Getty Images

Television ratings for the NFL in prime time are continuing to decline.

ESPN saw lower ratings for its annual Monday Night Football Week One doubleheader this year than last year — and last year’s ratings weren’t good.

The Jets-Lions game got a 7.5 overnight rating, while Rams-Raiders drew a 7.0. That’s down 4 percent from 2017. And 2017 was down from 2016, and 2016 was down from 2015.

Ratings also declined for both the Thursday night opener and the Week One Sunday night game, although Sunday afternoon NFL ratings increased from last year. Overall, the NFL would have to see Week One as a mixed bag at best.

Still, a mixed bag for the NFL would be considered great ratings for anything else on TV. NFL games were easily the most-watched programs on network television last week, and ESPN beat everything on both cable and network TV last night. Ratings remain strong compared to everything else — unless “everything else” includes NFL ratings from a few years ago.