At the risk of selling the Packers short, the Cowboys delivered one last ratings gift to the NFL.
Sunday’s Packers/Cowboys NFC Divisional Round game had a 26.1 rating and 48.5 million viewers on FOX, per Nielsen fast-nationals — up 11% in ratings and 13% in viewership from Steelers/Broncos last year (23.6, 43.0M) and up 12% and 16% respectively from Colts/Broncos in 2015 (23.3, 41.8M), both of which aired on CBS.
The Packers’ last second win — which peaked with a whopping 32.3 rating, 62.4 million viewers, and 52% of televisions in use from 7:45-8 PM ET — ranks as the most-watched Wild Card or Divisional Round game on record. The previous high was 47.1 million for 49ers/Packers in the 2014 Wild Card round, and the previous Divisional Round high was 45.1 million for Giants/Packers in 2012.
It also ranks as highest rated early round game in 20 years, since Cowboys/Panthers in the 1997 Divisional Round (27.6). The previous high was a 25.8 for 49ers/Packers in ’14.
For FOX, it was the highest rated and most-watched program of any kind in nearly two years — since the Packers/Seahawks NFC Championship in 2015 (27.4, 49.8M). It topped last year’s Cardinals/Panthers NFC title game, which had a 24.1 and 45.7 million.
Compared to the last playoff meeting between the Cowboys and Packers, a Divisional Round matchup two years ago, ratings increased 5% from a 24.9 and viewership 9% from 44.4 million. That game, which aired in the early 1 PM ET window, now ranks as the fourth-most watched early round game all-time.
Figures do not include the 363,000 viewers who streamed coverage on Fox Sports GO.
(Numbers from Fox Sports)
Are the Packer’s the 2nd most watched team behind the Cowboys?
Depends on the season, but they are usually among the most-watched teams in the league.