Week 15 of the 2022 NFL season featured three rare Saturday games and a pretty weak overall schedule that at least delivered on excitement.
On Thursday night, 49ers-Seahawks averaged 10.311 million viewers on Prime Video. That’s up from last week (Raiders-Rams, 8.26 million) and down from last year (Chiefs-Chargers, 17.86 million on Fox and NFL Network).
The Saturday NFL Network tripleheader delivered varying results, but at least there was no COVID rescheduling like last year. The Vikings’ wild comeback win over the Colts in the early window averaged 7.056 million viewers, and the three quarters of Browns-Ravens that aired in the late afternoon window averaged 8.969 million viewers. Neither game had a comparable matchup last year due to the rescheduled games. In primetime, the Bills’ late win over the Dolphins averaged 11.058 million, up from last year (Patriots-Colts, 7.26 million).
Onto Sunday!
Fox had the singleheader after their coverage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Final, and averaged 18.658 million viewers for a five-game window headlined by Cowboys-Jaguars. That’s up from last week on CBS (Jets-Bills, 17.45 million) and up from last year, also on CBS (Titans-Steelers, 12.92 million).
CBS had the doubleheader, and averaged 14.832 million for the three-game early window, highlighted by Chiefs-Texans. That’s up from last week on Fox (Eagles-Giants, 14.02 million) and up from last year, also on Fox (Cowboys-Giants, 14.06 million). Nearly the entire country got Bengals-Bucs in the late half of the doubleheader, which averaged 21.454 million viewers. That’s down from last week on Fox (Bucs-49ers, 24.03 million) and down from last year, also on Fox (Packers-Ravens, 22.01 million).
In primetime, NBC averaged 15.376 million viewers for Giants-Commanders, slightly down from last week (Dolphins-Chargers, 15.76 million) and down from last year (Saints-Bucs, 18.06 million).
Finally, Monday Night Football averaged 16.029 million viewers for Packers-Rams across ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2. That’s up from last week (Patriots-Cardinals, 10.25 million with only a ManningCast and no ABC simulcast) and up from last year (Vikings-Bears, 15.84 million, ABC simulcast but no ManningCast).
This week, the bulk of the NFL schedule will be moving to Saturday, Christmas Eve. Amazon still has a Thursday Night Football game on Prime Video, a Jaguars-Jets matchup. On Saturday, CBS has a five-game singleheader, headlined by Bengals-Patriots. Fox has the doubleheader, with the four-game early half highlighted by Seahawks-Chiefs and the whole country getting Eagles-Cowboys late. In primetime, NFL Network will air Raiders-Steelers. Christmas Day will feature a tripleheader with one game on each network. Packers-Dolphins airs early on Fox. Broncos-Rams airs late on CBS. Bucs-Cardinals airs in primetime on NBC. Finally, ESPN will air Chargers-Colts on Monday Night Football.
[Data via ShowBuzz Daily, Sports Media Watch]
