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
SEAHAWKS   2 0 44 17  0.223  1.077    1  0.125    1  0.122    1  0.182    1 0.6306   27  1.008   19 -0.119    2  0.483 P
BILLS      2 0 77 62  0.111  1.032    2  0.121    2  0.116    3  0.114    2 0.6220    2  1.677    1  0.738   31 -0.511 P
VIKINGS    2 0 48 25  0.141  1.056    3  0.109    3  0.105    5  0.105    3 0.6212   29  0.964   28 -0.247    3  0.456 P
CHIEFS     2 0 64 40 -0.036  0.891    4  0.107    4  0.098    4  0.107    4 0.5896   11  1.349    8  0.241   16 -0.028 P
49ERS      2 0 62 20 -0.041  0.812    5  0.095    5  0.093    2  0.168    5 0.5879   24  1.159   13  0.050    4  0.285 P
EAGLES     2 0 48 42 -0.424  0.606    6  0.093    7  0.075   13  0.018    8 0.5437   14  1.271   14  0.045   15 -0.009 P
BENGALS    2 0 53 33 -0.068  0.897    7  0.092    6  0.084    8  0.049    7 0.5527   19  1.195   15 -0.023   11  0.122 P
RAIDERS    2 0 53 27 -0.432  0.620    8  0.061    8  0.044   21 -0.038   12 0.5252   22  1.169   21 -0.142   12  0.067 P
LIONS      1 1 62 71  0.315  1.263    9  0.050    9  0.031    9  0.049    6 0.5565    3  1.575    3  0.514   29 -0.416 P
BRONCOS    1 1 30 44  0.286  1.269   10  0.043   10  0.025   16  0.004   10 0.5335   26  1.077   26 -0.216    8  0.223 P
TEAM       W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
PACKERS    1 1 42 56  0.187  1.175   11  0.041   13  0.020   15  0.007    9 0.5409    5  1.468    5  0.311   27 -0.297 P
SAINTS     1 1 54 48  0.377  1.324   12  0.036   11  0.022   12  0.033   13 0.5216   12  1.308   11  0.110   18 -0.044 P
RAVENS     1 1 58 47  0.120  1.056   13  0.005   14  0.018    6  0.091   17 0.5028   10  1.351    9  0.228   19 -0.046 P
GIANTS     1 0 28 20 -0.184  0.435   14 -0.001   12  0.021   24 -0.071   15 0.5124   13  1.277   16 -0.035   22 -0.107 P
PATRIOTS   1 1 30 16  0.293  1.152   15 -0.003   15  0.013    7  0.090   11 0.5313   32  0.771   31 -0.470    1  0.649 P
BEARS      1 1 62 46  0.174  1.151   16 -0.011   16  0.007   14  0.015   14 0.5142    7  1.420    6  0.248   24 -0.219 P
CARDINALS  1 1 33 45  0.057  1.112   17 -0.016   17 -0.001   23 -0.064   18 0.5000   21  1.178   23 -0.158   13  0.029 P
RAMS       0 1  7 27  0.667  0.785   18 -0.018   18 -0.008   11  0.040   19 0.4996   25  1.104   22 -0.147    7  0.226 P
COWBOYS    1 1 57 48 -0.275  0.756   19 -0.019   22 -0.026   18 -0.016   20 0.4705    8  1.406   10  0.198   25 -0.231 P
JAGUARS    1 1 47 30 -0.152  0.822   20 -0.020   20 -0.014   10  0.041   16 0.5034   23  1.165   17 -0.069   10  0.150 P
TEAM       W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
STEELERS   1 1 23 33 -0.262  0.869   21 -0.023   21 -0.015   25 -0.075   21 0.4677   28  1.003   29 -0.382    6  0.231 P
BROWNS     1 1 33 53  0.034  1.122   22 -0.026   19 -0.009   29 -0.120   22 0.4667   20  1.188   25 -0.201   17 -0.038 P
PANTHERS   1 1 71 62 -0.332  0.724   23 -0.046   23 -0.042   22 -0.040   25 0.4429    1  1.705    2  0.631   32 -0.711 P
JETS       1 1 40 30 -0.307  0.761   24 -0.050   24 -0.045   26 -0.079   24 0.4445   30  0.956   30 -0.439    5  0.281 P
COLTS      0 2 53 74  0.353  1.343   25 -0.073   25 -0.072   17 -0.016   27 0.4277    4  1.575    4  0.449   30 -0.481 P
TEXANS     0 2 37 56  0.191  1.209   26 -0.073   26 -0.077   19 -0.029   23 0.4480   16  1.217   18 -0.073   14  0.015 P
DOLPHINS   0 2 26 62  0.248  1.332   27 -0.084   27 -0.084   30 -0.122   26 0.4340   15  1.250   20 -0.123   23 -0.121 P
BUCCANEERS 0 2 46 56 -0.123  0.920   28 -0.091   29 -0.107   20 -0.031   28 0.4101    6  1.449    7  0.246   28 -0.307 P
COMMANDERS 0 2 42 61  0.026  1.094   29 -0.097   28 -0.104   27 -0.098   29 0.4026    9  1.378   12  0.076   26 -0.272 P
CHARGERS   0 2 28 52 -0.312  0.788   30 -0.100   30 -0.119   28 -0.105   30 0.3979   17  1.208   24 -0.160   20 -0.050 P
TEAM       W L PF PA  SCHED  ELOSS  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING  RNK RATING
FALCONS    0 2 16 54 -0.339  0.825   31 -0.109   31 -0.126   32 -0.201   32 0.3633   31  0.930   32 -0.591    9  0.189 P
TITANS     0 2 30 47 -0.291  0.837   32 -0.117   32 -0.133   31 -0.154   31 0.3642   18  1.196   27 -0.225   21 -0.083 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
CHIEFS     2 0 64 40 -0.036  0.891    4  0.107    4  0.098    4  0.107    4 0.5896   11  1.349    8  0.241   16 -0.028 P
RAIDERS    2 0 53 27 -0.432  0.620    8  0.061    8  0.044   21 -0.038   12 0.5252   22  1.169   21 -0.142   12  0.067 P
BRONCOS    1 1 30 44  0.286  1.269   10  0.043   10  0.025   16  0.004   10 0.5335   26  1.077   26 -0.216    8  0.223 P
CHARGERS   0 2 28 52 -0.312  0.788   30 -0.100   30 -0.119   28 -0.105   30 0.3979   17  1.208   24 -0.160   20 -0.050 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
JAGUARS    1 1 47 30 -0.152  0.822   20 -0.020   20 -0.014   10  0.041   16 0.5034   23  1.165   17 -0.069   10  0.150 P
COLTS      0 2 53 74  0.353  1.343   25 -0.073   25 -0.072   17 -0.016   27 0.4277    4  1.575    4  0.449   30 -0.481 P
TEXANS     0 2 37 56  0.191  1.209   26 -0.073   26 -0.077   19 -0.029   23 0.4480   16  1.217   18 -0.073   14  0.015 P
TITANS     0 2 30 47 -0.291  0.837   32 -0.117   32 -0.133   31 -0.154   31 0.3642   18  1.196   27 -0.225   21 -0.083 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    2 0 53 33 -0.068  0.897    7  0.092    6  0.084    8  0.049    7 0.5527   19  1.195   15 -0.023   11  0.122 P
RAVENS     1 1 58 47  0.120  1.056   13  0.005   14  0.018    6  0.091   17 0.5028   10  1.351    9  0.228   19 -0.046 P
STEELERS   1 1 23 33 -0.262  0.869   21 -0.023   21 -0.015   25 -0.075   21 0.4677   28  1.003   29 -0.382    6  0.231 P
BROWNS     1 1 33 53  0.034  1.122   22 -0.026   19 -0.009   29 -0.120   22 0.4667   20  1.188   25 -0.201   17 -0.038 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      2 0 77 62  0.111  1.032    2  0.121    2  0.116    3  0.114    2 0.6220    2  1.677    1  0.738   31 -0.511 P
PATRIOTS   1 1 30 16  0.293  1.152   15 -0.003   15  0.013    7  0.090   11 0.5313   32  0.771   31 -0.470    1  0.649 P
JETS       1 1 40 30 -0.307  0.761   24 -0.050   24 -0.045   26 -0.079   24 0.4445   30  0.956   30 -0.439    5  0.281 P
DOLPHINS   0 2 26 62  0.248  1.332   27 -0.084   27 -0.084   30 -0.122   26 0.4340   15  1.250   20 -0.123   23 -0.121 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
SEAHAWKS   2 0 44 17  0.223  1.077    1  0.125    1  0.122    1  0.182    1 0.6306   27  1.008   19 -0.119    2  0.483 P
49ERS      2 0 62 20 -0.041  0.812    5  0.095    5  0.093    2  0.168    5 0.5879   24  1.159   13  0.050    4  0.285 P
CARDINALS  1 1 33 45  0.057  1.112   17 -0.016   17 -0.001   23 -0.064   18 0.5000   21  1.178   23 -0.158   13  0.029 P
RAMS       0 1  7 27  0.667  0.785   18 -0.018   18 -0.008   11  0.040   19 0.4996   25  1.104   22 -0.147    7  0.226 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
SAINTS     1 1 54 48  0.377  1.324   12  0.036   11  0.022   12  0.033   13 0.5216   12  1.308   11  0.110   18 -0.044 P
PANTHERS   1 1 71 62 -0.332  0.724   23 -0.046   23 -0.042   22 -0.040   25 0.4429    1  1.705    2  0.631   32 -0.711 P
BUCCANEERS 0 2 46 56 -0.123  0.920   28 -0.091   29 -0.107   20 -0.031   28 0.4101    6  1.449    7  0.246   28 -0.307 P
FALCONS    0 2 16 54 -0.339  0.825   31 -0.109   31 -0.126   32 -0.201   32 0.3633   31  0.930   32 -0.591    9  0.189 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
VIKINGS    2 0 48 25  0.141  1.056    3  0.109    3  0.105    5  0.105    3 0.6212   29  0.964   28 -0.247    3  0.456 P
LIONS      1 1 62 71  0.315  1.263    9  0.050    9  0.031    9  0.049    6 0.5565    3  1.575    3  0.514   29 -0.416 P
PACKERS    1 1 42 56  0.187  1.175   11  0.041   13  0.020   15  0.007    9 0.5409    5  1.468    5  0.311   27 -0.297 P
BEARS      1 1 62 46  0.174  1.151   16 -0.011   16  0.007   14  0.015   14 0.5142    7  1.420    6  0.248   24 -0.219 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     2 0 48 42 -0.424  0.606    6  0.093    7  0.075   13  0.018    8 0.5437   14  1.271   14  0.045   15 -0.009 P
GIANTS     1 0 28 20 -0.184  0.435   14 -0.001   12  0.021   24 -0.071   15 0.5124   13  1.277   16 -0.035   22 -0.107 P
COWBOYS    1 1 57 48 -0.275  0.756   19 -0.019   22 -0.026   18 -0.016   20 0.4705    8  1.406   10  0.198   25 -0.231 P
COMMANDERS 0 2 42 61  0.026  1.094   29 -0.097   28 -0.104   27 -0.098   29 0.4026    9  1.378   12  0.076   26 -0.272 P

DIVISION   W L   PCT  RNK RATING
NFC WEST   5 2 0.714    1  0.367
NFC NORTH  5 3 0.625    2  0.207
AFC EAST   4 4 0.500    3  0.036
AFC WEST   5 3 0.625    4 -0.019
AFC NORTH  5 3 0.625    5 -0.043
AFC SOUTH  1 7 0.125    6 -0.158
NFC EAST   4 3 0.571    7 -0.161
NFC SOUTH  2 6 0.250    8 -0.230

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

Predict score:








Team Strength vs. Time Plot:






posted: Mon Sep 21 21:40:32 2026
games through: Sun Sep 20 2026

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