Photo: William Purnell/Icon Sportswire
Nevermore?
What To Make Of The Ravens Playoff Hopes
"The Ravens’ margin for error going forward is slim, especially in light of the injuries they’ve sustained. However, most 1-3 teams have not been as talented as Baltimore and have not had a two-time MVP quarterback. This is also a particularly weak division with Joe Burrow being out and the Browns being in, so the potential to claw back from down two games is there."
Yet even with a soft schedule coming, writes Bryce Rossler, the Ravens have a lot of concerns heading into their Week 5 matchup with the Texans.
They're dealing with significant injuries to players who combined for roughly 5 WAR the last two seasons.
Their defensive numbers are concerning. They rank 27th in EPA allowed/rush, haven't forced or recovered any fumbles, they have only 1 interception to go with three dropped ones. Plus, their opponents' average distance to go on 2nd and 3rd down, and their boom and bust rates on defense rank among the worst in the league.
Then there's the offense, which ranks 7th-best in EPA/play through the first three quarters, and the 22nd-best in the 4th quarter.
Simply put, the team is in a challenging position, even with good playoff odds. Read Bryce's article for more and take a look at some of their individual player ranks at our DataHub.
And check out the latest episode of the Off The Charts Football Podcast for more on the league's other underperforming teams. The crew also breaks down the Tyreek Hill injury and ponders whether the Jaguars could make a big trade.
Photo: Ed Wolfstein/Icon Sportswire
Study: Impact of Kickoff Rule Changes
We're one month into the NFL's changes to kick return rules, which gives us some data to analyze by which we can gauge the impact of these changes. Among other things, Ryan Rubenstein shares that …
Through the first four weeks of the season, there has been a "non-normal*" kick on 28% of kickoffs (not including squib or onside kicks). Comparatively in 2024, there was a non-normal kick on only 7% of kickoffs.
* Non-normal kicks are kicks with hang times less than 3.3 seconds or more than 3.8 seconds.
Last season 65% of kickoffs resulted in touchbacks, whereas through four weeks in 2025 only 17% of kickoffs have resulted in touchbacks.
Through four weeks of kickoffs, the per-play injury rate has been consistent with previous years, but the dramatic spike in returns leads to more total injuries.
Check out Ryan's article for more details on a story that will continue to evolve as the season progresses.
Also From SIS
Mark Simon looks at 10 players (some whose teams just got eliminated) who could make an impact with their glove in October. The list includes those you’ve heard of (Mookie Betts) and those that maybe you haven’t (Ernie Clement).
Looking to find statistical leaders, team rankings, and matchup info for this week’s game? Check out (and subscribe for free to) the NFL Statpack. This includes our all-encompassing player value stat, Total Points, as well as leaders in such things as yards after contact, deep passes and receptions, pressure percentage, and more.
What We’re Reading/Watching
“The Cowboys defense ranks 32nd in man coverage rate and third in zone coverage, per Sports Info Solutions. The problem? The results haven’t been there in zone. The Cowboys rank dead last in defensive EPA/play and rank 31st in success rate when using zone coverage.”
Mauricio Rodriguez, A To Z Sports
Jeff Zimmerman of RotoGraphs looks at players who played through pain in 2024 and how they did in 2025 (spoiler: they underperformed) and also puts out a call for assistance with its 2025 list.
NFL Draft Website
Our NFL Draft Website is a great resource for training camp. Learn all about your team's rookies, their strengths, weaknesses, and things to watch heading into 2025.
Our statistical information package includes Total Points, our proprietary metric that values everything that happens on the field, as well as position-specific performance data in the form of raw totals, averages, and percentile rankings. And we explain our stats in our glossary.
Tigers-Guardians home plate umpire scouting report David Rackley has a history of being a hitter-friendly umpire, a little less so in 2025. He's hitter-friendly at the top & bottom of the zone, particularly to RHB. He's pitcher-friendly on inside pitches to both lefties and righties.
— Sports Info Solutions (@sportsinfosolutions.com) 2025-10-02T18:55:01.350Z
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More from the SIS Community
On Off the Charts, Bryce Rossler, members of the R&D team, and special guests dig into statistical insights, tactical analysis, and personal opinions, aimed at providing listeners with a comprehensive understanding of the week's key matchups and the intricacies of the sport.
On The SIS Baseball Podcast, we interview current players and coaches about defensive excellence and review the latest baseball news.
DataHub Pro
The SIS DataHub is the most exhaustive football database available for both the NFL and FBS. It's loaded with stats and filters to suit all of your analytical needs
The Fielding Bible Website
The FieldingBible.com website is a great resource for your defensive stat needs. It features player and team stats, Defensive Runs Saved leaderboards, and more.
Come visit SportsInfoSolutions.com for the latest company news, all our articles, job openings, and much more.
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