Power Rankings 2011 NFL Playoffs

Over the years, SportsInsights.com’s researchers and analysts have studied various indicators and stats specifically for the NFL Playoffs.  We have devised our own proprietary power rankings for the upcoming playoffs.  Please note that although results have been good over the years, the sample size is not very meaningful.  Still, the power ratings and rankings are backed by good, fundamental, reasoning — and historical results have been solid.

Multiple Factors

We have studied a wealth of statistics and have keyed in on several indicators that really seem to focus in on the “strength” of each of the twelve playoff teams.  By using the indicators that show the most correlation with game results, we believe that the power rankings can help you to obtain value versus the point spread during the NFL Playoffs.

We believe this multi-factor approach can help to uncover value as we combine factors that give us an edge.  What are some of the factors that we study?  Firstly, we look at the “micro-happenings” behind the wins and losses.  What kind of offense and defense are we talking about?  Is the team prone to mistakes?  What kind of schedule did the team play?  How was the team’s performance in “quality match-ups?”  We use the results of our research to create a composite rating which can be used to obtain value during the NFL Playoffs. 

NFL 2010-11 Playoff Team Power Rankings

Below are our Power Rankings for this year’s NFL Playoffs.  How can you use these rankings?  One easy-to-use method is to pick the higher-ranked team versus the spread.  Some sports investors might want to make the selection ONLY if the ranking differential is above a certain amount.  In either case, please use these rankings in combination with other sports investing tools that you use — or that we list below.  Note that we have highlighted andgrouped the teams to separate this year’s powerhouses — from the contenders — and pretenders.

Most sports fans won’t be surprised with New England and Atlanta at the top of the list — and Seattle at the bottom.  New England and Atlanta were the class of the league — and did well against quality opponents.  Some teams arehighlighted with asterisks (*) because their placement within the power rankings might be a bit surprising to some.  Please see our notes below the chart for more information.

* Notes:

• Green Bay might surprise some people being near the top of our list, but they did well on both sides of the ball (offense and defense) — and their defense was one of the best in the league.
• Pittsburgh and Baltimore also boast very strong defenses, balanced with good offenses.
• Philadelphia has the potential to make a lot of noise in the playoffs because they have a strong offense led my Michael Vick.  Their running game is the best in the league and these strengths showed.  Philadelphia was second only to New England in performance against quality opponents.
• Although KC is just 8th on the list, we asterisked them because they are higher on the list than we thought they would be.  Similar to Philadelphia, they have a very strong running game.  In addition, they do not make a lot of mistakes — especially in terms of QB interceptions.
• New Orleans may have disappointed their fans during the regular season, but they did have a solid season.  The Saints may have coasted a bit during the regular season, but their experience and Super Bowl win last year makes them very dangerous.

Betting Against the Public & Smart Money Techniques

As the playoffs begin and the NFL’s top teams vie for the championship, there is increased public interest.  This means increased betting activity by “Joe Public.”  We believe that this presents an opportunity for astute sports investors.  Our members have said — and our research has shown — that “Betting Against the Public” and “Smart Money” techniques have worked even better in these “big televised games.”  Using these methods, in combination with other good handicapping strategies, can add good investment value — to an already great entertainment value: the NFL Playoffs!.

Summary and Other Research

SportsInsights is pleased to present Power Rankings for this year’s NFL Playoffs.

• The Power Rankings have been designed as a way to obtain value during the NFL Playoffs.
• Betting Against the Public and Smart Money methods should be even more effective during these nationally-televised games.
• In other research, it has been shown that Home Field advantage is magnified during the playoffs.  Please check out SportsInsights’ article on Academic Research in the NFL.  We particularly love home dogs — if you can find them in the playoffs.

Good luck — and enjoy the games!

Disclaimer
We do not guarantee that the trends and biases we’ve found will continue to exist.  It is impossible to predict the future.  Any serious academic research in the field of “market efficiencies” recognizes that inefficiencies may disappear over time.  Once inefficiencies are discovered, it is only a matter of time before the market corrects itself.  We do not guarantee our data is error-free.  However, we’ve tried our best to make sure every score and percentage is correct.