NEW YORK (CBS) – THE NFL ON CBS’s broadcast of the AFC Wild Card game featuring the Tim Tebow-led Denver Broncos’ 29-23 overtime victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, Jan. 8 (4:45-8:15PM ET) averaged a 25.9/43 HH rating/share in the 56 NSI metered markets, setting several records:

* It was the highest rated AFC Sunday Wild Card game in the metered markets since a 26.7 HH rating for Seattle @ Houston on Sunday, 1/3/88 on NBC (4-7:30PM ET).

* It was the highest rated Wild Card game (AFC or NFC) in the NSI metered markets on any network since 1988 (26.7; Seattle-Houston; Sunday, 1/3/88; 4-730PM ET, NBC).

The Pittsburgh-Denver game was +38% in HH rating compared to last year’s 18.8/37 for Baltimore at Kansas City on CBS (1-4PM ET).

The game peaked with a HH rating/share of 31.6/46 (8:00-8:15 PM ET).

4:45-5PM ET  20.4/38
5-5:30PM ET  22.5/41
5:30-6PM ET  24.7/43
6-6:30PM ET  24.6/42
6:30-7PM ET  25.3/41
7-7:30PM ET  27.5/44
7:30-8PM ET  29.8/46
8-8:15PM ET  31.6/46

The five top-rated stations/metered markets were:

1) KDKA Pittsburgh            56.2/77
2) KCNC Denver                49.0/78
3) WJZ Baltimore                 35.7/52
4) WTKR Norfolk               35.4/48
5) WUSA Washington DC   33.2/53

Source: NSI Live + SD ratings

(Article reprinted with permission from CBS Research and CBS Sports Communications.)