FPI is a bit different than your typical power rankings. There’s less subjective, more objective. Here’s how ESPN themselves describes FPI:
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.
Photo courtesy of ESPN
As you can see, the top half of the leagues teams were above average. By that I mean they were over zero. Don’t get caught up in wins and losses here. That’s what matters in a bottom line business, but there are so many fluke things that can happen during a three hour span on a Sunday. Things tend to even themselves out when it’s all said and done. So seeing the teams at the bottom make sense. Seeing the teams at the top make sense as well.
The Chargers find themselves fifth. These are the final rankings for the season. I’d say that’s a pretty fair mark. The team has plenty to build on and improve. They also have plenty of things to feel good about. You don’t luck into winning 13 games.
