Worth the replay?

Thursday, October 2'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
    49ersatRams
    NFL· Prime VideoOvertimeDown to the wire
    B+
    70/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings23/25
    Comeback12/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth5/10
    Overtime+8

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

  2. #2
    IslandersatFlyers
    NHL· ESPN+Down to the wireBack and forth
    B
    59/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings18/25
    Comeback8/20
    Decided late13/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 79 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 59

  3. #3
    Red WingsatMaple Leafs
    NHL· NHL NetDown to the wire
    C
    42/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings11/25
    Comeback6/20
    Decided late6/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 57 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 42

  4. #4
    Melbourne UnitedatPelicans
    NBA· NBA TV
    C
    40/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension27/30
    Swings13/25
    Comeback2/20
    Decided late12/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 53 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 40

  5. #5
    BruinsatCapitals
    NHL· ESPN+
    D
    34/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension20/30
    Swings12/25
    Comeback6/20
    Decided late4/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 46 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 34

  6. #6
    DevilsatRangers
    NHL· ESPN+
    D
    32/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension20/30
    Swings15/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late4/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 43 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 32

  7. #7
    KingsatMammoth
    NHL· ESPN+
    D
    28/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension20/30
    Swings9/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late4/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 37 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 28

  8. #8
    PanthersatLightning
    NHL· ESPN+
    D
    27/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension5/30
    Swings18/25
    Comeback7/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth7/10

    Drama 36 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 27

  9. #9
    76ersatKnicks
    NBA· NBA TV
    D
    25/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension1/30
    Swings18/25
    Comeback6/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 33 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 25

  10. #10
    Sam HoustonatNew Mexico St
    CFB· CBSSNOne-sided
    D
    11/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings13/25
    Comeback3/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 16 × pre-game weight 0.70 (pre-game Watchability 40, estimated) = 11

  11. #11
    SenatorsatBlues
    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

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.

Get the weekend's best games every Friday

The most watchable games across every sport, what's at stake in the playoff races, and last week's best games, spoiler-free. Free, one email a week.

Sports you care about