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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. –** If you were watching TV in the Boston area on Sunday afternoon, chances are you saw the New England Patriots score 38 first-half points en route to a 51-23 home victory over the Chicago Bears – their 13th straight win at Gillette Stadium. The game, which improved the Patriots' October home record to 25-1 since 2003, garnered a 34.0 household rating and a season-high 68 market share, making it the most watched program of the week in the local market.
An average of 1,180,900 total viewers in the Boston market tuned in to watch the Patriots put up 50 points for the first time this season and the 13th time in franchise history. Despite a lopsided halftime score of 38-7, fans remained interested in the game well into the second half, thanks to explosive plays in all three phases of the game. Tom Brady threw five touchdown passes, including three to Rob Gronkowski, Rob Ninkovich returned a fumble for a touchdown, and Julian Edelman had a season-high 42-yard punt return to set up another Patriots score. Viewership for the game peaked at 3:00 p.m., when it registered a 37.0 household rating and 72 market share.
The Patriots will be back at Gillette Stadium again on Sunday, Nov. 2, to host Peyton Manning and the AFC-leading Denver Broncos, with kickoff set for 4:25 p.m. Brady is 10-5 overall against Manning in the 15 games they've competed in as starters, including 7-2 at home. The game will be broadcast locally by CBS on WBZ-Channel 4. Jim Nantz will call play-by-play with Phil Simms providing color commentary.
