NFL games are 13 most-watched shows on TV this season

NFL Telecast Most-Watched TV Show in Each of Season's Eight Weeks

NFL games account for the 13 most-watched programs on television since the NFL season kicked off on Sept. 9, according to The Nielsen Company.

The FOX national telecast (mostly Minnesota Vikings vs. New England Patriots) was last week's most-watched show among all programs on television with 25.2 million viewers. An NFL game telecast has been television's most-watched program in each of the eight weeks of the NFL season.

The Pittsburgh Steelers vs. the New Orleans Saints on NBC was the most-watched show on Sunday night drawing 18.1 million viewers. Sunday Night Football has been Sunday night's most-watched show in all eight weeks of the NFL season.

The following are the most-watched programs on television since the beginning of the NFL season:

1. FOX Sunday National (mostly Packers-Eagles), Sept. 12, 28.0 million viewers

2. NBC Thursday Night Kickoff Game (Vikings-Saints), Sept. 9, 27.5 million viewers

3. CBS Sunday National (mostly Patriots-Jets), Sept. 19, 27.0 million viewers

4. FOX Sunday National (mostly Cowboys-Vikings), Oct. 17, 26.0 million viewers

5. NBC Sunday Night Football (Vikings-Packers), Oct. 24, 25.7 million viewers

6. NBC Sunday Night Football (Cowboys-Redskins), Sept. 12, 25.3 million viewers

7. FOX Sunday National (mostly Vikings-Patriots), Oct. 31, 25.2 million viewers

8. CBS Sunday National (mostly Colts-Broncos), Sept. 26, 23.1 million viewers

8. FOX Sunday National (mostly Redskins-Eagles), Oct. 3, 23.1 million viewers

8. NBC Sunday Night Football (Giants-Colts), Sept. 19, 23.1 million viewers

11. FOX Sunday Single (mostly Cowboys-Texans & Eagles-Jaguars), Sept. 26, 22.2 million viewers

12. CBS Sunday National (mostly Patriots-Chargers), Oct. 24, 21.9 million viewers

13. CBS Sunday Single (mostly Jets-Broncos & Ravens-Patriots), Oct. 17, 21.5 million

14. Dancing with the Stars, Sept. 27, 21.4 million viewers

15. Dancing with the Stars, Sept. 20 (season premiere), 21.3 million viewers

Source: The NFL and The Nielsen Company, Sept. 9 to Oct. 31, 2010