Primetime Ratings: Game 1 of NLCS No Match for NFL

Cardinals-Giants semifinal opener draws 6.8M viewers, up 17% over last year's ALCS Game 1

By Tim Baysinger -- Broadcasting & Cable, 10/15/2012 12:04:20 PM

NBC won another Sunday with Sunday Night Football, posting an overall 5.6 rating/14 share, according to Nielsen overnight numbers. The Green Bay Packers-Houston Texans matchup was up 11% in the fast nationals to a 6.9. Earlier, Football Night in America was down 8% to a 3.5.

Fox took second with a 3.1/8, although that was inflated by NFL overrun. The network's coverage of Game 1 of the 2012 National League Championship Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants averaged 6.8 million viewers, up 17% over Fox's coverage of last year's opening game of the ALCS.

CBS edged out ABC for third with a 2.2/6. The Amazing Race was up a tenth to a 2.6 and The Mentalist was up 25% to a 2.0. The Good Wife was steady with another 1.7.

ABC's 666 Park Avenue continued to slide, dropping two tenths from last week to a 1.5. Earlier, Once Upon a Time was down another 9% to a 3.0 while Revenge improved a tenth to a 2.6. The network finished with an overall 2.1/5.