AFC Wild Card 2012: Steelers Vs. Broncos Most Watched Program XLV Since Super Bowl

It's no secret that the popularity of the NFL dominates the American sports landscape, but it can still be surprising to find out just how in-demand the sport is on a national level. Thanks largely to the country's intense fascination with Tim Tebow, the AFC Wild Card game between the Denver Broncos and Pittsburgh Steelers was the most watched show on American television since last year's Super Bowl, according to Pro Football Talk.

The game drew 42.4 million viewers to CBS, an astronomical number that dwarfed the 31.8 million people that tuned in to watch the New Orleans Saints defeat the Detroit Lions, which was the second highest rated match up from Wild Card weekend. And though the number for the Broncos Vs. Steelers game is mighty impressive, it just might pale in comparison to the rating for this weekend's divisional round face off between the Broncos and New England Patriots.

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Denver. For more in-depth coverage of this matchup, head to Broncos blog Mile High Report and Steelers blog Behind the Steel Curtain. For more news and notes from around the NFL, visit SB Nation's NFL news hub.