DVOA Ratings

Chicago's big win over the Rams moves the Bears into position as a historically dominant defense while also moving the Chargers up in DVOA to set up DVOA Bowl XIX this Thursday night. Plus, in-depth on the Rams' record-setting offensive line season, and why DVOA isn't as high as conventional wisdom on the Dallas Cowboys.

The Chargers and Broncos rise to give us three AFC West teams in our top five. Plus, a further look at Baltimore's three-game winning streak and playoff odds in the NFC East with a huge game between Philadelphia and Dallas this coming Sunday.

This week, we look at offenses and defenses that have improved over the last few weeks, including Minnesota and the No. 1 defense in the league since Week 6. Plus, what would our Super Bowl odds look like if DVOA didn't have Kansas City rated so much better than other advanced metrics?

Close loss or not, DVOA is ready to ride or die with the Kansas City Chiefs. In fact, Chiefs-Rams was one of a number of games this week where the losing team ended up with a higher rating than the winning team.

Big wins mean big movement in our DVOA ratings, with Pittsburgh jumping up from 11th to fifth and big moves for Green Bay, Tennessee, and Buffalo as well. We also explore the history of the DVOA Bowl as No. 1 prepares to meet No. 2, and jump into the workings of DVOA to try to figure out why New Orleans doesn't rank higher in our metric.

The Chiefs hit the DVOA sweet spot against Cleveland on Sunday, shooting their ratings up so they now rank among the best teams ever in both offensive and total team DVOA after nine weeks. The Patriots, Falcons, and 49ers also rise this week.

The Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams still are on top of our DVOA ratings, but this week the Chiefs pass the Rams as our new Super Bowl favorite. The reasons? Schedule strength, fumble recovery luck, and the presence of the best first-year starting quarterback in NFL history.

The Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams remain on top of the DVOA ratings, far ahead of the rest of the league. But below these top teams, there's a lot of movement up and down. What on earth are the Denver Broncos doing at No. 5? We explain. Plus: Buffalo is now the worst offense in DVOA history.

In close games, DVOA doesn't look at wins and losses, which is how the Chiefs can take over the No. 1 spot from the Rams despite a close loss. The secret: strength of schedule and special teams. Plus, more of a look at the incredibly bad Buffalo offense and the surprisingly good Buffalo defense.

The New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Chargers leap up the DVOA rankings, but they're still behind the current big three of the Rams, Bears, and Chiefs. Plus, more on just how high-powered this year's offensive environment has been, and further exploration of why our Miami Dolphins ratings are so confusing.