NFL exhibitions draw big numbers

The NFL season hasn’t started yet, but with little else happening on broadcast television, exhibition football games are making a dent in the ratings. Three games were ranked in Nielsen’s top 30 prime-time programs last week. Sunday night’s game between the Carolina Panthers and New York Jets on NBC was second only to a showing of “America’s Got Talent” as the week’s most-watched program. Carolina won 17-12 as Tim Tebow couldn’t quite rally the Jets in the closing stages. CBS relied on Friday and Saturday night games, along with the 14th edition of “Big Brother” and popular reruns, to win the week. – Associated Press