Worth the replay?

Sunday, September 21's games ranked by how good they turned out to be: late drama, comebacks, lead swaps and overtime. No scores, no winners, so you can decide what to watch without spoilers.

Best games of the season →
  1. #1
    RamsatEagles
    NFL· FoxDown to the wireBig comeback
    B+
    70/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings25/25
    Comeback18/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 93 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 70

  2. #2
    Cardinalsat49ers
    NFL· FoxDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth
    B+
    68/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings22/25
    Comeback14/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 91 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 68

  3. #3
    BroncosatChargers
    NFL· CBSDown to the wireBig comeback
    B+
    66/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings23/25
    Comeback16/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

    Drama 89 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 66

  4. #4
    FlyersatIslanders
    NHLOvertimeDown to the wire
    B
    65/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings19/25
    Comeback8/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth7/10
    Overtime+8

    Drama 87 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 65

  5. #5
    WildatJets
    NHL· NHL NetOvertimeDown to the wire
    B
    64/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings18/25
    Comeback11/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth3/10
    Overtime+8

    Drama 86 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 64

  6. #6
    FlamesatOilers
    NHLOvertimeDown to the wire
    B
    64/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings18/25
    Comeback7/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth7/10
    Overtime+8

    Drama 85 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 64

  7. #7
    PackersatBrowns
    NFL· FoxDown to the wireBig comeback
    B
    63/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings19/25
    Comeback18/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 84 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 63

  8. #8
    JetsatBuccaneers
    NFL· FoxDown to the wireBack and forth
    B
    60/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings20/25
    Comeback5/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 80 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 60

  9. #9
    TexansatJaguars
    NFL· CBSDown to the wire
    B
    57/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings20/25
    Comeback8/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 76 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 57

  10. #10
    SteelersatPatriots
    NFL· CBSDown to the wire
    C+
    53/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings18/25
    Comeback6/20
    Decided late14/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 71 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 53

  11. #11
    MammothatAvalanche
    NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire
    C
    44/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings13/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late10/15
    Back-and-forth7/10

    Drama 59 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 44

  12. #12
    PanthersatPredators
    NHL
    C
    39/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension20/30
    Swings18/25
    Comeback6/20
    Decided late4/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 52 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 39

  13. #13
    DucksatKings
    NHL
    D
    34/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension20/30
    Swings11/25
    Comeback6/20
    Decided late4/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 45 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 34

  14. #14
    Maple LeafsatSenators
    NHL
    D
    26/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension20/30
    Swings10/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late4/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 35 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 26

  15. #15
    BluesatBlue Jackets
    NHL
    D
    25/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension20/30
    Swings9/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late4/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 34 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 25

  16. #16
    ChiefsatGiants
    NFL· NBC
    D
    20/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension8/30
    Swings15/25
    Comeback1/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 26 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 20

  17. #17
    AvalancheatMammoth
    NHLOne-sided
    D
    18/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension1/30
    Swings14/25
    Comeback6/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 24 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 18

  18. #18
    CowboysatBears
    NFL· FoxOne-sided
    D
    17/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension2/30
    Swings14/25
    Comeback4/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 23 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 17

  19. #19
    CanucksatKraken
    NHL· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    17/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension5/30
    Swings14/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 22 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 17

  20. #20
    CapitalsatBruins
    NHL· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    15/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension1/30
    Swings10/25
    Comeback6/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 20 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 15

  21. #21
    FalconsatPanthers
    NFL· FoxOne-sided
    D
    11/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings8/25
    Comeback6/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 14 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 11

  22. #22
    Golden KnightsatSharks
    NHL· ESPN+One-sided
    D
    10/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension5/30
    Swings9/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 14 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 10

  23. #23
    OilersatFlames
    NHLOne-sided
    D
    10/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension5/30
    Swings9/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 14 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 10

  24. #24
    RaidersatCommanders
    NFL· FoxOne-sided
    D
    10/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension1/30
    Swings10/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 13 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 10

  25. #25
    RangersatDevils
    NHL· NHL NetOne-sided
    D
    10/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension1/30
    Swings9/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 13 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 10

  26. #26
    PanthersatPredators
    NHLOne-sided
    D
    7/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings9/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 9 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 7

  27. #27
    ColtsatTitans
    NFL· CBSOne-sided
    D
    5/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension2/30
    Swings5/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 7 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 5

  28. #28
    BengalsatVikings
    NFL· CBSOne-sided
    D
    4/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings6/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 6 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 4

  29. #29
    SaintsatSeahawks
    NFL· CBSOne-sided
    D
    4/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings5/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 5 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 4

Ranked from each game's win probability as it was played (ESPN's for football and basketball; ours, from the goals, for hockey): how in doubt it was near the end, how far the winner came back from, how late it was decided, how big its momentum swings were and how often a team erased a deficit, with a bonus for overtime. That drama is then weighted by how good a matchup it was going in (its pre-game Watchability score), so a thriller between top teams ranks above an equally wild game between minor ones.

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