The 10 Most Impactful Plays of Week 9

​Honorable Mentions

So what is NEP? By adding down-and-distance value to standard box score information, we can see just how much each play and each team as a whole influence the outcome of games. If a player passes for five yards on 3rd-and-2, it means more to the game than it does on 3rd-and-10, and those plays should be valued accordingly. For more info on NEP, check out our glossary.

Each play has an NEP value. Each play also changes the win probability (WP) of the game. I factored those values together to see which plays were the most impactful to the moment on the field and the game as a whole.

Below were some exciting moments from the week with big value swings in one category, but didn’t cut it in the other.

10. Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford hits wide receiver Golden Tate for a game-winning 28-yard overtime touchdown (WP: +25.77, NEP: +4.31).
9. Lions defensive tackle Tyrunn Walker blocks Minnesota Vikings kicker Blair Walsh's field goal attempt (WP: +25.12, NEP: +4.34).
8. Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway intercepts Lions quarterback Stafford, returning it to the Detroit red zone (WP: +13.45, NEP: +5.67).
7. Jacksonville Jaguars running back Chris Ivory fumbles the ball in the Kansas City Chiefs’ end zone, cornerback Marcus Peters recovers for a touchback (WP: +12.55, NEP: +6.28).
6. Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Jordan Phillips picks off short pass from New York Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (WP: +14.91, NEP: +5.33).

Now onto the top-five plays of the week!