Sunday night's Cowboys game on NBC was the top-rated Sunday Night Football game ever.
That means more people than ever saw the Cowboys choke and give up a storybook ending to the Jets. But, I digress. This article isn't about a fumble, interception, blocked punt or delay of game call -- it's about winning. Specifically, winning in the ratings book and proving once and for all that a team can be as entertaining in defeat as they are in success.
Don't believe me? Check this out.
Four out of the top five and half of the Top 10 Sunday Night Football games are games involving the Cowboys.
1. 9/11/11, Cowboys-Jets 16.9 rating (Last Night's Game)
T2. 9/20/09, Giants-Cowboys 16.5 rating (Dallas Cowboys Stadium Debut)
T2. 12/12/10, Eagles-Cowboys 16.5 rating (2010 SNF Week 14)
4. 9/12/10, Cowboys-Redskins 16.4 rating (Last Year's SNF Opener)
5. 10/24/10, Vikings/Packers 16.0 rating (Favre's Return to Lambeau II)
6. 11/21/10, Giants-Eagles 15.9 rating (2010 SNF Week 11)
7. 11/25/07, Eagles-Patriots 15.6 rating (2007 SNF Week 12)
8. 12/14/08, Giants-Cowboys 15.4 rating (2008 SNF Week 15)
T9. 9/19/10, Giants-Colts 15.2 rating ("Manning Bowl II")
T9. 12/19/10, Packers-Patriots 15.2 rating (2010 SNF Week 15)
T9. 12/28/10, Vikings-Eagles 15.2 rating (2010 SNF Week 16 - Tuesday Game)
It's worth mentioning that the game tied for the second-highest rating was just last December -- an awful year for Cowboys fans by most any measure.
It's also worth mentioning that those numbers aren't just for DFW, they're nationwide. The Cowboys continue to be such a good draw, in fact, that they have been the Week 1 game on Sunday Night Football on NBC three out of the six years its been on the air.
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Nationally, here is how the Cowboys-Jets game shook out across the country Sunday night.
1. Dallas 38.8
2. San Antonio 28.1
3. Austin 26.2
4. New Orleans 24.7
5. Las Vegas 23.3
6. Albuquerque 22.5
7. Oklahoma City 22.1
8. Richmond 20.7
9. Houston 20.5
10. Norfolk 19.9
11. New York 19.7
The Cowboys next Sunday night game is against Michael Vick and the Eagles on Oct. 30. With five games to play between now and then, is it crazy to hope we're 5-1 when Week 8 rolls around? It likely won't matter either way to the ratings book, but it would certainly help my frustration level.
