Worth the replay?

1. #1

   SteelersatBills

   NFL· NFL NetDown to the wireBig comeback

   B+

   67/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback17/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Drama 89 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 67

2. #2

   49ersatRaiders

   NFL· ESPN UnlmtdDown to the wire

   B

   57/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings15/25

   Comeback8/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth8/10

   Drama 75 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 57

3. #3

   RamsatChargers

   NFL· NFL NetDown to the wire

   C+

   53/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings16/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

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

4. #4

   PatriotsatBrowns

   NFL· Prime VideoOne-sided

   D

   10/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension0/30

   Swings10/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late0/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

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

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.