NBC's SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL Off to Best Six-Week Start in 19 Years

NBC's SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL has posted viewership increases for an unprecedented seven consecutive games to open the season, resulting in the best start in nearly two decades for the NFL's premier primetime package.

Through the opening six weeks of the NFL season (seven telecasts), NBC's SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL is averaging 24.1 million viewers - the best viewership for the NFL's broadcast primetime package at this point in the season in 19 years (24.5 million in 1996), according to official national data released by The Nielsen Company. SNF is averaging a 14.1/24 household rating - the best start for the broadcast primetime package in 18 years (14.8/26 in 1997).

In addition, SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL is averaging an 8.9 rating in the Adult 18-49 demographic, up 6% from this point last season. SNF viewership is up 10% from last year at this time (21.9 million viewers), while HH rating has increased 9% (12.9/21).

Football Night in America (7:30-8:15 p.m. ET), the most-watched weekly studio show in sports, is averaging 9.8 million viewers - the best start in the show's 10-season history and up 20% from last year at this point (8.2 million). In addition, the 8-8:30 p.m. ET portion of FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA (including pre-kick coverage), is averaging 13.9 million viewers, and a 5.0 rating among Adults 18-49, which would rank No. 5 among regularly-scheduled primetime shows in the demographic.

New England's 34-27 victory over the Indianapolis Colts, highlighted by Tom Brady's 312 passing yards and three touchdowns boosting the Patriots to a perfect 5-0 for the first time since their perfect 16-0 regular season in 2007, drew an average of 22.8 million viewers, ranking as the most-watched Week 6 primetime game in SNF on NBC history and up 26% from last year's Week 6 SNF matchup (18.1 million for Giants-Eagles). In addition, Patriots-Colts is the most-watched NFL primetime game facing an MLB League Championship Series game since 1996 (49ers-Packers, 26.5 million on ABC).

Patriots-Colts also kicked off a stretch of three consecutive SNF matchups featuring at least one undefeated team - a first this late in the season in the 10 years of SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL on NBC. In addition to the Patriots winning on Sunday, this week's SNF matchup on Oct. 25 features Cam Newton and the 5-0 Carolina Panthers hosting the first-place Philadelphia Eagles. One week later on Nov. 1, it's a battle of unbeatens as Aaron Rodgers and the 6-0 Green Bay Packers visit Peyton Manning and the 6-0 Denver Broncos.

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