CBS' Indianapolis-New England tops weekend NFL ratings - USA TODAY

NFL TV ratings were mixed this weekend as Sunday night action was down

Dallas Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant (88) reacts to a call after a catch against the Cleveland Browns at Cowboys Stadium. The Cowboys beat the Browns 23-20 in overtime.(Photo: Matthew Emmons-U.S. Presswire)

Story Highlights

• The Indianapolis Colts-New England Patriots game Sunday drew the weekend's top NFL overnight rating
• The Dallas Cowboys-Cleveland Browns game Sunday was helped in overnight ratings by going to overtime
• NBC's Baltimore Ravens-Pittsburgh Steelers game did not do as well in overnight ratings as expected

2:01PM EST November 19. 2012 - NFL games, which produce by far the biggest ratings in TV, were mixed Sunday:

*CBS early-game action, focusing on Dallas' overtime win against Cleveland, drew an 11.2 overnight, translating to 11.2% of households in the 56 urban markets measured for overnights. Overtime action usually helps ratings and it did here: That rating was up 33% from comparable coverage of action featuring Cincinnati-Baltimore last year.

*Fox's early-game NFL TV window, featuring Green Bay's 24-20 win against Detroit, drew a 10.6 overnight, at least got a close game. But that overnight was down 17% from a Tampa Bay-Green Bay game last year.

*Thanks to rookie star Andrew Luck, Indianapolis-New England was actually picked as CBS' main game in its late-afternoon marquee time slot. And it drew the weekend's top NFL overnight -- 14.8, up 4% from coverage of a San Diego-Chicago game last year.

*NBC'a Baltimore-Pittsburgh game was also close as the Ravens won 13-10. But its 12.2 overnight was down 13% from last year's comparable coverage of a Philadelphia-N.Y. Giants game.

Spice rack: CBS says ESPN's Jon Gruden is preparing to return to coaching while ESPN says he's just preparing for Monday Night Football action. ... Why ESPN is rooting for Notre Dame to beat USC Saturday. ... Jim Rome talks about his new show.