Primetime Ratings: Fox's Lineup Gets Assist from NFL

Fox got a football-sized assist on Sunday as its late-afternoon coverage of the NFL lead into the net’s primetime lineup, resulting in massive gains from last week, according to Nielsen overnight numbers.

The Simpsons were the biggest beneficiary, rising 87% from last week to a 2.8 with adults 18-49, while Brooklyn Nine-Nine improved 50% to a 2.1. Bob’s Burgers rose 60% to a 1.6, but Family Guy saw no gain, instead repeating its most recent telecast a few weeks ago of 2.2. Fox finished in second overall with a 3.3 rating/9.

CBS and ABC tied for third with a 1.4/4 each. Following an airing of I Love Lucy Christmas, The Mentalist dropped 31% from last week’s premiere to a series-low 1.1. CSI also dipped 14% to tie its series low of 1.2. It should be noted that CBS’ primetime lineup was delayed by 17-19 minutes in many markets so ratings are subject to more-than-normal adjustment.

For ABC, Once Upon A Time shed 5% to a 2.0, while Resurrection improved 11% to a 1.0 and Revenge gained 20% to a 1.2.

NBC led the night with Sunday Night Football, which drew a 13.9 household overnight rating in the metered-markets. NBC averaged a 5.0 rating in the demo in primetime.

(Photo Credit: Evan Habeeb/Getty Images)