NFL game outscores ABC to grab top spot

Fast National ratings for Sunday, Oct. 7, 2007

Brett Favre and Brian Griese were bigger draws than any of the "Desperate Housewives" Sunday night.

Thanks to its NFL coverage, NBC led Sunday's ratings with an 8.4 rating/14 share (with those numbers likely to change some because of the live game broadcast). ABC finished second at 7.8/13, holding off CBS, 7.6/12. FOX was well back at 3.7/6, and The CW made barely a blip at 0.9/2.

NBC also led among adults 18-49 with a 5.6 rating. ABC, 4.4, took second in the key demographic. FOX, 2.9, came in third, followed by CBS, 2.6, and The CW, 0.4.

Late-ending NFL games and "60 Minutes" averaged 7.4/13 for CBS at 7 p.m. The season premiere of "America's Funniest Home Videos," 5.1/9, put ABC in second. "Football Night in America" drew a 4.5/8 for NBC. Reruns of "King of the Hill" and "The Simpsons" averaged 2.8/5 for FOX. "CW Now" and "Online Nation" filled the hour for The CW.

"Sunday Night Football" (9.0/14), featuring Griese's Chicago Bears and Favre's Green Bay Packers, moved NBC to the top spot at 8 p.m. An extended "60 Minutes," 7.2/11, was second in households for CBS, but ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" had more viewers. FOX stayed in fourth with "The Simpsons," 4.3/7, and "King of the Hill," 3.5/5. The premiere of "Life Is Wild" on The CW managed only a 1.2/2.

At 9 p.m., "Desperate Housewives" scored an 11.1/17 for ABC, topping the 10.3/16 for NBC's NFL broadcast. "Cold Case," 8.3/13, took third for CBS. FOX went with "Family Guy," 4.9/7, and "American Dad," 3.9/6, and The CW aired an "America's Next Top Model" rerun.

NBC regained the lead at 10 p.m. as "Sunday Night Football" posted a 9.8/16. ABC's "Brothers & Sisters," 8.2/14, beat out CBS' "Shark," 7.4/12, for second.

On Saturday, CBS got a 4.8/9 for a college football game to win the night. FOX, 3.9/7, came in second, and ABC and NBC tied for third at 2.8/5.

Ratings information is taken from fast national data, which includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are preliminary and subject to change, especially in the case of live telecasts.