FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - The Patriots 16-3 victory Sunday in Denver clinched the team's NFL-record eighth straight AFC East title as they became the first team in league history to win eight straight division crowns. The victory resonated with both national and local audiences, as the 4:25 p.m. broadcast was CBS's highest rated NFL telecast to date in the 2016 season.
WBZ's Sunday afternoon broadcast delivered a 36.7 household rating in the local Boston market, making it the second-highest rated performance of the 2016 season among non-primetime Patriot performances, to go along with a market share of 62. Among the top programs of the past week in the Boston market, NFL coverage captured seven of the top 10 spots locally, with yesterday's Patriots victory securing the top spot once again as football continues to dominate the local ratings. Nationally, amongst 56 metered markets, CBS' broadcast received a 15.8 household rating making it the network's highest-rated NFL telecast of the 2016 season.
The Patriots will return to action for their regular season home finale this Saturday, December 24 for a matchup with the New York Jets. The 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff will be broadcast locally on WBZ with Ian Eagle calling the play-by-play and accompanied by color commentary from Dan Fouts.
HIGHEST RATED PROGRAMS OF PAST WEEK IN BOSTON MARKET
| Program | **Network** | **Date** | **Household Rating** |
| **Patriots at Broncos** | **WBZ** | **12/18/16** | **36.7** |
| **Raiders at Chargers** | **WBZ** | **12/18/16** | **31.6** |
| **Monday Night Patriots** | **WCVB** | **12/12/16** | **23.5** |
| 60 Minutes | WBZ | 12/18/16 | 14.6 |
| **Countdown to Kickoff** | **WCVB** | **12/12/16** | **12.0** |
| **Buccaneers at Cowboys** | **WHDH** | **12/18/16** | **10.9** |
| NCIS | WBZ | 12/13/16 | 10.7 |
| **Steelers at Bengals** | **WBZ** | **12/18/16** | **10.6** |
| Big Bang Theory | WBZ | 12/15/16 | 9.8 |
| **Patriots vs. Ravens** | **ESPN** | **12/12/16** | **9.3** |
