The New York Giants came up short on Thanksgiving, falling to the Dallas Cowboys by a score of 28-20 in Arlington. And it turns out, a record number of people saw that loss.
The clash between New York and Dallas was the most-watched regular season game in NFL history, averaging 42 million viewers. It surpassed a December 3, 1990 Monday Night Football game between the Giants and San Francisco 49ers, which averaged 41.55 million viewers.
From the Associated Press:
The Thanksgiving afternoon game between the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys set the mark for the most-watched NFL regular-season game on record.
The Cowboys 28-20 victory on Fox averaged 42 million viewers, according to Nielsen, surpassing the 41.55 million average for the Dec. 3, 1990, Monday night game between the Giants and San Francisco 49ers on ABC. Average viewer record numbers date to 1988.
Unfortunately for the Giants, they lost on both Thanksgiving and on Monday night back in 1990. In that one, they fell to Joe Montana’s 49ers by a score of 7-3. But they would get revenge in the NFC Championship Game and go on to win Super Bowl XXV.
