The January 1, 2012 match-up between the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants scored the best overnight ratings in the six-year history of NBC’s Sunday Night Football. In addition, the game posted the best overnight ratings for any Sunday/Monday primetime game in 13 years as it led NBC to a win in the January 1st ratings game.
According to The Nielsen Company, viewership was up over last year’s week 17 game (Rams vs Seahawks), as 36% more TV viewers tuned in to see the New York Giants beat the Cowboys 31-14 to win the NFC East.
TOP 10 SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL OVERNIGHT RATING/SHARE EVER:
*Sunday’s only
1. 1/1/12, Cowboys-Giants 17.1/27 (Last Night’s Game)
2. 9/11/11, Cowboys-Jets 16.9/27 (2011 SNF Week 1)
T3. 9/20/09, Giants-Cowboys 16.5/27 (Dallas Cowboys Stadium Debut)
T3. 12/12/10, Eagles-Cowboys 16.5/25 (2010 SNF Week 14)
5. 9/12/10, Cowboys-Redskins 16.4/26 (2010 SNF Opener)
6. 12/11/11, Giants-Cowboys 16.1/25 (2011 SNF Opener)
7. 10/24/10, Vikings/Packers 16.0/25 (Favre’s Return to Lambeau II)
8. 11/21/10, Giants-Eagles 15.9/24 (2010 SNF Week 11)
9. 9/18/11, Eagles-Falcons 15.7/25 (2011 SNF Week 2)
10. 11/25/07, Eagles-Patriots 15.6/24 (2007 SNF Week 12)
*9/9/10, Vikings-Saints, 17.7/28 (2010 Thursday Night Opener)
*9/8/11, Saints-Packers, 17.2/28 (2011 Thursday Night Opener)
