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The much-anticipated Week 2 matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals lived up to its billing, both on the field and with the viewing audience.
CBS Sports has announced that nearly 28 million people tuned in to watch the Chiefs' nail-biting 26-25 victory, marking a significant ratings milestone for the network.
CBS scores big with Bengals vs Chiefs
The game, featuring a showdown between two of the league's premier quarterbacks, Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow, alongside the continued intrigue surrounding Taylor Swift, attracted a massive audience.
According to CBS, 27.9 million viewers were glued to their screens for the Chiefs' walk-off win, making it the most-watched NFL game on any network since the Chiefs' Super Bowl LVIII victory.
This marks an 8% increase compared to the same broadcast window last year.
Harrison Butker's last-second 51-yard field goal secured Kansas City's victory after a dramatic back-and-forth contest that saw five lead changes.
Despite a tough night for Mahomes and limited production from Travis Kelce, the Chiefs showcased their trademark resilience, pulling out a win in the final moments.
Burrow, who threw for 258 yards and two touchdowns, and the Bengals fought hard but came up just short.
Paramount+, the biggest winner of Sunday's showdown
For CBS, the game was a resounding success beyond just the final score.
The Bengals-Chiefs showdown was also the most-streamed regular-season NFL game in the history of Paramount+, contributing to the platform's best day for regular-season football viewership.
Additionally, the game helped CBS achieve its highest average viewership for the start of an NFL season since 1998, with an impressive 19.9 million viewers.
This matchup continues to illustrate why the Bengals-Chiefs rivalry has become a premier draw for NFL fans.
The two teams have faced off in each of the last four regular seasons and twice in the playoffs, with both clubs holding two wins in the regular-season series.
Sunday's contest was yet another classic, with the outcome hinging on the final moments.
As viewership numbers climb and these two teams continue to meet, fans can only hope for a postseason rematch that promises even more thrilling moments.