2022 NFL season · final
The luckiest and unluckiest teams of 2022
The Vikings were the luckiest team of 2022: 13 wins from play that, replayed with the same day’s form, was worth 8.0. The Saints were the unluckiest: 7 wins from play worth 10.2.
Luck here is wins minus replay wins: for each game, how often this team wins it when it’s replayed with the way both teams actually played, added up over the season. Regular season only. How the replay works
| # | Team | Record | Replay wins | Luck in wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13–4 | 8.0 | +5.0 | |
| 2 | 8–8–1 | 6.5 | +2.0 | |
| 3 | 10–7 | 8.3 | +1.7 | |
| 4 | 7–10 | 5.5 | +1.5 | |
| 5 | 10–7 | 8.6 | +1.4 | |
| 6 | 12–5 | 10.6 | +1.4 | |
| 7 | 9–8 | 7.6 | +1.4 | |
| 8 | 13–4 | 11.7 | +1.3 | |
| 9 | 9–8 | 7.7 | +1.3 | |
| 10 | 14–3 | 12.9 | +1.1 | |
| 11 | 3–13–1 | 2.8 | +0.7 | |
| 12 | 7–10 | 6.5 | +0.5 | |
| 13 | 14–3 | 13.6 | +0.4 | |
| 14 | 9–7–1 | 9.1 | +0.4 | |
| 15 | 12–4 | 11.7 | +0.3 | |
| 16 | 9–8 | 8.7 | +0.3 | |
| 17 | 13–3 | 12.9 | +0.1 | |
| 18 | 4–12–1 | 4.4 | +0.1 | |
| 19 | 7–10 | 7.0 | 0.0 | |
| 20 | 9–8 | 10.0 | −1.0 | |
| 21 | 8–9 | 9.1 | −1.1 | |
| 22 | 5–12 | 6.2 | −1.2 | |
| 23 | 9–8 | 10.2 | −1.2 | |
| 24 | 8–9 | 9.2 | −1.2 | |
| 25 | 6–11 | 7.3 | −1.3 | |
| 26 | 4–13 | 5.3 | −1.3 | |
| 27 | 3–14 | 4.3 | −1.3 | |
| 28 | 7–10 | 8.4 | −1.4 | |
| 29 | 8–9 | 9.9 | −1.9 | |
| 30 | 7–10 | 9.2 | −2.2 | |
| 31 | 5–12 | 7.7 | −2.7 | |
| 32 | 7–10 | 10.2 | −3.2 |
Replay wins: the sum, over every game, of how often the team wins a replay with the same day’s form. Coin-flip wins: the same with only kicks, bounces, drops, conversions and calls re-rolled; it is the number that best predicts the rest of a season (validation). One-score: games decided by 8 points or fewer.
Did luck add wins or take them away?
Each logo is a team. Across: the wins its play was worth (replay wins). Up: the wins it actually got. On the diagonal the two match; above it, luck added wins; below it, luck cost wins.
Game by game
The luck index of every game: 100 × (the result − how often they win the replay). A loss in a game they win 9 times in 10 scores −90. Teams sorted luckiest to unluckiest.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | WC | DIV | CONF | SB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MIN | 77 | 61 | 86 | 79 | 67 | |||||||||||||||||
| WAS | 62 | 92 | 61 | 68 | ||||||||||||||||||
| LAC | 64 | 68 | 69 | |||||||||||||||||||
| CAR | 66 | 93 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| BAL | 62 | 69 | 61 | 79 | 74 | |||||||||||||||||
| DAL | 65 | 64 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| DET | 65 | 63 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| SF | 63 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| PIT | 78 | 87 | 74 | |||||||||||||||||||
| PHI | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| HOU | 72 | 65 | 75 | |||||||||||||||||||
| NYJ | 99 | 61 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| KC | 64 | 90 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| NYG | 64 | 69 | 63 | 67 | ||||||||||||||||||
| CIN | 78 | 62 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| MIA | 77 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| BUF | 86 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| IND | 90 | 97 | 86 | 62 | 75 | |||||||||||||||||
| TEN | 64 | 62 | 65 | |||||||||||||||||||
| JAX | 72 | 86 | 64 | 79 | 64 | |||||||||||||||||
| TB | 62 | 87 | 62 | 86 | ||||||||||||||||||
| LA | 65 | 69 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| SEA | 65 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| GB | 62 | 92 | 65 | |||||||||||||||||||
| LV | 69 | 72 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| ARI | 86 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| CHI | 62 | 62 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| ATL | 69 | 66 | 68 | |||||||||||||||||||
| NE | 62 | 61 | 79 | 72 | ||||||||||||||||||
| CLE | 99 | 61 | 62 | |||||||||||||||||||
| DEN | 65 | 97 | 68 | 64 | ||||||||||||||||||
| NO | 86 | 63 | 86 | 93 |
The adjusted standings, 2022
The standings adjusted for luck: every kick, fumble bounce, drop, conversion and referee call re-rolled, everything else as played. Four division winners and three wild cards a conference make the playoffs (no tiebreakers). Move the sliders to decide how much of each counts as luck; the link keeps your settings.
Order by Group by
AFC
Adjusted for luck, the Browns and the Titans would make the playoffs instead of the Ravens and the Chargers.
| Adjusted | Now | Team | Record | Adjusted wins | Luck | Seed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 14–3 | 14.0 | 0.0 | 1 | |
| 2 | 2 | 13–3 | 12.6 | +0.4 | 2 | |
| 3▲3 | 6 | 9–8 | 11.2 | −2.2 | 3 | |
| 4▼1 | 3 | 12–4 | 10.5 | +1.5 | 4 | |
| 5▲2 | 7 | 9–8 | 10.1 | −1.1 | 5 | |
| 6▲4 | 10 | 7–10 | 9.8 | −2.8 | 6 | |
| 7▲5 | 12 | 7–10 | 9.2 | −2.2 | 7 | |
| 8▼4 | 4 | 10–7 | 8.9 | +1.1 | out | |
| 9▲2 | 11 | 7–10 | 8.6 | −1.6 | ||
| 10▼1 | 9 | 8–9 | 8.4 | −0.4 | ||
| 11▼3 | 8 | 9–8 | 8.1 | +0.9 | ||
| 12▼7 | 5 | 10–7 | 7.4 | +2.6 | out | |
| 13▲1 | 14 | 5–12 | 7.0 | −2.0 | ||
| 14▼1 | 13 | 6–11 | 6.5 | −0.5 | ||
| 15 | 15 | 4–12–1 | 4.2 | +0.3 | ||
| 16 | 16 | 3–13–1 | 2.7 | +0.8 |
NFC
Adjusted for luck, the Lions would make the playoffs instead of the Giants.
| Adjusted | Now | Team | Record | Adjusted wins | Luck | Seed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1▲1 | 2 | 13–4 | 13.0 | 0.0 | 1 | |
| 2▼1 | 1 | 14–3 | 12.2 | +1.8 | 2 | |
| 3▲1 | 4 | 12–5 | 10.6 | +1.4 | 5 | |
| 4▲3 | 7 | 9–8 | 8.9 | +0.1 | 6 | |
| 5▼2 | 3 | 13–4 | 8.7 | +4.3 | 3 | |
| 6 | 6 | 9–8 | 8.7 | +0.3 | 7 | |
| 7▲3 | 10 | 8–9 | 8.6 | −0.6 | 4 | |
| 8▲1 | 9 | 8–9 | 8.4 | −0.4 | ||
| 9▲2 | 11 | 7–10 | 8.4 | −1.4 | ||
| 10▼5 | 5 | 9–7–1 | 7.6 | +1.9 | out | |
| 11▲2 | 13 | 7–10 | 7.5 | −0.5 | ||
| 12 | 12 | 7–10 | 7.1 | −0.1 | ||
| 13▲2 | 15 | 4–13 | 6.4 | −2.4 | ||
| 14▼6 | 8 | 8–8–1 | 6.1 | +2.4 | ||
| 15▼1 | 14 | 5–12 | 5.2 | −0.2 | ||
| 16 | 16 | 3–14 | 4.3 | −1.3 |
Adjusted wins: every kick, fumble bounce, drop, conversion and referee call re-rolled at your settings, everything else as played. Seed: playoff seed in the adjusted standings; 5 in only in the adjusted standings (luck kept them out), out made the playoffs only thanks to luck. Adjusted: rank in the conference by adjusted wins, ▲ places up because luck cost them, ▼ down because luck helped. Now: rank by record.
2022, week by week
| Week | Dates | Winners behind in replays | Biggest heist |
|---|---|---|---|
| Super Bowl | Feb 12, 2023 | 0 of 1 | Chiefs 38–35 Eagles · won 83% of replays |
| Conference championships | Jan 29, 2023 | 0 of 2 | Chiefs 23–20 Bengals · won 83% of replays |
| Divisional round | Jan 21, 2023–Jan 22, 2023 | 0 of 4 | Bengals 27–10 Bills · won 76% of replays |
| Wild Card | Jan 14, 2023–Jan 16, 2023 | 0 of 6 | Bengals 24–17 Ravens · won 57% of replays |
| Week 18 | Jan 7, 2023–Jan 8, 2023 | 2 of 16 | Panthers 10–7 Saints · won 7% of replays |
| Week 17 | Dec 29, 2022–Jan 1, 2023 | 0 of 15 | Falcons 20–19 Cardinals · won 43% of replays |
| Week 16 | Dec 22, 2022–Dec 26, 2022 | 2 of 16 | Vikings 27–24 Giants · won 33% of replays |
| Week 15 | Dec 15, 2022–Dec 19, 2022 | 2 of 16 | Raiders 30–24 Patriots · won 28% of replays |
| Week 14 | Dec 8, 2022–Dec 12, 2022 | 2 of 13 | Ravens 16–14 Steelers · won 26% of replays |
| Week 13 | Dec 1, 2022–Dec 5, 2022 | 1 of 14 | Buccaneers 17–16 Saints · won 14% of replays |
| Week 12 | Nov 24, 2022–Nov 28, 2022 | 5 of 16 | Jaguars 28–27 Ravens · won 21% of replays |
| Week 11 | Nov 17, 2022–Nov 21, 2022 | 1 of 14 | Lions 31–18 Giants · won 37% of replays |
| Week 10 | Nov 10, 2022–Nov 14, 2022 | 2 of 14 | Vikings 33–30 Bills · won 14% of replays |
| Week 9 | Nov 3, 2022–Nov 7, 2022 | 3 of 13 | Chargers 20–17 Falcons · won 31% of replays |
| Week 8 | Oct 27, 2022–Oct 31, 2022 | 2 of 15 | Broncos 21–17 Jaguars · won 37% of replays |
| Week 7 | Oct 20, 2022–Oct 24, 2022 | 5 of 14 | Commanders 23–21 Packers · won 8% of replays |
| Week 6 | Oct 13, 2022–Oct 17, 2022 | 6 of 14 | Steelers 20–18 Buccaneers · won 13% of replays |
| Week 5 | Oct 6, 2022–Oct 10, 2022 | 4 of 16 | Colts 12–9 Broncos · won 3% of replays |
| Week 4 | Sep 29, 2022–Oct 3, 2022 | 0 of 16 | Chiefs 41–31 Buccaneers · won 48% of replays |
| Week 3 | Sep 22, 2022–Sep 26, 2022 | 2 of 16 | Colts 20–17 Chiefs · won 10% of replays |
| Week 2 | Sep 15, 2022–Sep 19, 2022 | 2 of 16 | Jets 31–30 Browns · won 1% of replays |
| Week 1 | Sep 8, 2022–Sep 12, 2022 | 3 of 15 | Steelers 23–20 Bengals · won 22% of replays |
Questions
Who is the luckiest NFL team of 2022?
The Minnesota Vikings: 13–4, from play worth 8.0 wins (+5.0 wins of luck). The unluckiest: the New Orleans Saints, 7–10 from play worth 10.2 wins.
What is postgame win expectancy?
How often a team would win a game it just played if the game were played again with the way both teams actually played. Ours replays each team’s own plays from that game 4,000 times, with kicks, fumble bounces and turnovers at the rates you would expect. Added up over a season it gives the replay wins above, and wins minus replay wins is the luck.
More from 2022
Turnover luck · Kicking luck · Injury luck · Dropped passes · Where luck comes from
Every upset · Regression candidates · Expected wins · One-score games · Penalties by team · Referee calls