NBC's broadcast of the Seahawks' 10-9 wild-card win over the Minnesota Vikings averaged 35.3 million viewers, making it the most-watched early Sunday Wild Card game on record according to numbers released Monday by NBC Sports Group.
The game peaked at 43.9 million viewers from 1:45 p.m. - 2 p.m. PT for the crazy finish that saw Minnesota's Blair Walsh miss a 27-yard field goal wide left. The game earned a 21.0 rating - the percent of all televisions tuned to the game, and a 42 share - the percent of all televisions in use at that time that were tuned to the game, numbers that make it the highest-rated early Sunday Wild Card game in 21 years (22.0 rating/48 share for New England Patriots-Cleveland Browns in January 1995).
Predictably, Minneapolis and Seattle drew the largest audiences, with Minneapolis pulling a 50.5 rating/82 share and Seattle securing a 50.4 rating/87 share, meaning just 13 percent of televisions in the Seattle-area were watching something besides the Seahawks-Vikings wild-card game.
The Seahawks hit the road and traveled to Minnesota for the second time this season for the NFC Wild Card Playoff matchup at TCF Bank Stadium and escape with a 10-9 victory to advance to next Sunday's NFC Divisional round.
Jan. 10, 2016; Minneapolis, Minn.
Jan. 10, 2016; Minneapolis, Minn.
Jan. 10, 2016; Minneapolis, Minn.
Jan. 10, 2016; Minneapolis, Minn.
Jan. 10, 2016; Minneapolis, Minn.
Jan. 10, 2016; Minneapolis, Minn.
Jan. 10, 2016; Minneapolis, Minn.
Jan. 10, 2016; Minneapolis, Minn.
Jan. 10, 2016; Minneapolis, Minn.
Jan. 10, 2016; Minneapolis, Minn.
Jan. 10, 2016; Minneapolis, Minn.
Jan. 10, 2016; Minneapolis, Minn.
Jan. 10, 2016; Minneapolis, Minn.
Jan. 10, 2016; Minneapolis, Minn.
Jan. 10, 2016; Minneapolis, Minn.
Jan. 10, 2016; Minneapolis, Minn.
Jan. 10, 2016; Minneapolis, Minn.
Jan. 10, 2016; Minneapolis, Minn.
Jan. 10, 2016; Minneapolis, Minn.
Jan. 10, 2016; Minneapolis, Minn.
Jan. 10, 2016; Minneapolis, Minn.
