Alphabet scores Monday touchdown

Morning Ratings Flash - Rick Kissell

By RICK KISSELL

ABC has scored a rather easy Monday victory in adults 18-49 and total viewers, according to preliminary nationals from Nielsen, while NBC's original lineup moved up to second ahead of CBS' repeat series.

Reliable numbers for the individual Alphabet programs weren't available due to live football, but a competitive Jets-Raiders "Monday Night Football" game appears to have performed well, leaving the net with a roughly 5.8 rating in adults 18-49 for the night.

NBC saw "Fear Factor" match its season high in adults 18-49 (5.7/14), easily winning the 8 o'clock hour. "Third Watch" delivered a solid 4.8/11 and "Crossing Jordan" (4.2/11) finished in a virtual tie with a repeat of CBS' "CSI: Miami" while moving ahead of the rookie hit in total viewers.

CBS was led by repeats of "Everybody Loves Raymond" (5.4/12 in adults 18-49, 15.2 million viewers overall) and "Still Standing" (4.8/11 in adults 18-49, 12.9 million viewers).

Fox's "Boston Public" was a strong second in key demos at 8 (4.9/12 in adults 18-49), hitting a season high.

Preliminary 18-49 averages for the night: ABC, 5.8/14; NBC, 4.9/14; CBS, 4.4/11; Fox, 3.9/9.

In total viewers: ABC, 14.7 million; NBC, 12.5 million; CBS, 12.4 million; Fox, 9.0 million.