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Nearly 30 Million People Tuned In To See Thrilling End Of Patriots-Cowboys On CBS

BOSTON (CBS) -- Sunday afternoon's Patriots-Cowboys clash at Gillette Stadium was one of the most exciting games of the 2021 NFL season. And it had a lot of people tuning in to CBS around the country.

With the game broadcast in the national window, more than 23 million folks were watching as Mac Jones and the Patriots hosted Dak Prescott and the Cowboys on Sunday. The game featured a thrilling end of regulation and overtime, and was CBS' most-watched October game in the national game window since 2015.

The viewership peaked as the two teams traded touchdowns late in the fourth quarter, with nearly 30 million viewers tuning in between 7:30 and 7:45pm.

It was late in the fourth quarter when Jones threw a pick-six to Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs, which gave Dallas a 26-21 lead with 2:21 to go. That lead did not last long, as Jones connected with Kendrick Bourne for a 75-yard touchdown on his very next pass. A two-point conversion by New England gave the Patriots a 29-26 lead, but Dallas tied it with a 49-yard field goal with 20 seconds left in regulation.

The game ended in dramatic fashion, with Prescott hitting CeeDee Lamb for a 35-yard, game-winning touchdown.

The absurd amount of viewers that Sunday's game garnered shouldn't be too much of a surprise, as both teams have massive followings around the country. They don't meet too often, but when the Patriots and the Cowboys collide, the country certainly tunes in.

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