Cowboys deliver big ratings again: Game vs. Packers draws more viewers than World Series Game 7

We learned earlier this NFL season that even as the league was seeing a decline in ratings (they did come back up after the Nov. 8 presidential election), there was one way to almost guarantee lots of viewers: make sure the Dallas Cowboys were involved.

That was proven true again on Sunday evening, as not only was the Cowboys’ last-second divisional round loss to the Green Bay Packers the highest-rated game of the four NFL playoff games this weekend, it was the highest-rated divisional round game on any network in 20 years.

Even more impressive: Cowboys-Packers drew more eyes than Game 7 of the World Series in November, when the Chicago Cubs broke their 108-year championship streak. That game, with the Cubs beating the Cleveland Indians, drew a 25.2 rating.

Sunday’s AFC divisional round game, between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs, which was moved to prime time (it was originally slated for a 1 p.m. ET start) because of an ice storm in the Kansas City area, drew a 21.9 rating. Via Sports TV Ratings, it is the highest rating ever for a prime time game in either the wild-card or divisional round.

Which means we’re highly unlikely to ever see another 1 p.m. Sunday divisional round game.

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