NBC's 49ers-Patriots Game is 3rd Most Watched SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL Game of Season

Currently available fast-affiliate ratings are not time zone-adjusted and typically understate live NFL telecasts.

In time zone-adjusted metered-market results, NBC's 49ers-Patriots game was #1 in its time period with a 15.2 rating, 24 share in metered-market households from 8:30-midnight ET (including news coverage in the 8:30-9 p.m. half-hour, counting only game coverage would probably increase the rating modestly).

The 15.2 rating is the third-best "SNF" overnight this season and is up 35 percent from Week 15 game in 2011 (Ravens-Chargers, 11.3) It's the 11th "Sunday Night Football" game this season to achieve a 13.5 rating or higher in metered-market households, most through 15 weeks in the seven-year history of "SNF."

Though fast-affiliate ratings are subject to significant upward adjustment for "Sunday Night Football," they currently show NBC winning Sunday night in adults 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54 and other key categories.