Dolphin Ratings - National Football League

Explanation: Each team is listed with its record, overall score differential, and its ratings. Brief explanations of the ratings follow.

Schedule The number in this column is the effective opponent strength of a team. In other words, they would be expected to have the same record had they played all games against an opponent of this predictive rating at a neutral site. Because this calculation depends on the strength of the team in question, it is not possible to rank schedules using these values.
Expected Losses For college teams, this number is the number of losses an average ranked (top 15 hockey; otherwise top 25) team would be expected to have against the team's schedule. For pro teams, this is the number of losses an average team would be expected to have against the team's schedule. Unlike the schedule ranking, this value can be used to rank schedules.
Standard Ranks teams in an order such that a team is "probably better" than all teams ranked lower than it. This calculation uses margin of victory only for computing a team's opponents strengths; the team's rating itself is computed using only wins, losses, and ties relative to its schedule
Median Likelihood Determines the likely ratings for each team, based on its wins, losses, and ties relative to its schedule. This generally produces the same or similar ratings as the standard ranking.
Predictive Both schedule strength and rating vs. schedule strength are determined considering both the wins and losses and the score differentials. This rating contains none of the biases in the standard rating, but does weight recent games slightly more than past games since those are a better indication of the team's current strength. This rating is the best of the first three for seeing how good teams are, and thus is the best for predicting future results.
Improved RPI Rating The improved RPI formula is similar to the standard RPI, except that the schedule strength is carried out to infinite depth instead of ending with opponents' opponents, thus allows for a better comparison of isolated groups of teams than is given by the standard RPI calculation. It is similar to the simple rating, except that all games are given equal weight.
Scoring. This value indicates how many points a team would be expected to score if it played an identical team.
Offense. This combines the predictive and scoring ratings to measure how many points a team scores. The number is the predictive rating of an opponent against whom the team would be expected to score the league average number of points. This does not necessarily rate a team's offensive abilities, as a fast pace in basketball or big-play defense in football can make a team score more points.
Defense. This combines the predictive and scoring ratings to measure how many points a team allows. The number is the predictive rating of an opponent against whom the team would be expected to allow the league average number of points. The same caveat in the predictive-offense rating applies here.

In order to increase early-season stability, the three main rankings, the improved RPI, and the college pseudopoll include priors based on the previous season final predictive ratings and occasionally incorporating preseason predictions of various major publications. The other rankings for college sports do not include priors, and thus can be wildly unstable early in the year. A team whose rankings are affected by this prior is noted with a P following its rankings.

Full Ranking

                                     STANDARD   MED LIKELY  PREDICTIVE  IMPRVD RPI    SCORING     OFFENSE     DEFENSE 
TEAM       W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
PACKERS    2 0 54 31  0.018  0.939    1  0.101    1  0.070    3  0.090    1 0.6027    9  1.251    6  0.180   18  0.000 P
BILLS      1 0 41 40  0.459  0.674    2  0.080    2  0.058    2  0.091    2 0.6016    2  1.594    2  0.673   32 -0.490 P
EAGLES     1 0 24 20 -0.000  0.473    3  0.062    5  0.037    4  0.055    4 0.5724   11  1.231    9  0.118   19 -0.008 P
49ERS      1 0 17 13  0.194  0.568    4  0.059    3  0.040    5  0.049    3 0.5747   28  1.052   17 -0.111    3  0.209 P
BUCCANEERS 1 0 23 20 -0.009  0.482    5  0.051    6  0.030    9  0.025    6 0.5605   12  1.220   11  0.074   20 -0.025 P
CHARGERS   1 0 27 21  0.268  0.609    6  0.050    4  0.037    8  0.030    5 0.5669    8  1.280    8  0.158   25 -0.098 P
VIKINGS    1 0 27 24 -0.012  0.482    7  0.049    7  0.029   10  0.020    7 0.5586    5  1.312    5  0.191   27 -0.150 P
BENGALS    1 0 17 16 -0.083  0.455    8  0.045    8  0.025   13  0.004    8 0.5509   19  1.095   16 -0.105    7  0.113 P
RAMS       1 0 14  9 -0.261  0.368    9  0.041   10  0.019   11  0.010    9 0.5442   32  0.944   30 -0.276    1  0.295 P
STEELERS   1 0 34 32 -0.145  0.431   10  0.038    9  0.021   16 -0.010   10 0.5433    3  1.463    3  0.375   29 -0.394 P
TEAM       W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BRONCOS    1 0 20 12 -0.431  0.297   11  0.034   12  0.012   14 -0.001   12 0.5334   27  1.071   21 -0.138    5  0.137 P
CARDINALS  1 0 20 13 -0.036  0.484   12  0.029   11  0.017   18 -0.017   11 0.5377   23  1.094   19 -0.126    9  0.093 P
COLTS      1 0 33  8 -0.513  0.260   13  0.016   14 -0.001   15 -0.001   14 0.5179   15  1.162   15 -0.027   16  0.024 P
RAIDERS    1 0 20 13 -0.216  0.413   14  0.014   13  0.005   23 -0.056   15 0.5164   21  1.094   24 -0.165   12  0.054 P
RAVENS     0 1 40 41  0.686  0.760   15  0.013   16 -0.016    1  0.111   13 0.5265    1  1.594    1  0.692   31 -0.471 P
JAGUARS    1 0 26 10 -0.809  0.172   16  0.008   15 -0.010   20 -0.045   17 0.4983   18  1.109   20 -0.137   14  0.047 P
CHIEFS     0 1 21 27  0.253  0.600   17 -0.006   19 -0.035    6  0.045   19 0.4911    7  1.280    7  0.173   24 -0.082 P
LIONS      0 1 13 27  0.623  0.762   18 -0.007   17 -0.025    7  0.031   16 0.5102   16  1.146   14 -0.014   10  0.077 P
COMMANDERS 1 1 39 33 -0.062  0.949   19 -0.016   18 -0.027   19 -0.020   18 0.4926   25  1.075   22 -0.153    8  0.112 P
COWBOYS    0 1 20 24  0.447  0.700   20 -0.023   20 -0.041   12  0.005   20 0.4774   10  1.231   12  0.068   21 -0.058 P
TEAM       W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
SEAHAWKS   0 1 13 17  0.121  0.561   21 -0.030   21 -0.052   17 -0.014   21 0.4610   29  1.052   25 -0.174    4  0.146 P
DOLPHINS   0 1  8 33  0.170  0.622   22 -0.038   22 -0.054   30 -0.096   23 0.4441   14  1.162   18 -0.122   22 -0.071 P
TEXANS     0 1  9 14  0.216  0.619   23 -0.041   23 -0.056   21 -0.047   22 0.4514   31  0.944   31 -0.332    2  0.239 P
SAINTS     0 1 13 20 -0.171  0.439   24 -0.042   25 -0.065   22 -0.053   24 0.4393   24  1.094   23 -0.163   11  0.056 P
BEARS      0 1 24 27 -0.045  0.500   25 -0.050   27 -0.067   24 -0.060   26 0.4356    6  1.312   10  0.111   28 -0.231 P
FALCONS    0 1 20 23 -0.025  0.510   26 -0.050   26 -0.066   25 -0.060   25 0.4359   13  1.220   13 -0.011   26 -0.110 P
TITANS     0 1 12 20  0.141  0.600   27 -0.053   24 -0.064   27 -0.085   27 0.4348   26  1.071   28 -0.223   13  0.052 P
PATRIOTS   0 1 13 20 -0.362  0.364   28 -0.057   31 -0.078   29 -0.089   30 0.4193   22  1.094   27 -0.198   17  0.020 P
BROWNS     0 1 16 17 -0.129  0.465   29 -0.059   28 -0.073   26 -0.075   28 0.4256   20  1.095   26 -0.184   15  0.034 P
JETS       0 1 32 34 -0.192  0.440   30 -0.063   30 -0.077   28 -0.087   29 0.4193    4  1.463    4  0.297   30 -0.471 P
TEAM       W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
PANTHERS   0 1 10 26 -0.096  0.521   31 -0.076   32 -0.081   32 -0.164   32 0.4015   17  1.109   29 -0.256   23 -0.072 P
GIANTS     0 1  6 21  0.025  0.570   32 -0.080   29 -0.076   31 -0.154   31 0.4034   30  0.946   32 -0.438    6  0.129 P

AFC WEST
                                     STANDARD   MED LIKELY  PREDICTIVE  IMPRVD RPI    SCORING     OFFENSE     DEFENSE 
TEAM       W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
CHARGERS   1 0 27 21  0.268  0.609    6  0.050    4  0.037    8  0.030    5 0.5669    8  1.280    8  0.158   25 -0.098 P
BRONCOS    1 0 20 12 -0.431  0.297   11  0.034   12  0.012   14 -0.001   12 0.5334   27  1.071   21 -0.138    5  0.137 P
RAIDERS    1 0 20 13 -0.216  0.413   14  0.014   13  0.005   23 -0.056   15 0.5164   21  1.094   24 -0.165   12  0.054 P
CHIEFS     0 1 21 27  0.253  0.600   17 -0.006   19 -0.035    6  0.045   19 0.4911    7  1.280    7  0.173   24 -0.082 P

AFC SOUTH
                                     STANDARD   MED LIKELY  PREDICTIVE  IMPRVD RPI    SCORING     OFFENSE     DEFENSE 
TEAM       W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
COLTS      1 0 33  8 -0.513  0.260   13  0.016   14 -0.001   15 -0.001   14 0.5179   15  1.162   15 -0.027   16  0.024 P
JAGUARS    1 0 26 10 -0.809  0.172   16  0.008   15 -0.010   20 -0.045   17 0.4983   18  1.109   20 -0.137   14  0.047 P
TEXANS     0 1  9 14  0.216  0.619   23 -0.041   23 -0.056   21 -0.047   22 0.4514   31  0.944   31 -0.332    2  0.239 P
TITANS     0 1 12 20  0.141  0.600   27 -0.053   24 -0.064   27 -0.085   27 0.4348   26  1.071   28 -0.223   13  0.052 P

AFC NORTH
                                     STANDARD   MED LIKELY  PREDICTIVE  IMPRVD RPI    SCORING     OFFENSE     DEFENSE 
TEAM       W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BENGALS    1 0 17 16 -0.083  0.455    8  0.045    8  0.025   13  0.004    8 0.5509   19  1.095   16 -0.105    7  0.113 P
STEELERS   1 0 34 32 -0.145  0.431   10  0.038    9  0.021   16 -0.010   10 0.5433    3  1.463    3  0.375   29 -0.394 P
RAVENS     0 1 40 41  0.686  0.760   15  0.013   16 -0.016    1  0.111   13 0.5265    1  1.594    1  0.692   31 -0.471 P
BROWNS     0 1 16 17 -0.129  0.465   29 -0.059   28 -0.073   26 -0.075   28 0.4256   20  1.095   26 -0.184   15  0.034 P

AFC EAST
                                     STANDARD   MED LIKELY  PREDICTIVE  IMPRVD RPI    SCORING     OFFENSE     DEFENSE 
TEAM       W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BILLS      1 0 41 40  0.459  0.674    2  0.080    2  0.058    2  0.091    2 0.6016    2  1.594    2  0.673   32 -0.490 P
DOLPHINS   0 1  8 33  0.170  0.622   22 -0.038   22 -0.054   30 -0.096   23 0.4441   14  1.162   18 -0.122   22 -0.071 P
PATRIOTS   0 1 13 20 -0.362  0.364   28 -0.057   31 -0.078   29 -0.089   30 0.4193   22  1.094   27 -0.198   17  0.020 P
JETS       0 1 32 34 -0.192  0.440   30 -0.063   30 -0.077   28 -0.087   29 0.4193    4  1.463    4  0.297   30 -0.471 P

NFC WEST
                                     STANDARD   MED LIKELY  PREDICTIVE  IMPRVD RPI    SCORING     OFFENSE     DEFENSE 
TEAM       W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
49ERS      1 0 17 13  0.194  0.568    4  0.059    3  0.040    5  0.049    3 0.5747   28  1.052   17 -0.111    3  0.209 P
RAMS       1 0 14  9 -0.261  0.368    9  0.041   10  0.019   11  0.010    9 0.5442   32  0.944   30 -0.276    1  0.295 P
CARDINALS  1 0 20 13 -0.036  0.484   12  0.029   11  0.017   18 -0.017   11 0.5377   23  1.094   19 -0.126    9  0.093 P
SEAHAWKS   0 1 13 17  0.121  0.561   21 -0.030   21 -0.052   17 -0.014   21 0.4610   29  1.052   25 -0.174    4  0.146 P

NFC SOUTH
                                     STANDARD   MED LIKELY  PREDICTIVE  IMPRVD RPI    SCORING     OFFENSE     DEFENSE 
TEAM       W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
BUCCANEERS 1 0 23 20 -0.009  0.482    5  0.051    6  0.030    9  0.025    6 0.5605   12  1.220   11  0.074   20 -0.025 P
SAINTS     0 1 13 20 -0.171  0.439   24 -0.042   25 -0.065   22 -0.053   24 0.4393   24  1.094   23 -0.163   11  0.056 P
FALCONS    0 1 20 23 -0.025  0.510   26 -0.050   26 -0.066   25 -0.060   25 0.4359   13  1.220   13 -0.011   26 -0.110 P
PANTHERS   0 1 10 26 -0.096  0.521   31 -0.076   32 -0.081   32 -0.164   32 0.4015   17  1.109   29 -0.256   23 -0.072 P

NFC NORTH
                                     STANDARD   MED LIKELY  PREDICTIVE  IMPRVD RPI    SCORING     OFFENSE     DEFENSE 
TEAM       W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
PACKERS    2 0 54 31  0.018  0.939    1  0.101    1  0.070    3  0.090    1 0.6027    9  1.251    6  0.180   18  0.000 P
VIKINGS    1 0 27 24 -0.012  0.482    7  0.049    7  0.029   10  0.020    7 0.5586    5  1.312    5  0.191   27 -0.150 P
LIONS      0 1 13 27  0.623  0.762   18 -0.007   17 -0.025    7  0.031   16 0.5102   16  1.146   14 -0.014   10  0.077 P
BEARS      0 1 24 27 -0.045  0.500   25 -0.050   27 -0.067   24 -0.060   26 0.4356    6  1.312   10  0.111   28 -0.231 P

NFC EAST
                                     STANDARD   MED LIKELY  PREDICTIVE  IMPRVD RPI    SCORING     OFFENSE     DEFENSE 
TEAM       W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
EAGLES     1 0 24 20 -0.000  0.473    3  0.062    5  0.037    4  0.055    4 0.5724   11  1.231    9  0.118   19 -0.008 P
COMMANDERS 1 1 39 33 -0.062  0.949   19 -0.016   18 -0.027   19 -0.020   18 0.4926   25  1.075   22 -0.153    8  0.112 P
COWBOYS    0 1 20 24  0.447  0.700   20 -0.023   20 -0.041   12  0.005   20 0.4774   10  1.231   12  0.068   21 -0.058 P
GIANTS     0 1  6 21  0.025  0.570   32 -0.080   29 -0.076   31 -0.154   31 0.4034   30  0.946   32 -0.438    6  0.129 P

DIVISION   W L   PCT  RNK RATING
NFC NORTH  3 2 0.600    1  0.168
NFC WEST   3 1 0.750    2  0.113
AFC NORTH  2 2 0.500    3  0.105
AFC WEST   3 1 0.750    4  0.104
NFC EAST   2 3 0.400    5 -0.061
AFC SOUTH  2 2 0.500    6 -0.132
AFC EAST   1 3 0.250    7 -0.189
NFC SOUTH  1 3 0.250    8 -0.256

Home field advantage amounts to:
     0.177 points in main ratings (0.109 for semineutral)
     0.021 points in improved RPI (0.015 for semineutral)
Average of 6.20 points per score

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Fri Sep 12 05:30:15 2025
games through: Thu Sep 11 2025

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