Philadelphia Eagles Win vs. Dallas Cowboys Was Highest-Rated Game of NFL Season
The Philadelphia Eagles took command of the races for both the NFC East and top seed in the NFC with a 28-23 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 9 on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field, and there were a staggering amount of fans watching the game on TV.
In fact, FOX says that the game drew over 27 million viewers, making it the highest-rated game of this NFL season thus far. What's more, FOX adds that the Eagles victory was the "most-watched telecast of any kind on any network" since Philadelphia lost 38-35 to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII back in February.
The extremely high ratings are a reminder of a few things: First of all, Philadelphia-Dallas has become the dominant rivalry in the NFC East, and is near the top of the list in the sport as a whole. Secondly, for as much hoopla as games on Thursday, Sunday and Monday Night Football come with, it's often the 4:25 games on FOX -- billed as "America's Game of the Week" -- that draw the most viewers.
Both the Eagles and Cowboys have real opportunities to top this rating later on this season. Philadelphia is on their bye week in Week 10, but quarterback Jalen Hurts and company have a gauntlet of upcoming games against the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers. Meanwhile, the Cowboys will host the Washington Commanders at 4:30 p.m. ET on Thanksgiving Day, a window that's typically among the highest-rated in each NFL season.
And for good measure, the Cowboys will host the Eagles on Sunday Night Football in Week 14. The matchup at AT&T Stadium will have major playoff implications, one way or another, and could very well end up topping the ratings that this first NFC East tilt produced.