Packers-Cowboys Wild Card game averages 40 million viewers

Quite a few people tuned in to watch Sunday afternoon’s 48-32 victory for the Green Bay Packers in a Wild Card Playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys. According to Nielsen fast-nationals, the FOX broadcast averaged 40 million viewers to rank as the fifth most-watched Wild Card game ever.

Additionally, the game peaked at 43.5 million viewers around the 6:45-7 p.m. ET window and was the second most-watched of the NFL season. The Cowboys also played in the most-watched game of this season on Thanksgiving Day against the Commanders on CBS (41.8 million).

Compared to last year’s Giants-Vikings Wild Card game on FOX, the viewership was up 20%. It also topped Dallas’ Wild Card win against Tampa Bay from last season on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC (31.2 million). However, it trailed their 2022 Divisional Round loss to the 49ers on CBS and Nickelodeon, which saw an audience of 41.5 million.

The Cowboys-Packers game averaged more than 10 million more viewers than the Browns-Texans game on NBC, Telemundo and Peacock (29 million). The Dolphins-Chiefs game, which was broadcast exclusively on Peacock, saw 23 million. Numbers are not yet out for the Rams-Lions Wild Card matchup that took place Sunday evening.

Green Bay jumped out to 27-0 lead and never looked back on its way to the blowout win. The Cowboys managed to score a touchdown right before halftime to cut the deficit to 27-7, but it didn’t translate to momentum in the second half. The Packers increased their lead to as many as 48-16 before a pair of late Dallas touchdowns.

The Cowboys committed two turnovers, including an interception from Dak Prescott that was returned for a touchdown. Meanwhile, the Packers took care of the ball as Aaron Jones ran all over the Dallas defense for 118 yards and three touchdowns.

The loss marked another disappointing playoff exit for the Cowboys, who have not made it past the Divisional Round since 1995. The Packers now move on to face the No. 1 seed San Francisco 49ers at 8:15 p.m. ET on Saturday.

Report: Mike McCarthy schedules meeting with Cowboys coaches, players

Following Dallas’ latest frustrating playoff exit, the NFL Network’s Jane Slater reports that end-of-season business is being conducted as usual over at the Cowboys facilities.

The expectation is that head coach Mike McCarthy will likely be let go after Sunday’s abomination. However, if that’s the plan, fans will have to wait to hear official word until the team’s exit interviews are completed, per Slater.

“Locker room clean out and no Mike McCarthy today,” Slater tweeted Monday morning. “I was told presser will be after the completion of exit interviews…like the last three years and like Jason Garrett before him.”

Slater added that McCarthy is scheduled to meet with his staff and the team as the day progresses: “A source informed tells me Mike McCarthy will have a meeting with his coaches at 11. Players at 12. That’s standard.” And also, Central Standard Time.

She also commented that, “internally a lot of people I’ve spoke to are expressing frustration with another 12 win season and another postseason collapse.”