2026 NFL Week 4 Ratings: Sunday Night Draws 19.51 Million

Lions–Panthers averaged 19.51 million viewers on NBC on Oct. 4, while Falcons–Saints drew 11.9 million across ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes on Oct. 5, according to newly reported NFL Week 4 figures from Sports Media Watch.

The Monday total includes local over-the-air simulcasts. It was the first Monday Night Football game of the season without an ABC simulcast; each of the previous three, which also aired on ABC, averaged at least 19 million.

The Monday audience was 8% below last season's average for ESPN-only games. The report said there was no directly comparable Week 4 matchup last year because the schedule featured an overlapping doubleheader.

Colts–Commanders from London averaged 4.99 million on NFL Network on Oct. 4. That figure is due to be updated with local over-the-air audiences in the teams' home markets.

The newly available figures extend the earlier Week 4 reporting, led by CBS' Sunday late regional package at 28.45 million. That CBS audience covered several games, with Chiefs–Raiders reaching 69% of markets.

A complete Week 4 league average was still pending in the latest report. The available broadcast figures do not supply that league-wide measure.

U.S. average audience

Newly reported Week 4 audiences

Oct. 4–5, 2026 · Sunday, Monday and London

Swipe the table for dates, networks and linked sources. Event names remain visible.

Newly reported Week 4 audiences; Oct. 4–5, 2026 · Sunday, Monday and London
Rank	Event / program	Avg. viewers	Aired / period	Network / platform	Source
1	Lions–Panthers Audience scope Nielsen weekly figure; SMW rounds to 19.51M. Streaming scope follows published figure.	19.506M	Oct. 4	NBC	Nielsen
2	Falcons–Saints Audience scope Includes local home-market over-the-air simulcasts.	11.9M	Oct. 5	ESPN / ESPN2 / ESPN Deportes	SMW
3	Colts–Commanders, London Audience scope PARTIAL: local over-the-air simulcasts are still pending.	4.987M*	Oct. 4	NFL Network	Nielsen