Corporate Press Release Theater: The Biggest Game

So apparently last night the most-watched TV program in 25 years aired, and I didn't see it. Well, I did, but mostly in fast-motion. Apparently in the midst of the Super Bowl ads, there was an actual good game last night. But what with hammering out 61[!] ad reviews in four hours, skipping through the game to the next ad block, and dashing off my emailed copy to time.com to produce and post it overnight, I ended up seeing only the last two minutes--the good part, but still--of last night's game. Today, Fox brags:

Last night's SUPER BOWL XLII: NY GIANTS VS. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS hit a massive 37.6 rating among Adults 18-49 along with 97.5 Mil Total Viewers. Last night's P2+ number made the game the most-watched Super Bowl EVER and the highest-rated in eight years among Adults 18-49 (since Super Bowl XXXIV on 1/30/00 on ABC). In fact, SUPER BOWL XLII is television's second-highest rated telecast ever in Total Viewers and the biggest in 25 years (since the MASH finale on 2/28/83).

For ratings this impressive, clearly only the CAPS LOCK key will suffice.

Anyway, since I didn't catch the game and it's various trimmings per se--I even ended up skipping through most of halftime--I'll ask you: How was the Super Bowl as a TV show? How does Fox measure up against the competition? And did I cheat myself by not watching Tom Petty?