The Saints hosted the NFL regular season opener last night in the Superdome with a 14-9 win over the Vikings. 70,051 fans packed the Dome and the New Orleans police department projected more than 200,000 people came in town to experience the festivities including the NFL Kickoff Concert with Taylor Swift and the Dave Matthews Band.

NBC's nationally-televised broadcast of the opener registered a 17.7 household rating/28 share overnight rating, the highest rating for a primetime NFL opening game ever. It was the best primetime ratings for an NFL regular season game in 13 years. In 1997, the Denver Broncos faced the San Francisco 49ers and earned a 19.3/30

The Saints past three non-preseason game have broken national ratings record. Here are some notes on the black and gold's past three primetime showdowns.

Saints vs. Vikings

NFL Regular Season Opener

Sept. 9, 2010

Superdome

Attendance: 70, 051

NBC Broadcast

*The Saints 14-9 victory registered a 17.7 household rating/28 share overnight rating, highest for a primetime NFL opener in league history.

• It was the highest ratings for a NFL regular season primetime game in 13 years. In 1997, the Denver Broncos faced the San Francisco 49ers and earned a 19.3/30

• The contest's ratings peaked from 8:30 to 8:45 p.m. CT with a 29 share ratings.

• The game registered a 60.0 /78 overnight rating in New Orleans

Saints vs. Colts

Super Bowl XLIV

Feb. 7, 2010

Sun Life Stadium

Attendance: 74, 059

CBS Broadcast

• Nielson Company projected that 106.5 million people watched the Saints first Super Bowl victory, making it the most-watched television program in history. It surpassed finale of the TV series "MAS*H," which posted a 105.97 audience.

• The Saints 31-17 victory registered a 46.4 household rating/68 share overnight rating, an increase of 10 percent from the previous Super Bowl. A television audience of 106 million people, making it the most-watched program in U.S. television history.

• The contest rating peaked from 8:30-8:45 p.m. CT with a 50. 6 share rating.

• The game registered a 56.3/82 overnight rating in New Orleans.

Saints vs. Vikings

2009 NFC Championship Game

Jan. 24, 2010

Superdome

Attendance: 71, 276 (largest Superdome crowd to ever attend a Saints game.)

Fox Broadcast

• The Saints 31-28 overtime victory registered a 30.6 household rating/45 share overnight rating, a 40 percent improvement over the previous season's NFC Championship.

• Nielson Company projected 57.9 million national viewers watched the Saints overtime victory, which was the largest audience for a conference championship game since the 1982 NFC Championship game.

• The game registered a 63.2/82 on FOX-8 in New Orleans, which is believed to be the largest local rating ever for an NFL contest by a single television station. A Chicago station that earned a 63.0 for Super Bowl XX between the Chicago Bears and New England Patriots held in the Superdome held the previous record.

• Not counting Super Bowl broadcasts, the 2009 NFC Championship game was the most-watched television program since the finale of the TV series "Seinfeld" in 1998 that drew 76.3 million viewers.