NFL Power Rankings

By Paul Bessire, WhatIfSports.com
Nov. 18, 2008

WhatIfSports.com utilizes its NFL football simulation engine to present the most comprehensive, deterministic and unbiased ranking of all 32 teams. We simulated every possible matchup in the NFL 100 times, and used the winning percentages from those nearly 50,000 games to evaluate all every team.

All 32 teams are ranked below with their average points for and against from the simulated games. Simulations are based on strength-of-schedule-adjusted stats and updated depth charts so significant week-to-week changes could occur.

 

Teams Ranked by Winning Percentage
(everyone plays everyone 100 times)

  Team Change Win Pct PS/G PA/G
1. New York Giants - 93.0 35.5 7.9
2. Tennessee Titans - 90.8 28.5 7.4
3. Carolina Panthers - 83.5 26.9 10.9
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers +1 79.5 26.8 12.4
5. New York Jets +1 77.7 28.7 15.8
6. Pittsburgh Steelers +2 76.6 22.7 10.2
7. Dallas Cowboys +3 75.9 28.7 15.6
8. Arizona Cardinals +1 74.5 27.7 16.3
9. Washington Redskins -2 66.7 25.7 18.0
10. Baltimore Ravens -6 62.9 21.5 15.1
  Team Change Win Pct PS/G PA/G
11. Miami Dolphins +5 57.5 23.5 19.8
12. Indianapolis Colts - 56.5 22.1 19.4
13. Philadelphia Eagles -2 56.2 22.7 19.1
14. Green Bay Packers +7 55.0 23.8 21.5
15. New Orleans Saints +5 51.2 24.0 23.7
16. Atlanta Falcons -3 48.5 24.1 24.4
17. Chicago Bears -3 47.7 21.2 22.0
18. San Diego Chargers - 47.3 23.7 24.6
19. Buffalo Bills - 47.2 21.1 21.6
20. New England Patriots -3 47.1 22.0 22.9
  Team Change Win Pct PS/G PA/G
21. Minnesota Vikings -6 45.9 21.0 22.1
22. Denver Broncos +1 42.1 22.7 25.6
23. Cleveland Browns +1 40.9 23.2 26.8
24. San Francisco 49ers +2 31.6 19.5 28.0
25. Houston Texans - 31.1 20.5 28.8
26. Jacksonville Jaguars -4 27.3 16.9 27.3
27. Oakland Raiders - 24.3 16.6 28.8
28. Cincinnati Bengals +2 17.2 13.8 29.2
29. Kansas City Chiefs -1 15.3 15.6 34.3
30. Seattle Seahawks -1 12.7 14.3 33.5
  Team Change Win Pct PS/G PA/G
31. St. Louis Rams - 11.7 15.1 36.8
32. Detroit Lions - 4.7 13.7 44.0

 

Paul Bessire is the Senior Quantitative Analyst and Content Manager for WhatIfSports.com and a member of the Pro Football Writers of America. With any comments, questions or topic suggestions, Paul can be reached at BtB@whatifsports.com. Thanks!