NEW YORK (November 13, 2012)--NBC can thank football and the political season for a strong showing in the television ratings.

Sunday night's NFL telecast between Houston and Chicago was the most-watched prime-time show for the week, according to the Nielsen company, which that NBC's election night coverage also topped its rivals on ABC and CBS to finish in the company's top 10 list.

NBC finished a strong second to CBS in the prime-time ratings, and won handily among the 18-to-49-year-old demographic it courts most actively.

The most popular scripted show of the week was the CBS comedy "The Big Bang Theory."