Patriots-Colts Clash Draws Best NFL Regular-Season Rating Since 1986

The predictions were correct regarding supersonic television ratings expected for the New England Patriots-Indianapolis Colts showdown of the undefeated.

CBS drew a 22.5 large-market Nielsen rating for game yesterday, marking the highest overnight rating for a regular-season Sunday afternoon NFL game since 1986, according to CBS. The Patriots rallied to win 24-20 yesterday to move to 9-0. The Colts, the defending-Super Bowl champions, are now 7-1.

The previous regular-season ratings record was owned by Fox, which had a 22.2 big-city rating for a Dallas-San Francisco game in 1996.

Should yesterday's overnight rating - which measures the 56 largest U.S. media markets, or about two-thirds of the 112.8 million U.S. households with televisions, hold up, the game would be the highest-rated program since the Academy Awards on ABC in February, which earned a 26.4 large-market rating.

Yesterday's Colts-Patriots rating also out-rated all NFL divisional playoff games from 2006. And compared to the previous Patriots-Colts games, which aired in primetime on NBC last season and ABC in '05, the game was up 51 percent and 45.2 percent, respectively.

Amazing indeed for a game in November. The numbers also prove that when the matchup is that compelling, viewers will drop almost everything to watch.