Fansided

Chiefs vs. Broncos highest-rated TNF game ever

By Matt Verderame

Sep 17, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) drops back to pass during the first half against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 17, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) drops back to pass during the first half against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Denver Broncos beat the Kansas City Chiefs 31-24 on Thursday Night Football, in one of the wildest finishes you will ever see. Denver trailed 24-17 with less than a minute remaining in regulation, only to score two touchdowns in the span of nine seconds, including a scoop-and-score off of a fumble by Jamaal Charles.

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All of the chaos and drama was a windfall for CBS Sports and NFL Network. The game kept viewers glued to the television, resulting in the highest-rated Thursday Night Football game of all-time. Overall, the game brought in a rating of 12.9 and a share of 24. The game also did an average of 21.117 million viewers across CBS and NFL Network, according to the Nielsen ratings.

Overall, the numbers were up two percent form last year’s opener on Thursday Night Football between the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium. The viewing average reached a high-water mark between the 9:30-10 p.m. EST window when the total hit 22.912 million. The top numbers for households and share came in at the end of the game between the 11:30-11:53 p.m. EST window, when the statistics were 14.2 and 30, respectively.

If you ever had any doubt why networks fight tooth and nail over NFL rights, check out the following: During the same primetime slot as the TNF game, the combined rating of CBS and NFL Network was more than 1200 percent better than FOX, 563 percent above ABC and 263 percent superior to NBC. In other words, advertisers are going to be calling CBS and NFL Network day and night to get into those premium 30 and 60-second spots.

Next week, the Washington Redskins and New York Giants will be mixing it up on Thursday Night Football. Despite the two franchises not being in Super Bowl contention, the large markets and traditional fan bases should mean another large audience.

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