Worth the replay?

Sunday, October 5'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
    BuccaneersatSeahawks
    NFL· CBSDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth
    B+
    71/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings24/25
    Comeback15/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

    Drama 94 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 71

  2. #2
    DolphinsatPanthers
    NFL· FoxDown to the wireBig comeback
    B+
    68/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings22/25
    Comeback16/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

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

  3. #3
    VikingsatBrowns
    NFL· NFL Net/NFL+Down to the wireBack and forth
    B+
    65/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings19/25
    Comeback13/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

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

  4. #4
    BroncosatEagles
    NFL· CBSDown to the wireBig comeback
    B
    64/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings18/25
    Comeback18/20
    Decided late14/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

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

  5. #5
    TitansatCardinals
    NFL· CBSDown to the wireBig comeback
    B
    62/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings16/25
    Comeback19/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 82 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 62

  6. #6
    PatriotsatBills
    NFL· NBCDown to the wireBack and forth
    B
    60/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings16/25
    Comeback9/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

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

  7. #7
    CommandersatChargers
    NFL· Fox
    C+
    47/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension25/30
    Swings17/25
    Comeback14/20
    Decided late5/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 63 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 47

  8. #8
    LakersatWarriors
    NBA· ESPN
    D
    33/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension9/30
    Swings20/25
    Comeback7/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth8/10

    Drama 44 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 33

  9. #9
    GiantsatSaints
    NFL· CBS
    D
    26/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension6/30
    Swings15/25
    Comeback11/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 34 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 26

  10. #10
    CowboysatJets
    NFL· FoxOne-sided
    D
    13/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings12/25
    Comeback2/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 17 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 13

  11. #11
    RaidersatColts
    NFL· FoxOne-sided
    D
    10/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings9/25
    Comeback1/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

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

  12. #12
    ThunderatHornets
    NBAOne-sided
    D
    6/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension2/30
    Swings6/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 8 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 6

  13. #13
    TexansatRavens
    NFL· CBSOne-sided
    D
    6/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings7/25
    Comeback1/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 8 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 6

  14. #14
    LionsatBengals
    NFL· FoxOne-sided
    D
    4/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension2/30
    Swings3/25
    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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