Primetime Ratings: NBC Wins Sunday With Pats-Colts

NBC grabbed the Sunday primetime ratings trophy on the strength of Sunday Night Football, the undefeated New England Patriots winning a high flying encounter with the Indianapolis Colts. NBC had a 6.0 rating in viewers 18-49, according to Nielsen overnights, with a 17 share. CBS took second at 2.7/8, Fox had third at 1.3/4 and ABC trailed the rest with a 1.2/3.

NBC's Football Night in America averaged a 2.4 in 18-49, the numbers skyrocketing upon kickoff.

The broadcast programs were up against MLB’s Mets versus Cubs on TBS and The Walking Dead on AMC.

CBS had an NFL overrun, then 60 Minutes averaging a 2.3 in adults 18-49, down 23% from last week. Madam Secretary had a 1.1 in 18-49, down a steep 27% from last week, The Good Wife a 1.0, down 17%, and CSI: Cyber down a troubling 29% to 0.7, owing in part to the late hour.

Fox kicked off prime with The Simpsons at a 1.6, down 11%, then Brooklyn Nine-Nine at 1.2, down 8% from the previous Sunday. Bob’s Burgers was flat at 1.0 and The Last Man on Earth built on its lead-in with a 1.1—also flat with its last performance.

Over on ABC, America’s Funniest Home Videos averaged a 0.8 in the 7-8 p.m. hour, down 27% from last week due in part to a less curious America when it comes to host Alfonso Ribeiro, who premiered Oct. 11. Once Upon a Time scored a 1.6—flat with last week. Blood & Oil put up a 0.9, up 11%, and Quantico a 1.6, flat with last Sunday.

Quantico got a full season order from ABC Oct. 13.

Michael Malone

Michael Malone, senior content producer at B+C/Multichannel News, covers network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television. He hosts the podcasts Busted Pilot, about what’s new in television, and Series Business, a chat with the creator of a new program, and writes the column “The Watchman.” He joined B+C in 2005. His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Playboy and New York magazine.