NFL Power Rankings Are Back — And They Don’t Care About Your Feelings
After a three-year hiatus, the Football Weblog Power Rankings are back! Last published in 2023, they keep the same mission: rank teams by what the numbers say, not popular opinion.
Subjectivity fills most power rankings. Content creators know big-market teams (New York, Los Angeles, Chicago) draw clicks. Smaller-market clubs often get shortchanged. Win-loss records can also inflate rankings, even when a team has feasted on a soft schedule, or its underlying stats tell a different story.
What if we removed opinions entirely?
No Bias. No Guesswork. Just Numbers.
These rankings come from an impartial algorithm that weighs eight factors:
- Wins
- Losses
- Points scored
- Points allowed
- Yardage gained
- Yardage allowed
- Strength of schedule
- Recency of performance
That last factor is worth noting. The algorithm considers only each team’s 10 most recent games. Older results are ignored entirely. This isn’t a history lesson, and long-term past performance shouldn’t be part of the equation.
The Chiefs Are 5-0. Why Aren’t They Ranked Higher?
Kansas City is undefeated at 5-0. That alone doesn’t guarantee a top ranking.
As noted, the algorithm looks only at the last 10 games, not just this season. The Chiefs closed 2025 with six straight losses, and those results remain part of the calculation. Strength of schedule is factored in as well.
This doesn’t mean the Chiefs aren’t good. It means they still have to prove it. Keep winning, scoring, and moving the ball, and the ranking will climb. No reputation points. Just results.
The Patriots at No. 1?
New England’s No. 1 ranking is another surprise. The Patriots reached the Super Bowl last year and sit at a solid 4-2 this season, yet landing on top still raises eyebrows. Expect other teams to raise eyebrows too.
That’s the point. An algorithm ignores popularity, history, and preseason hype. It simply runs the numbers.
Put Them to the Test
Click the Power Rankings button below (or select them from the site menu) to see where all 32 teams stand.
NFL Power Rankings
Is your favorite ranked too low? Is a rival getting too much respect? Do the Patriots belong at No. 1?
I’ll update the rankings every Wednesday so you can track the changes.
Can the Algorithm Beat Las Vegas?
I’m putting the rankings to a real test by making weekly game picks against the Vegas oddsmakers. The only adjustment is a ninth factor that accounts for home-field advantage.
Beating Vegas won’t be easy. They’re in the business of making money and have every incentive to get the lines right. It will be interesting to see how the algorithm stacks up.
I ran out of time to post picks before this week’s Thursday night game, so the first set will appear next Thursday and every Thursday thereafter for the rest of the regular season.
For now, check this week’s rankings and let’s see what happens when the numbers do the talking.
As always, run to daylight!
Randy
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