Raiders, Bengals deliver big ratings for NBC

By Adam Hill

Las Vegas Review-Journal

2 years ago

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) makes a catch as Raiders cornerback Desmond ... — Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase (1) makes a catch as Raiders cornerback Desmond Trufant (10) tackles him during the second half of an NFL playoff game at Paul Brown Stadium on Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022, in Cincinnati. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @HeidiFang

Saturday’s AFC wild-card game between the Raiders and Bengals delivered in the ratings for NBC.

The game drew a total of 29 million viewers across all platforms, making it the most-watched late Saturday afternoon wild-card game since a 1999 matchup between the Cardinals and Cowboys.

It represented a 30 percent increase over the network’s coverage last year when 22.3 million people watched Tampa Bay play Washington.

Saturday’s game, which resulted in a 23-16 win for the Bengals, drew an average of 27.7 million viewers, which was 13 percent more than the Rams-Seahawks playoff game last season in the same time slot.

Cincinnati was the market with the highest ratings in the country for the game. Las Vegas ranked seventh.

Sunday’s Steelers-Chiefs contest on NBC was the most-watched prime-time game since the Super Bowl.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.