CBS has rewarded “Criminal Minds” for its strong numbers this season – giving the Mandy Patinkin drama the coveted post-Super Bowl slot Feb. 4.

“Minds” has given ABC’s “Lost” a run for its money this season in their head-to-head battles on Wednesday nights – often beating “Lost” in total viewers.

“Minds,” in fact, is averaging nearly 17 million viewers a week – up 25 percent from last season and good enough to be ranked 7th among all prime-time shows.

CBS hopes that the exposure after the Super Bowl – TV’s top-rated event of the season – will help “Minds” attract even more of an audience.

The track record for shows airing in the post-Super Bowl slot is sketchy, but sometimes it pays off: ABC put “Grey’s Anatomy” there last year and its numbers went through the roof.

Patinkin, Thomas Gibson and Paget Brewster star in “Minds” as an elite team of FBI profilers.