Worth the replay?

Sunday, October 25'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
LakersatJazz
NBADown to the wireBig comebackBack and forth
A
81/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings25/25
Comeback20/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 100 × pre-game weight 0.81 (pre-game Watchability 62) = 81
#2
PackersatLions
NFL· FoxDown to the wireBack and forth
B+
75/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings21/25
Comeback8/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 84 × pre-game weight 0.89 (pre-game Watchability 79) = 75
#3
MagicatKnicks
NBADown to the wireBig comeback
B+
71/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings16/25
Comeback17/20
Decided late13/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Drama 84 × pre-game weight 0.84 (pre-game Watchability 69) = 71
#4
49ersatFalcons
NFL· FoxBig comeback
B+
69/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings18/25
Comeback17/20
Decided late14/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 81 × pre-game weight 0.85 (pre-game Watchability 71) = 69
#5
GiantsatTexans
NFL· FoxOvertimeDown to the wireBig comeback
B
65/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings19/25
Comeback15/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Overtime+8
Drama 95 × pre-game weight 0.68 (pre-game Watchability 37) = 65
#6
ColtsatVikings
NFL· CBSDown to the wire
C+
46/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings16/25
Comeback7/20
Decided late10/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 65 × pre-game weight 0.70 (pre-game Watchability 41) = 46
#7
BrownsatTitans
NFL· CBSDown to the wire
C+
45/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings18/25
Comeback13/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Drama 83 × pre-game weight 0.55 (pre-game Watchability 9) = 45
#8
ClippersatThunder
NBADown to the wireBack and forth
C
43/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings13/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late15/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 68 × pre-game weight 0.63 (pre-game Watchability 26) = 43
#9
PanthersatBlackhawks
NHL· ESPN+Down to the wire
C
42/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings13/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late14/15
Back-and-forth7/10
Drama 65 × pre-game weight 0.64 (pre-game Watchability 29) = 42
#10
BengalsatRavens
NFL· CBS
C
38/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension3/30
Swings19/25
Comeback14/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 39 × pre-game weight 0.98 (pre-game Watchability 95) = 38
#11
GrizzliesatKings
NBADown to the wire
D
35/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings17/25
Comeback2/20
Decided late8/15
Back-and-forth8/10
Drama 65 × pre-game weight 0.54 (pre-game Watchability 8) = 35
#12
DolphinsatJets
NFL· CBSDown to the wire
D
33/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension30/30
Swings17/25
Comeback6/20
Decided late9/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 65 × pre-game weight 0.51 (pre-game Watchability 1) = 33
#13
SteelersatSaints
NFL· NFL Net
D
31/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension24/30
Swings12/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late8/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Drama 48 × pre-game weight 0.64 (pre-game Watchability 29) = 31
#14
Pistonsat76ers
NBA
D
31/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension11/30
Swings14/25
Comeback4/20
Decided late3/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 32 × pre-game weight 0.98 (pre-game Watchability 96) = 31
#15
IslandersatStars
NHL· ESPN+Back and forth
D
24/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension4/30
Swings14/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth10/10
Drama 28 × pre-game weight 0.88 (pre-game Watchability 76) = 24
#16
ChiefsatSeahawks
NFL· NBCOne-sided
D
22/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension11/30
Swings7/25
Comeback3/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 22 × pre-game weight 1.00 (pre-game Watchability 100) = 22
#17
AvalancheatPredators
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
14/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings12/25
Comeback7/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 19 × pre-game weight 0.75 (pre-game Watchability 50) = 14
#18
CanadiensatJets
NHL· TNT/truTVOne-sided
D
14/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension13/30
Swings6/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 19 × pre-game weight 0.73 (pre-game Watchability 45) = 14
#19
PacersatNets
NBAOne-sided
D
13/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings13/25
Comeback2/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth5/10
Drama 20 × pre-game weight 0.62 (pre-game Watchability 25) = 13
#20
BroncosatCardinals
NFL· CBSOne-sided
D
8/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension3/30
Swings8/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth3/10
Drama 14 × pre-game weight 0.58 (pre-game Watchability 15) = 8
#21
BuccaneersatPanthers
NFL· FoxOne-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 0.74 (pre-game Watchability 49) = 6
#22
RamsatRaiders
NFL· FoxOne-sided
D
6/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension2/30
Swings5/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 8 × pre-game weight 0.72 (pre-game Watchability 44) = 6
#23
WildatCanucks
NHL· ESPN+One-sided
D
4/100
▸ Why this grade
Late tension0/30
Swings6/25
Comeback0/20
Decided late0/15
Back-and-forth0/10
Drama 7 × pre-game weight 0.62 (pre-game Watchability 25) = 4
#24
RaptorsatTimberwolves
NBA· NBA TVOne-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 0.95 (pre-game Watchability 90) = 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.