FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Patriots squared off against the AFC leading Houston Texans on Monday, Dec. 10 in the team's lone Monday Night Football matchup of the 2012 season. The early overnight ratings indicate that the game drew a household rating of approximately 39 in the Boston market and marked the Patriots third-highest rated game of the season.
Monday night's game was televised on ESPN and WCVB in the Boston market and the two networks combined for the household rating of 39 and a share of 59. The share of 59 means that on average 59 percent of all televisions in use in the Boston market during the game were tuned in to the Patriots.
This year's Monday Night Football rating bested both of the Patriots' Monday Night Football ratings in 2011 and is the second-highest rated Monday Night Football game in franchise history. The only Monday Night Football game to receive a higher rating was the Patriots 45-3 win over the New York Jets on Dec. 6, 2010, which received a 42.2 household rating in the Boston market.
According to ESPN PR, last night's game was the highest-rated television program on both broadcast and cable.
Heading into Monday night's game, the Texans boasted an AFC best record of 11-1 and had yet to lose a game on the road. The Patriots entered the matchup riding a six-game winning streak and had not lost at Gillette Stadium since Week 2.
Monday's win improved the Patriots record to 10-3. This week, the Patriots are featured in another primetime matchup and will take on the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday Night Football on Dec. 16.
