By Wade Keller, Torch editor

Raw drew a 3.3 rating this week, a rebound from last week's near-ten-year low of 2.8.

WK ANALYSIS: Last week's Raw went up against a deciding playoff game for the New York Yankees and a dramatic, competitive Monday Night Football game featuring the undefeated Dallas Cowboys. Plus, it was the first edition since John Cena's injury.

This week went up against a less marquee New York Giant's football game on ESPN and no Yankee baseball game. It also featured the advertised return of the popular WWE icon, Shawn Michaels. Odds were strong the rating would rebound; in fact, I predicted a 3.2 or 3.3 rating on the Daily Keller Hotline yesterday after taking into account all circumstances.

This week's Raw rating is not a sign of a resurgence by any means, since it's merely back in the range of the 3.2 rating two weeks ago, which was also cause for concern. It takes a 2.8 rating to make a 3.3 seem like a relief. Last year, same week, drew a 3.6 rating. Three years ago, it drew a 3.4 rating. Four years ago, same week, it drew a 3.6. Five years ago, it drew a 3.8.

So, it's a drop of around 10 or so percent over the trend of the last five years. Not alarming, but still reason to be concerned, especially since it's part of a downward trend in general accellerated during the Benoit Family Tragedy barrage of sad emotions, bad publicity, and derailed storylines.

Bottom line on last week's rating is that baseball playoffs and the Cowboys, combined with Cena's absence caused the drop. The return to normal sports competition and Michaels led them back to the pre-Cena-injury level.

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