FOXBOROUGH, Mass.- With their thrilling come-from-behind victory Sunday over the Pittsburgh Steelers, the New England Patriots captured their ninth straight AFC East division title, securing a playoff berth for the ninth straight season and tying an NFL record for consecutive playoff appearances. The exciting finish resonated with both national and local audiences, as CBS' coverage of the game captured the highest rating of the 2017 NFL season across any network and earned their highest rating since the 2015 season.
Sunday's broadcast captured a national household rating of 17.0, up eight percent from last year's Week 15 national broadcast, making it CBS' highest rated game since Week 10 of the 2015 season featuring Kansas City at Denver and New England at N.Y. Giants. In the local market, the game earned a 39.7 household rating, making it the highest-rated game of the 2017 campaign for the Patriots and the second-highest over the past two years, while once again taking the top spot in the weekly television ratings.
The Patriots will return home to Gillette Stadium next Sunday, December 24, for a Christmas Eve showdown with the Buffalo Bills. The 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff will be televised locally on WBZ with Jim Nantz calling the play-by-play and Tony Romo handling color commentary.
HIGHEST - RATED NFL GAMES OF 2017
| **Game** | **Network** | **Date** | **Rating** |
| **Patriots at Steelers** | **CBS** | **12/17/2017** | **17.0** |
| Cowboys at Broncos | FOX | 9/17/2017 | 14.3 |
| Eagles at Rams | FOX | 12/10/2017 | 13.7 |
| Packers at Cowboys | FOX | 10/8/2017 | 13.6 |
| Giants at Cowboys | NBC | 9/10/2017 | 13.4 |
