NBC and CBS were up, but Fox was the big winner of Wild Card weekend.
Fox drew a bonkers 27.7 overnight rating for the 49ers' last second victory over the Packers on Sunday. That's up 17 percent from Fox's Wild Card game last year, when Russell Wilson and the Seahawks' victory over RGIII and Washington drew an already huge 23.7. It is Fox's highest-rated Wild Card game in their 20+ years of broadcasting the NFL. Furthermore, the NFL says it's the most watched Wild Card game ever with a staggering 47.1 million viewers.
Everyone had something to cheer about, however, even CBS. Despite many complaining about the officiating or just the quality of play between the Chargers and Bengals, the game drew a 20.3 overnight. That's the highest overnight for the Sunday AFC Wild Card game since 1995. It's also up three percent from CBS' Colts-Ravens telecast in 2012.
NBC's doubleheader on Saturday, possibly their last one with the playoff format changing and NBC getting into the divisional round next year, was predictably huge. The Colts' wild comeback win over the Chiefs drew a 17.2 overnight, the best for the Saturday afternoon slot since 1999. The game was up six percent from Texans-Bengals last year. The heartbroken Kansas City drew a massive 48.0 rating for the game, while Indianapolis hit a 41.3.
In primetime, the Saints' victory over the Eagles drew a 20.5 overnight. The close game was up 12 percent from Green Bay's somewhat blase victory over the Vikings in the slot last year. It was the second-best overnight in history for a primetime Wild Card game. New Orleans continued an incredible ratings season with a 55.8 rating, while Philadelphia was in the dust with only a massive 42.0 rating.
All totalled, the NFL says it was the most watched Wild Card weekend in history.
Wild Card games averaged 34.7 million viewers, most-watched Wild Card Weekend ever & fourth straight averaging over 30 million viewers.
— Greg Aiello (@gregaiello) January 6, 2014
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