Ratings Chart Attack!

The kickoff of the NFL season on NBC dominated Thursday’s lineup, but thanks to unusual scheduling around the Republican National Convention, the game between the Washington Redskins and the New York Giants declined strongly from last year.

Starting at 7:08 p.m., the game brought in a 5.4 rating/14 share in the 18- to 49-year-old demographic, according to preliminary Nielsen Media Research data.

Thursday’s game dipped two full ratings points from last year’s kickoff game between the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts. However, last year’s game started at 8:40 p.m.

The game brought nearly 14 million viewers to the doorstep of the Republican National Convention at 10 p.m. (the game ended at 9:58 p.m.), and NBC’s convention coverage took in a 3.2/8 with 8.1 million viewers.

NBC finished the night in first with a 4.7/13.

Fox aired a special two-hour retrospective episode of “Kitchen Nightmares” to a 2.4/7. Despite being a new episode and on a new night, it is technically not the season premiere, which airs next week at 9 p.m.

Fox ended the night in second place with a 2.4/7.

Third-place CBS brought in a 1.8/5, with an on-par “Big Brother” (2.2/7).

ABC landed in fourth with a 1.2/3, while The CW, in fifth, re-aired the two-hour “90210” premiere to a 1.0/3 in 18-49 and a 1.2/4 in 18- to 34-year-olds.

What to Watch for Tonight:

ABC, CBS, NBC: The Big Three (plus some other cable nets, including E!) are simulcasting “Stand Up to Cancer” at 8 p.m. The hourlong special will bring in the stars, commercial-free, to try to raise donations for cancer research.

Fox: Not to be outdone, Fox is raising funds for cooties research as a new season of “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader” premieres at 8 p.m.