‘SNF’ Steelers-Seahawks Game On NBC Drops From Previous Week; ’60 Minutes’ Tops Non-Sports Audience

Another week, another Sunday victory for NBC as its Sunday Night Football matchup featuring the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks drew primetime’s top numbers. The game, which the Steelers won  23-20, scored a 3.6 rating in the adults 18-49 demographic and 13.12 million viewers in pre-adjusted Nielsen fast affiliates.

As with all major live events, numbers are set to be adjusted at a later time, but in early data the Steelers-Seahawks was no match for the Buffalo Bills-Kansas City Chiefs showing (4.8, 16.78M in pre-adjusted numbers) last week. NBC said last Sunday’s game brought in a total audience delivery of 18.4 million viewers. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers-New England Patriots showdown earlier this month remains the second most-watched Sunday football game ever.

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In non-sports-related Sunday primetime, CBS’ Sunday slate was decently delayed thanks to regional coverage of NFL games. That said, CBS said 60 Minutes (9.85M) was the most-watched non-sports primetime title. Even in early numbers, the viewership count would be reasonable considering 60 Minutes earned upwards of 9 million viewers last week with an on-time, post-NFL episode. Per CBS, The Equalizer followed with 6.85 million viewers and NCIS: Los Angeles 4.95 million. SEAL Team aired out of primetime.

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ABC’s primetime peaked with Celebrity Wheel of Fortune (0.4, 4.06M). The game show saw Melissa Joan Hart make Celebrity Wheel of Fortune history as she became its first $1 million winner. Her prize money will go towards the charity Youth Villages.

Fox peaked with a rerun of The Simpsons (0.5, 1.61M), which led into an original episode of the long-running animated comedy (0.5, 1.45M).

The CW saw both Legends of the Hidden Temple (0.1, 260,000) and Killer Camp (0.0, 17K) remain steady in both ratings and viewership from their premieres last week.