Eagles

Eagles vs. Bears was the Highest-Rated NBC Wild Card Game in 25 Years

By Russ Joy

Published: Jan 7th, 2019 · 12:32 PM EST

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On Sunday night, I fired up my Roku Ultra and turned on the Eagles game on YouTube TV. Greeting me weren’t the voices of NBC duo Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth, but those of the Spanish-language broadcast. In fact, I wasn’t treated to the former until roughly twelve minutes remained in the fourth quarter. I wondered how much – if at all – the ratings would be affected.

To put it simply, they weren’t:

NBC: Eagles-Bears 22.9 overnight rating "is best for any NBC NFL Playoff since…2006 & best Wild Card game for NBC in 25 years (23.3/41 for John Elway & Broncos at L.A. Raiders, 1/9/94)."

— John Ourand (@Ourand_Puck) January 7, 2019

The @Eagles vs. @ChicagoBears NFC Wild Card Game Registers Historic Overnight Rating for NBC pic.twitter.com/9Tluq1yDDX

— NBC Sports PR (@NBCSportsPR) January 7, 2019

The highest rated  game in the history of NBC Sunday Night Football (since 2006), and the highest-rated NBC Wild Card game in 25 years since John Elway and the Denver Broncos suffered a 42-24 defeat at the hands of the Los Angeles Raiders.

Top markets after the jump:

The @Eagles 44.6/66 local rating on NBC in Philadelphia for yesterday’s NFC Wild Card tops the team’s 37.8 in Philly for last year’s Sat. NFC Divisional Playoff win (also on NBC)

Top 10 markets for NBC's Eagles-Bears here: pic.twitter.com/Z7qU9Pz61A

— NBC Sports PR (@NBCSportsPR) January 7, 2019

As you’d expect, Philly and Chicago represented the top-two viewing markets, but check out #3: New Orleans. Looking ahead to their opponent? Sure. Check out #10: Minneapolis. I’m surprised any of their TVs worked after Week 17.