Could you imagine? A New England Patriots vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Super Bowl matchup? That would be heaven on earth for Roger Goodell and the NFL. And I’m sure the fans wouldn’t complain about it, either.
Well, what if I told you that the changes of it happening are actually quite good? At least, that’s what ESPN’s FPI is saying, as they have Tom Brady’s Buccaneers with a 32 percent chance of making the big game, which is tops in the NFL. And right behind them is Bill Belichick’s Pats, at 31 percent — tied with the Arizona Cardinals.
For those wondering what ESPN’s FPI actually is, here’s how they describe it on their page:
“The Football Power Index (FPI) is a measure of team strength that is meant to be the best predictor of a team’s performance going forward for the rest of the season. FPI represents how many points above or below average a team is. Projected results are based on 10,000 simulations of the rest of the season using FPI, results to date, and the remaining schedule. Ratings and projections update daily.”
In terms of actual FPI rankings, the Bucs are currently first with a 7.8, while the Pats are fourth with a 5.8. But it’s their projected chance at making the Super Bowl that we’re interested in here. And if ESPN’s algorithm really has this all figured out, we could be in for quite the spectacle on February 13, 2022.
