TV Ratings: Peyton Manning’s record-breaking night draws big Sunday numbers to NBC

Fast National ratings for Sunday, October 19, 2014.

The Sunday Night Football game between the 49ers and Broncos drew big numbers  to NBC, driven in part by Denver QB Peyton Manning's pursuit of the NFL's TD-passing record.

It was NBC's best Sunday Night Football performance since the premiere, while other programming also had a big night.

Inflated by NFL overrun, FOX's comedies and CBS' dramas were up week-to-week. Also posting gains without football was ABC's “Once Upon a Time,” while the network's later dramas were flat.

On to the numbers…

Among adults 18-49, NBC averaged a 5.9 rating for Sunday night, tops in the key demographic for Sunday night. FOX was second with a 3.6 key demo rating, topping the combined totals for ABC (1.6 key demo) and CBS (1.4 key demo).

Overall, NBC averaged an estimated 17.405 million viewers and a 10.2 rating/16 share for Sunday night. CBS was second here with an estimated 10.775 million viewers and a 6.8/11, beating FOX's 5.1/8 and 9 million viewers. ABC trailed with 3.5/6 and 5.81 million viewers.

7 p.m. – FOX led the 7 p.m. hour with 16.98 million viewers and a 5.9 rating among adults 18-49 for NFL overrun and postgame coverage. CBS' football-inflated “60 Minutes” averaged 11.12 million viewers for second and a 1.2 key demo rating for third, compared to the 9.705 million viewers and 3.2 key demo rating for NBC's “Football Night in America.” ABC's “America's Funniest Home Videos” averaged 5.33 million viewers and a 1.1 key demo rating in fourth.

8 p.m. – Twenty minutes of “Football Night in America” plus the start of NBC's 49ers-Broncos coverage averaged 19.765 million viewers and a 6.5 rating among adults 18-49 for the 8 p.m. hour. CBS' somewhat time-period skewed “Madam Secretary” averaged 12.37 million viewers for second and a 1.4 key demo rating for a distant fourth. ABC's “Once Upon a Time” was third with 7.9 million viewers and third with a 2.7 key demo rating. FOX was fourth overall and third in the key demo with football and Treehouse of Horrors boosting “The Simpsons” (7.64 million viewers and a 3.5 key demo) and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” (5.2 million and a 2.5 key demo rating).

9 p.m. – NBC's football coverage rose to 22.005 million viewers and a 7.4 rating among adults 18-49 in the 9 p.m. hour. CBS' “The Good Wife” averaged 10.83 million viewers and a 1.4 key demo rating, compared to the 5.01 million  — down week-to-week — and 1.4 key demo rating for ABC's “Resurrection.” FOX followed with “Family Guy” (4.87 million viewers and a 2.5 key demo) and “Mulaney” (2.34 million and a 1.1 key demo rating).

10 p.m. – Football kept NBC in first for the 10 p.m. hour with 18.14 million viewers and a 6.5 rating among adults 18-49. CBS' “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” averaged 8.785 million viewers and a 1.4 key demo rating, topping the 5.01 million viewers and 1.3 key demo rating for ABC's “Revenge.”

All ratings information comes from preliminary Fast National Nielsen data, which includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are subject to change, particularly in the case of live events.

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