CBS beats NBC’s Chargers-Ravens game thanks to their own NFL coverage and ‘Survivor’ finale

For the first time this season, NBC did not win Sunday night. In fact, CBS bested NBC in both overall audience and in the 18-49 rating demographic thanks to the Survivor finale and NFL overrun.

CBS came in first with 15.865 million viewers and a 4.5 18-49 rating, notes Hit Fix. The Denver Broncos-New England Patriots game lasted an extra half hour, meaning that CBS had a huge audience at 7 p.m. Between the game and the first half of 60 Minutes, the network had 22.8 million viewers, helping CBS get a whopping 6.2 18-49 rating. The network continued its dominance, getting 16.4 million viewers for the rest of 60 Minutes and the first part of Survivor. At 9 p.m., Survivor had 13.13 million viewers, while at 10 p.m., the live reunion show had 11.09 million viewers. According to Entertainment Weekly, Survivor averaged a 4.0 18-49 rating, a 2 percent slide from last season. The reunion special had a 3.2 rating, a 6 percent drop from last fall.

Despite Sunday Night Football, NBC fell to second with 11.77 million viewers and a 4.3 18-49 rating. Football Night In America had just 7.42 million viewers, while the San Diego Chargers-Baltimore Ravens game had its best hour at 9 p.m., reaching 14.6 million viewers. The game averaged a 5.2 18-49 rating, a dip from last week’s highest rating of the season, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

ABC beat Fox for third place with 4.78 million viewers, but actually had a low 1.3 18-49 rating. A repeat of America’s Funniest Home Videos had 6.5 million viewers, while Once Upon A Time had 4.4 million a weak 1.2 18-49 rating. The network finished the night with The Santa Clause 3, which had 3.8 million in its first hour and 4.4 million in its second.

Without the benefit of NFL overrun, Fox fell to fourth place with 4.2 million viewers although it did better in the 18-49 demographic, earning a 1.8 rating. The network had a night of animated repeats, although a new episode of Allen Gregory was sandwiched in between. The show continues to fail to be a big audience draw, only getting 3.3 million viewers and a 1.5 18-49 rating.