Weekend ratings predictions: NFL Divisional Round, Warriors-Cavaliers – Sporting News
First, the results of last week’s predictions:
— NFC wild-card game, Green Bay-Washington. Prediction: 22.1; final rating: 21.8.
— NFC wild-card game, Seahawks-Vikings. Prediction: 17.5; final rating: 21.0.
— AFC wild-card game, Steelers-Bengals. Prediction: 16.3; final rating: 17.5.
— AFC wild-card game, Chiefs-Texans. Prediction: 14.2; final rating: 14.8.
— College basketball regular season, North Carolina-Syracuse. Prediction: 1.2; final rating: 0.8.
This week’s predictions (all times Eastern):
AFC Divisional Round, Steelers-Broncos (4:30 p.m. Sunday, CBS). The late Sunday window is usually the highest rated on any given NFL weekend, but last year’s Divisional Round was a rare exception — with Colts-Broncos (23.3) trailing Cowboys-Packers earlier in the day (24.9). The Broncos are back in the late window this year, facing a Steelers team coming off of the most controversial win of Wild Card weekend. Look for ratings to increase and order to be restored. Prediction: 24.0.
NFC Divisional Round, Seahawks-Panthers (1 p.m. Sunday, FOX). The Panthers spent much of the season undefeated and seemed to pick up a national following as the weeks wore on. Their Thanksgiving Day rout of the Cowboys was the season’s most-watched game and their contentious Week 15 matchup with the Giants was the highest rated singleheader on FOX since 1997. Facing the two-time defending NFC champion Seahawks, their playoff opener should score big ratings — and still fall well short of last year’s 24.9 for Cowboys-Packers. Going back two years, 49ers-Panthers had a 19.9. Prediction: 21.2.
NFC Divisional Round, Packers-Cardinals (8 p.m. Saturday, NBC). For the second time since reacquiring NFL rights, NBC presents a Divisional Round playoff game. While NBC brass was likely thrilled to get the Packers (rather than Washington or Minnesota) for Saturday’s matchup with the Cardinals, it should be noted that Green Bay has not moved the needle much in the Saturday night Divisional Round window. Their last appearance (against the 49ers in 2013) had a 16.9 rating, the lowest in the past six seasons. A 2011 matchup with the Falcons was not much better, scoring a 17.0. Look for similar numbers this time around; last year’s Panthers-Seahawks matchup on FOX had a 17.2. Prediction: 17.1.
AFC Divisional Round, Chiefs-Patriots (4:30 p.m. Saturday, CBS). Divisional Round weekend starts with the Patriots hosting the Chiefs. In four of the past five seasons, the early Saturday Divisional Round window has topped a 19.0 rating — including a 19.6 for last year’s Ravens-Patriots matchup on NBC. Look for this year’s matchup to fall well short. Prediction: 17.8.
NBA regular season, Warriors-Cavaliers (8 p.m. Monday, TNT). Less than a month after their first rematch on Christmas Day, the Cavaliers and Warriors meet again as the centerpiece of a Martin Luther King Day tripleheader. The NBA’s MLK Day slate has been relatively low-key in recent years, with just one game hitting a 2.0 rating since 2009. Warriors-Cavaliers should have no problem topping that mark; last year’s comparable Bulls-Cavaliers matchup had a 1.2. Prediction: 2.6.
Paulsen is the founder of Sports Media Watch and a contributor for Sporting News. Follow him on Twitter @Paulsen_SMW .
This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service – if this is your content and you’re reading it on someone else’s site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php#publishers.
