Worth the replay?

1. #1

   SeahawksatBroncos

   NFL· Prime VideoOvertimeDown to the wire

   A

   79/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings19/25

   Comeback5/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth5/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 82 × pre-game weight 0.97 (pre-game Watchability 93) = 79

2. #2

   SabresatMaple Leafs

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth

   A

   76/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings24/25

   Comeback15/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.76 (pre-game Watchability 52) = 76

3. #3

   RaptorsatKnicks

   NBADown to the wireBack and forth

   B+

   67/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings23/25

   Comeback11/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

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

4. #4

   East CarolinaatUAB

   CFB· ESPNOvertimeDown to the wireBig comeback

   B

   63/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings25/25

   Comeback20/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.63 (pre-game Watchability 26) = 63

5. #5

   KrakenatLightning

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wireBack and forth

   B

   56/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings18/25

   Comeback0/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth10/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 81 × pre-game weight 0.70 (pre-game Watchability 39) = 56

6. #6

   IslandersatSenators

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   C+

   55/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings14/25

   Comeback4/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 74 × pre-game weight 0.74 (pre-game Watchability 49) = 55

7. #7

   SharksatPredators

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   C+

   54/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings24/25

   Comeback2/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 82 × pre-game weight 0.67 (pre-game Watchability 33) = 54

8. #8

   CanucksatPanthers

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   C+

   45/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings21/25

   Comeback10/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 87 × pre-game weight 0.52 (pre-game Watchability 4) = 45

9. #9

   JetsatBlackhawks

   NHL· ESPN+OvertimeDown to the wire

   C

   43/100
   ▸ Why this grade

   Late tension30/30

   Swings20/25

   Comeback1/20

   Decided late15/15

   Back-and-forth3/10

   Overtime+8

   Drama 77 × pre-game weight 0.56 (pre-game Watchability 12) = 43

10. #10

    FlyersatRed Wings

    NHL· Disney+/ESPN+/HuluDown to the wire

    D

    34/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension30/30

    Swings12/25

    Comeback4/20

    Decided late11/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 60 × pre-game weight 0.56 (pre-game Watchability 12) = 34

11. #11

    MammothatOilers

    NHL· ESPN+

    D

    30/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension20/30

    Swings9/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late4/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 33 × pre-game weight 0.91 (pre-game Watchability 82) = 30

12. #12

    GA SouthernatOld Dominion

    CFB· ESPN2

    D

    21/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension13/30

    Swings10/25

    Comeback2/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth3/10

    Drama 28 × pre-game weight 0.74 (pre-game Watchability 48) = 21

13. #13

    BluesatWild

    NHL· ESPN+

    D

    18/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension1/30

    Swings16/25

    Comeback3/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth7/10

    Drama 26 × pre-game weight 0.69 (pre-game Watchability 38) = 18

14. #14

    ThunderatRockets

    NBA· NBA TVOne-sided

    D

    14/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension1/30

    Swings16/25

    Comeback2/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 19 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50, estimated) = 14

15. #15

    RangersatDevils

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    7/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings8/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 8 × pre-game weight 0.87 (pre-game Watchability 75) = 7

16. #16

    FlamesatGolden Knights

    NHL· ESPN+One-sided

    D

    3/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings5/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 5 × pre-game weight 0.52 (pre-game Watchability 4) = 3

17. #17

    Colorado StatTexas St

    CFB· CBSSNOne-sided

    D

    2/100
    ▸ Why this grade

    Late tension0/30

    Swings4/25

    Comeback0/20

    Decided late0/15

    Back-and-forth0/10

    Drama 4 × pre-game weight 0.59 (pre-game Watchability 19) = 2

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.