If you were listening to The Off The Charts Football Podcast prior to Week 1 of this season, you'd have heard Alex Vigderman make what seemed like a bold prediction that the Chiefs would finish UNDER 11.5 wins this season. Even our CEO, Matt Manocherian, was surprised by that pick, but the numbers backed it up.

The Chiefs ranked 11th in Total Points Per Play last year but went 11-0 in one-score games, which made them look better than they may have actually been. That record proved to be unsustainable. They rank 14th in Total Points Per Play this year and are 1-8 in such games this season entering Week 18.

The Chiefs marked the high point, predictions-wise, for Alex and the low point for Matt. On this week's Off The Charts, the crew went through that and other predictions to see what went right and what went wrong.

Among the other highlights on the 'got it right' list were Bryce Rossler's early-season assessment that he'd take Drake Maye and Caleb Williams over Jayden Daniels and James Weaver picking Carson Schwesinger as his Defensive Rookie of the Year.

The crew also addressed what to do about tanking, a subject for which there are no easy answers. As Matt said: 

" I do believe that it's harder to tank in football. It's not harder to just bench people and have them not play in the game, but to actively try to lose for multiple games is really corrosive if you're trying to have a coaching staff that is trusted by the players … It's a risky strategy to take."

For more tanking talk and a deep dive on the best and worst takes, check out the latest episode.

Star on the Rise: Pistons Center Jalen Duren

Our David Knopp evaluates the improvements in Duren’s game on the offensive and defensive end by using data from our play-by-play tracking.

Stat of the Week: Our Year-End Awards

Which players were the top home run robbers, pitch framers, and the best at other categories we track?

Stats That Actually Translate From College To The NFL

Adam Wilkins of the 2 Down Territory podcast uses our data to explain how accuracy by depth and other stats are the best numbers to look at when evaluating future potential for college quarterbacks.

Derrick Henry’s Epic Game Had A Throwback Look. Will Steelers Have An Answer? ($)

Jonas Shaffer takes a look at Henry’s success out of the I formation.

Check out the newly-redesigned SIS website! We’ve made it easier for you to find our articles, our data, and information about the tools and resources we offer.

And give us a follow on your favorite social media platform to see what is going on in the company as well as our featured statistical content!

Check us out on Bluesky, where we share content and notes regularly, as well as some of your other favorite content outlets. You can also find us on X, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

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.

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. 

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 FieldingBible.com website is a great resource for your defensive stat needs. It features player and team stats, Defensive Runs Saved leaderboards, and more.