Patriots-Ravens Posts Biggest 'Monday Night Football' Rating Since 2013
By Matt Dolloff, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- In the post-election 2016 NFL season, it's become clearer with each passing week that the best cure for any TV ratings problem is simply great content.
That sentiment also extends to ESPN and Monday Night Football, a broadcast that has suffered as much as any NFL programming in the TV ratings in 2016. But MNF drew a much-welcome Patriots-Ravens matchup on Monday night that was compelling as much for the drama off the field as it was for the guaranteed action and suspense on it.
The game delivered big-time for MNF, drawing a 9.1 overnight rating, according to Austin Karp of SportsBusiness Daily. Patriots-Ravens tied Steelers-Redskins in Week 1 and Giants-Vikings in Week 4 as the highest-rated MNF broadcast of 2016 and the highest-rated MNF broadcast since Cowboys-Bears in 2013, which drew an 11.0.
The 9.1 is a slight improvement over last season's Week 14 Monday night game between the Giants and Dolphins, which drew an 8.7 overnight rating. It also represents a leap forward from last Monday's 6.0 for the decidedly uninteresting Colts blowout against the Jets.
The league is clearly still not out of the woods, as even last night's ratings victory is still a considerable dip from the numbers of three years ago. There are still many different ways to look at the NFL's ratings problem, but in light of the Patriots and Ravens rescuing MNF from ratings doom, it's plainly obvious that the NFL can still win primetime if it puts a strong matchup on the field.
The real problem in the NFL, perhaps, is that there simply aren't enough good teams. There certainly aren't enough good rivalries. Patriots-Ravens is one of the strongest matchups you can get, however, and the product surely delivered on Monday night. If the league wants to have better results on TV, it should focus on having better games. Patriots-Ravens was a reminder of how good the NFL can be - if only it reminded you every week.
Matt Dolloff is a writer for CBSBostonSports.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect that of CBS or 98.5 The Sports Hub. Have a news tip or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff and email him at mdolloff@985thesportshub.com.
