ESPN's Monday Night Football Wins the Night among All Programs

Last night's ESPN Monday Night Football game - the Houston Texans' 23-17 road victory over the New York Jets - won the night among all programs - broadcast or cable - in households, viewers and all key male and adult demos. As a network, ESPN won the night in all key male and adult demos and finished second in both households and viewers.

The game earned a 10.5 household coverage rating (9.0 US), representing an average of 10,282,000 households (14,047,000 viewers - P2+), the eighth largest audience among viewers (seventh among households) for any program on cable television in 2012, according to Nielsen. The game peaked between 9:45-10 p.m. ET at an 11.5 household coverage rating.

In Houston, the game delivered a 12.0 rating on ESPN and a 22.4 rating on KHOU-CBS, for a combined 34.4 rating in the market. In New York, the game delivered a 9.5 rating on ESPN and a 4.3 rating on WWOR-IND, for a combined 13.8 rating in the market. The top-10 rated metered markets (not including primary home team markets): Las Vegas (18.4), San Diego (15.2), New Orleans (14.9), Austin (14.8), Denver (13.7), Richmond, Va. (12.9), Norfolk/Portsmouth, Va. (12.2), San Antonio (12.2), Albuquerque, N.M. (11.8) and (tie) Atlanta and Birmingham, Ala. (11.7).

Through the first five weeks of the NFL season (six games), ESPN's MNF is averaging a 10.4 household coverage rating (9.0 US), 10,227,000 households and 13,981,000 viewers, increases of four percent, three percent and three percent, respectively, from the same point last season.

ESPN Digital Platforms

ESPN also saw significant traffic across its digital platforms on Sunday and Monday:

ESPN.com NFL section - An average minute audience of 33,000 was up 26 percent from last year with an average 4.0 million unique visitors, up five percent compared to the same two days last season.

ESPN.com Fantasy Football section - An average minute audience of 68,000 (up 45 percent), averaging 3.1 million unique visitors (down slightly from last year).

ESPN mobile Web NFL section - An average minute audience of 42,000, up 62 percent, reaching 3.5 million unique visitors, a 14 percent gain.

Peyton Manning on MNF Next Week

Next week, ESPN's MNF returns with an AFC West division showdown as Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos travel to San Diego on October 15 to face Philip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers at 8:30 p.m.

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