Worth the replay?

Sunday, September 13'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
    BillsatTexans
    NFL· CBSDown to the wireBack and forth
    B
    62/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings20/25
    Comeback7/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

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

  2. #2
    SaintsatLions
    NFL· FoxOvertimeDown to the wire
    B
    61/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings21/25
    Comeback5/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth3/10
    Overtime+8

    Drama 81 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 61

  3. #3
    BearsatPanthers
    NFL· FoxDown to the wireBack and forth
    B
    60/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings21/25
    Comeback4/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth10/10

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

  4. #4
    PackersatVikings
    NFL· CBSDown to the wireBig comeback
    B
    58/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings19/25
    Comeback17/20
    Decided late9/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 78 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 58

  5. #5
    CommandersatEagles
    NFL· FoxDown to the wire
    C+
    45/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension30/30
    Swings13/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late15/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 60 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 45

  6. #6
    CardinalsatChargers
    NFL· CBS
    C
    38/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension13/30
    Swings18/25
    Comeback13/20
    Decided late3/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 50 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 38

  7. #7
    FalconsatSteelers
    NFL· Fox
    D
    27/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension20/30
    Swings11/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth5/10

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

  8. #8
    CowboysatGiants
    NFL· NBC
    D
    24/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension11/30
    Swings14/25
    Comeback5/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 32 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 24

  9. #9
    BuccaneersatBengals
    NFL· Fox
    D
    19/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension12/30
    Swings10/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 25 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 19

  10. #10
    RavensatColts
    NFL· CBSOne-sided
    D
    12/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension1/30
    Swings10/25
    Comeback3/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 16 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 12

  11. #11
    DolphinsatRaiders
    NFL· FoxOne-sided
    D
    10/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension3/30
    Swings11/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

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

  12. #12
    JetsatTitans
    NFL· CBSOne-sided
    D
    8/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension1/30
    Swings7/25
    Comeback3/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 11 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 8

  13. #13
    BrownsatJaguars
    NFL· CBSOne-sided
    D
    3/100
    ▸ Why this grade
    Late tension0/30
    Swings4/25
    Comeback0/20
    Decided late0/15
    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 4 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 3

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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