Patriots-Bills Monday Night Matchup Was Most-Viewed Program in 2009

Slide over Gosselins, there's a new king of 2009 television in town.

The Patriots' Monday Night Football win over the Buffalo Bills earned a 10.3 rating, representing an average of 10,224,000 households, the largest audience for any program on cable television in 2009. 

At 10:15 p.m. ET, the San Diego Chargers’ 24-20 win over the Oakland Raiders received a 8.9 rating with an average of 8,774,000 households watching (11,945,000 viewers), the second-largest audience for any program on cable television in 2009.

Both games surpassed the year's most-watched program to that point — the June 22 episode of TLC's Jon and Kate Plus 8, which was previously the most-watched program on cable television in 2009, averaging 7,540,000 homes (10,605,000 viewers).

The two games also combined for ESPN’s highest-rated and most-viewed season-opening doubleheader since the format started in 2006.