratings of thr Patriots in spite of being in the prime slot, I feel strongly about my opinion.

 

[maust]

There'll be no napping until victory is declared

 

[shmessy]

I was on the fence in this one until I saw your powerful use OF ALL CAPS and sick View watcher burn

He's very scary.

I expect him to end with "Thank you for your attention to this matter."

He's still ridiculously off-base and swinging even more wildly once it was pointed out what Mike_usagisan posted this morning.

The tunnels and rabbit warrens he's digging into now are getting even more exotic as he panics.

.

.

 

[shmessy]

Let’s clarify.

I may or may not be right that Patriots/Texans would draw more in the prime spot. It’s an opinion and not probable.

However I am right, based upon FACT that:
1) Comparing viewership of a 3:00 game to a 6:30 game is not reasonable.
2) Viewership is heavily dependent upon time slot
3) Viewership is far more dependent upon the matchup and national popularity of the teams than the size of their market

In my opinion America was more interested in Patriots/Texans than Bears/Rams and I don’t think it was all that close, so in that time slot I believe they would outdraw. When you add in the fact that he rams perform very ooorly in their own market, less than half (15 to 35) thr in market ratings of thr Patriots in spite of being in the prime slot, I feel strongly about my opinion.

I could not give a **** about how a team performs per capita in their own hometeam market. You stated and argued "Houston/New England is a bigger draw than LA/Chicago" and kept trying to debate something that clearly wasn't true.

The point was about how desirable the games were for the NETWORKS and their ratings on a national basis.

Nationally (with the size of the home markets also a factor), that Bears-Rams game was far more marquee than the Texans-Patriots. The fact that the LA team doesn't have a huge per capita viewership in their own market, doesn't overshadow their popularity for a national network.

But I'm glad you're at least beginning to calm your wording down to "I may or may not be right" and "In my opinion". At least that's more honest.

 

[Ring 6]

I could not give a **** about how a team performs in their own hometeam market.

The point was about how desirable the games were for the NETWORKS and their ratings.

Nationally (with the size of the home markets aslo a factor), that Bears-Rams game was far more marquee than the Texans-Patriots.

No the point was desirable to fans and the viewership.

Your argument was the Rams would be desirable because of their market size. Your ENTIRE argument until this post was that market size was all that mattered. You never cited a single other factor. You were wrong. It’s ok to admit it. It not embarrassing to misunderstand that, a lot of people probably believe the sand until they get facts .

Your argument now is that their ratings in the prime slot are an even comparison to the early slot, whicj based upon facts, is ludicrous.

 

[shmessy]

No the point was desirable to fans and the viewership.

Your argument was the Rams would be desirable because of their market size. Your ENTIRE argument until this post was that market size was all that mattered. You never cited a single other factor. You were wrong. It’s ok to admit it. It not embarrassing to misunderstand that, a lot of people probably believe the sand until they get facts .

Your argument now is that their ratings in the prime slot are an even comparison to the early slot, whicj based upon facts, is ludicrous.

"Your argument now is that their ratings in the prime slot are an even comparison to the early slot......"

Uh, no.

But keep trying, lad.

.

 

[Ring 6]

"Your argument now is that their ratings in the prime slot are an even comparison to the early slot......"

Uh, no.

But keep trying, lad.

.

You literally says they were a bigger draw by comparing their ratings in the prime slot to the patriots game in the early slot. After I have proven that is not correct, you dropped that. After I proved market size doesn’t drive viewership you denied that was your argument.

What argument do you have left.

To recap your entire argument was that because of being the larger markets Rams/bears was a better draw. That reasoning was disproven and you have disavowed that argument .

Then you claimed getting better ratings in the 630 slot than the game in the 3:00 slot proved they were a better draw.
That was disproven and you disavow that argument.

What’s left?
I predict it will be insulting because other than being honest, which you appear incapable of, that’s the only tool left in your belt.

 

[DC Patriots]

I’m trying, and admittedly failing, to not get involved in this. Could I just point out:

1) this is a three going on four page thread about if 45.4 is larger than 37.9
2) the networks, who are in the business of making money and have access to tons of data we don’t have, put the games they feel will be a larger draw in the premium slots. And they went Bears/Rams

 

[Ring 6]

"Your argument now is that their ratings in the prime slot are an even comparison to the early slot......"

Uh, no.

But keep trying, lad.

.

And for the record here are your words claiming exactly that. Literally using the total number of viewers to say I was wrong.

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.
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