NBC and Peacock garnered a lot of viewership, thanks in large part to the Giants’ beatdown of the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football (SNF).
The first NFL Sunday Night Football (SNF) game of the year between the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys was a hit for NBC with its viewership.
The Giants-Cowboys game averaged 25.7 million viewers, according to a press release from NBC. SNF remains NBC’s #1 primetime show after 15 consecutive years, and the first two NBC/Peacock games of the year brought in lots of eyes.
A few days before the Giants beat the Cowboys, the New England Patriots lost to the Seattle Seahawks in a Super Bowl 60 rematch to begin the year on Wednesday, Sep. 9. That game also averaged 25.1 million viewers.
This is the first time since 2015 that the NFL Kickoff Game and the first Sunday Night Football game averaged over 25 million viewers. The NFC East showdown peaked at 29 million viewers in the second quarter (from 9-9:155 pm EST) on NBC and Peacock.
The score didn’t do the Giants’ domination of the Cowboys justice. New York held the ball a lot throughout, dominating time of possession 36:40 to 23:20. They out-gained Dallas by 150 yards and went 9-11 on third downs.
John Harbaugh’s presence can already be felt on the Giants. Jaxson Dart seems to have turned a corner in his sophomore season, completing 23 of 29 passes for 230 yards and three touchdowns. He only took two sacks and also rushed for 54 yards.
Cam Skattebo is coming off a devastating ankle injury, and he rushed for 81 yards and a touchdown in the game. Newcomer Isaiah Likely, who played for Harbaugh on the Baltimore Ravens, caught eight passes for 78 yards and two scores. Malik Nabers also logged 69 yards in his return from a torn ACL.
The Giants scored on their opening drive of the game before punting and fumbling on their next two drives. They then scored right before halftime before going on three long drives in a row in the second half.
First, they opened the third quarter with a 12-play, 74-yard touchdown drive that lasted eight minutes. Dallas answered back with a touchdown, but New York then went on a 13-play, 65-yard drive that took up another eight minutes. They closed out the game with a 12-play, 47-yard drive that went over five minutes.
The first NFL Sunday Night Football (SNF) game of the year between the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys was a hit for NBC with its viewership. The Giants-Cowboys game averaged 25. 7 million viewers, according to a press release from NBC. SNF remains NBC’s #1 primetime show after 15 consecutive years, and the first two NBC/Peacock games of the year brought in lots of eyes.