Monday night’s game between the 49ers and Packers delivered. In multiple ways.
It was fun to watch and, in turn, it was watched. According to ESPN, the game averaged 12 million viewers across ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN Deportes. That represented a 40-percent increase over the 8.5 million average viewers who watched last year’s Week Six Monday night game between the Colts and Titans.
So why the increase? First, Monday night’s game was unexpectedly exciting. Second, last year’s Week Six Monday night game featured the Colts (led by Jacoby Brissett) and the Titans, a 36-22 Tennessee win.
It’s the latest example of the upward trend in 2018 NFL ratings. And that’s good news for the NFL, and for the networks that broadcast NFL games.