Probetrics — Sports Analytics
NFL slate
New England Patriots
17-4 last yr · #6 Elo
neutral site
Sun, Nov 15, 9:30 AM ET
FC Bayern Munich Stadium · Indoors
Detroit Lions
9-8 last yr · #10 Elo
Spread NE -1.5Total 49.5Moneyline NE -118 · DET +100

The read

On rating alone New England Patriots are 1.5 points better (#6 vs #10 of 32), on a neutral field. The clearest mismatch is the passing game: NE passing ranks #3, DET defends it at #14; the other way DET #5 into NE's #5.

Who has the edge

Rating
Slight edge
NE
NE rated 1.5 points better on Elo (#10 vs #6).
Home & rest
Even
Neutral site — no home field.
Quarterback
not priced
Usual starters on both sides — Jared Goff and Drake Maye — no adjustment.
Passing game
Slight edge
NE
NE passing ranks #3, DET defends it at #14; the other way DET #5 into NE's #5.
context · not in the margin
Rushing game
Even
DET rushing ranks #16, NE defends it at #12; the other way NE #27 into DET's #18.
context · not in the margin
Third down & red zone
Even
NE third-down conversion ranks #10, DET defends it at #9; the other way DET #19 into NE's #7.
context · not in the margin
Form (last 5)
Clear edge
NE
DET −1.6 per game over the last five, NE +8.0.
context · not in the margin
Market
Slight edge
NE
Consensus has NE by 1.5.
context · not in the margin

The margin, factor by factor

New England PatriotsDetroit Lions
1586 Elo · #6
RatingThe Elo gap in points — the model's core read on who is better, before the situational pieces below.
NE +1.5 pts
1553 Elo · #10
neutral
Home field
even
neutral
Rest
even
Maye · +7.0 EPA/g
QuarterbackStarter's value against what the team usually gets at quarterback. Only moves when someone other than the usual starter plays.
even
Goff · +5.4 EPA/g
+2.7 pts vs DET D
Offense vs defenseEach offense's scoring rating against the other defense's — what drives the model total. Shown as an edge, though the winner call runs on Elo.
NE +4.1 pts
−1.5 pts vs NE D
L W W W W · +8.0
Form (last 5)Average margin over the last five games. Already inside the ratings — listed so you can see when recent form and the rating disagree.
NE +4.8 pts
W L L L W · −1.6
7 out/IR
InjuriesCount of players listed Out or on IR. Not priced beyond the quarterback.
not priced
8 out/IR
NE -1.5
MarketThe consensus spread, read as points. Compare with the model margin above it.
NE +1.5 pts
DET +1.5

Bars are in points toward the favored side. Blue factors are inside the model's margin; grey ones are context it does not add on top (form and offense/defense are already in the ratings; injuries beyond the quarterback are not priced).

Dissect the matchup

nflverse play-by-play + FTN charting · 2025 season (last season until three games are in)

Biggest mismatches

  • NE explosive pass rate (#2) against a DET defense ranked #26 at stopping it
  • DET defense (#8 sack rate generated) against a NE offense ranked #28
  • DET defense (#13 rush success rate allowed) against a NE offense ranked #28
  • NE yards / dropback (#3) against a DET defense ranked #16 at stopping it
  • DET defense (#3 yac / completion allowed) against a NE offense ranked #16

A mismatch is a rank gap of at least a fifth of the league between an offense and the defense it faces on the same measure. Descriptive rows (pass rate, pace, direction) are shown for reading the game, not ranked. ▲▼ mark where the last three games sit clearly above or below the season number, in the direction that helps that side.

New England Patriots offense vs Detroit Lions defense

ranks of 32
NE offDET defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate facedDropbacks as a share of plays. On the defense column: what opponents do against them.61%61%·
Early-down pass rateFirst and second down only — the cleanest read on run-heavy vs pass-heavy.55%56%·
Neutral-script pass rateEarly downs with win probability between 20% and 80%: intent, not catch-up mode.57%55%·
Pass rate over expectedHow much more (or less) a team passes than the down, distance, score and clock predict. nflverse xpass.+1.9%−0.5%·
Seconds per playTime of possession divided by plays — lower is faster.30.829.2·
No-huddle3%11%·
Shotgun56%64%·
Play-action rate / Play-action facedShare of dropbacks with a play fake (FTN charting).22%25%·
RPO rate / RPOs faced2%7%·
Screen rate / Screens faced5%6%·
Pre-snap motion / Motion faced51%50%·
Blitzes faced / Blitz rateFive or more pass rushers (FTN). On the offense column: how often opponents blitz them.29%27%·
Pass rushers faced / Avg pass rushers4.334.32·
Passing
EPA / dropbackThe single best pass-efficiency number; on the defense column, what they allow.+0.21#3+0.01#14NE
Pass success rate52%#242%#6·
Explosive pass rateDropbacks gaining 20+ yards.11.3%#29.1%#26NE
Yards / dropback7.2#36.1#16NE
Depth of target (aDOT)Average air yards per attempt — how far downfield they throw, or get thrown at.9.49.9·
Deep-ball rate (20+ air)16%15%·
Short throws (≤5 air)44%44%·
Completion % over expectednflverse CPOE, per attempt. Defense column: what they allow.+7.9#1−1.1#9NE
YAC / completion5.1#164.3#3DET
Sack rate / Sack rate generatedSacks per dropback. Lower is better for an offense; the defense column shows sacks they create.9.0%#287.7%#8DET
Scramble rate9.9%4.9%·
Interception rate / Interceptions forced1.9%#122.3%#13·
Throws left / middle / rightDirection shares are shown in full on the row.L 40 · M 23 · R 37L 36 · M 21 · R 43·
Rushing
EPA / rush−0.10#27−0.04#18DET
Rush success rate37%#2841%#13DET
Explosive rush rateRushes of 10+ yards.9.1%#2111.3%#23·
Yards / rush4.3#164.4#24NE
Runs left / middle / rightL 36 · M 29 · R 35L 36 · M 26 · R 38·
Situational
Third-down conversion41%#1037%#9·
Red-zone touchdown rateDrives reaching the 20 that end in a touchdown.56%#2160%#22·
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.14#161.12#19·
Plays / game6061·

Detroit Lions offense vs New England Patriots defense

ranks of 32
DET offNE defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate facedDropbacks as a share of plays. On the defense column: what opponents do against them.59%62%·
Early-down pass rateFirst and second down only — the cleanest read on run-heavy vs pass-heavy.54%56%·
Neutral-script pass rateEarly downs with win probability between 20% and 80%: intent, not catch-up mode.53%53%·
Pass rate over expectedHow much more (or less) a team passes than the down, distance, score and clock predict. nflverse xpass.−4.6%−3.0%·
Seconds per playTime of possession divided by plays — lower is faster.29.629.5·
No-huddle6%9%·
Shotgun52%68%·
Play-action rate / Play-action facedShare of dropbacks with a play fake (FTN charting).25%23%·
RPO rate / RPOs faced4%6%·
Screen rate / Screens faced10%7%·
Pre-snap motion / Motion faced60%59%·
Blitzes faced / Blitz rateFive or more pass rushers (FTN). On the offense column: how often opponents blitz them.27%32%·
Pass rushers faced / Avg pass rushers4.344.40·
Passing
EPA / dropbackThe single best pass-efficiency number; on the defense column, what they allow.+0.17#5−0.09#5·
Pass success rate48%#743%#10·
Explosive pass rateDropbacks gaining 20+ yards.10.7%#56.3%#3·
Yards / dropback7.0#65.5#5·
Depth of target (aDOT)Average air yards per attempt — how far downfield they throw, or get thrown at.6.47.5·
Deep-ball rate (20+ air)7%11%·
Short throws (≤5 air)57%51%·
Completion % over expectednflverse CPOE, per attempt. Defense column: what they allow.+1.5#11+0.2#15·
YAC / completion6.1#24.6#4·
Sack rate / Sack rate generatedSacks per dropback. Lower is better for an offense; the defense column shows sacks they create.6.3%#176.3%#16·
Scramble rate0.8%5.5%·
Interception rate / Interceptions forced1.4%#42.2%#17DET
Throws left / middle / rightDirection shares are shown in full on the row.L 32 · M 32 · R 35L 38 · M 22 · R 40·
Rushing
EPA / rush−0.05#16−0.09#12·
Rush success rate41%#2041%#17·
Explosive rush rateRushes of 10+ yards.10.1%#148.7%#10·
Yards / rush4.7#53.9#8·
Runs left / middle / rightL 32 · M 24 · R 44L 39 · M 21 · R 40·
Situational
Third-down conversion39%#1936%#7NE
Red-zone touchdown rateDrives reaching the 20 that end in a touchdown.63%#958%#15DET
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game0.88#61.24#9·
Plays / game6258·

Route-by-route data (which routes are run and how coverage plays them) is not published anywhere public — it is sold by PFF and NGS. Throw depth, direction, play-action, RPO, screens, motion and pass-rush counts above are the public pieces of the same picture.

New England Patriots · key players

  • Drake Maye QB20.2/29.1 · 249 yds/g · 37-12 TD-INT · +0.18 EPA/db
  • Stefon Diggs WR5.8 tgt/g · 21% share · 53 yds/g · 5 TD · aDOT 8.2
  • Hunter Henry TE4.9 tgt/g · 17% share · 42 yds/g · 8 TD · aDOT 8.3
  • Mack Hollins WR4.7 tgt/g · 16% share · 42 yds/g · 3 TD · aDOT 14.2
  • Kayshon Boutte WR3.7 tgt/g · 14% share · 40 yds/g · 7 TD · aDOT 16.9
  • TreVeyon Henderson RBQuestionable10.0 car/g · 47 yds/g · 4.7 ypc · 9 TD · −0.01 EPA/car
  • Rhamondre Stevenson RB10.4 car/g · 46 yds/g · 4.4 ypc · 7 TD · −0.14 EPA/car

2025 season, per game. Targets ranked by volume, rushers by carries.nflverse weekly player stats. Target share is the player's average share of his team's targets in the games he played. A player who changed teams carries his own games from last season.

Detroit Lions · key players

  • Jared Goff QB23.1/34.0 · 268 yds/g · 34-8 TD-INT · +0.17 EPA/db
  • Amon-Ra St. Brown WR10.1 tgt/g · 32% share · 82 yds/g · 11 TD · aDOT 8.1
  • Jameson Williams WR6.0 tgt/g · 19% share · 66 yds/g · 7 TD · aDOT 12.6
  • Sam LaPorta TEQuestionable5.4 tgt/g · 18% share · 54 yds/g · 3 TD · aDOT 5.7
  • Kalif Raymond WR2.5 tgt/g · 7% share · 24 yds/g · 1 TD · aDOT 5.6
  • Jahmyr Gibbs RB14.3 car/g · 72 yds/g · 5.0 ypc · 13 TD · −0.01 EPA/car
  • David Montgomery RB9.3 car/g · 42 yds/g · 4.5 ypc · 8 TD · +0.00 EPA/car

2025 season, per game. Targets ranked by volume, rushers by carries.nflverse weekly player stats. Target share is the player's average share of his team's targets in the games he played. A player who changed teams carries his own games from last season.

Season

NEDET
17-4Record9-8
26.5Points for / game28.3
17.9Points against / game24.3
8-4 / 9-0Home / road5-3 / 4-5
14-7Against the spread8-9
12-9Over / underOvers–unders in this team's games. A tendency, not a lean.10-7
L W W W WLast 5W L L L W

Season numbers are from 2025 until this season has games.

Power ratings

NEDET
1586Elo1553
#6 of 32Rank#10 of 32
+2.0Offense ratingPoints per game above league average scored, opponent-adjusted.+2.7
+4.2Defense ratingPoints per game below league average allowed, opponent-adjusted. Positive is good.−0.6
Strength of scheduleMean Elo of opponents faced this season.

Elo drives the winner call. Offense/defense ratings drive the total.

Efficiency

NEDET
0.075EPA / play (offense)Expected points added per offensive play, nflverse. The single best efficiency number.0.075
-0.082EPA / play allowed-0.005
252Pass yards / game269
127Rush yards / game120
201Pass yards allowed237
99Rush yards allowed115
0.9 / 1.4Turnovers / takeaways0.7 / 1.6
3.3 / 2.2Sacks allowed / made2.3 / 2.8
18.7First downs / game19.4
46Penalty yards / game42
+7.0 · #5 of 52QB EPA / gameThe listed starter's passing + rushing EPA per game, ranked among starters with three or more games.+5.4 · #10 of 52

Efficiency is from the 2025 season until this one has games. Source: nflverse.

Head to head

2022DET 0 at NE 29NE · NE covered
2018NE 10 at DET 26DET · DET covered
2014DET 9 at NE 34NE · NE covered

How the margin was built

Rating gap
NE +1.5 pts
Home field
Neutral site
Rest
Even
Quarterback
Usual starters — no adjustment
Weather / roof
— pts on the total
Model margin
Model total

Market

Spread
NE -1.5
Total
49.5
Moneyline
NE -118 · DET +100

Per-book prices appear once the multi-book feed has this game (about a week out).

New England Patriots injuries

  • Brenden Schooler SOut
  • Harold Landry III LBOut
  • Bryce Baringer PInjured Reserve
  • Isaiah Iton DTInjured Reserve
  • Khalil Jacobs LBInjured Reserve
  • Marcus Bryant OTInjured Reserve
  • Myles Montgomery RBInjured Reserve
  • TreVeyon Henderson RBQuestionable

From ESPN's report. The model prices the quarterback; other absences are context it does not yet price.

Detroit Lions injuries

  • Brian Branch SOut
  • Giovanni Manu OTOut
  • Kerby Joseph SOut
  • Cade Mays CInjured Reserve
  • Damone Clark LBInjured Reserve
  • Isiah Pacheco RBInjured Reserve
  • Michael Niese GInjured Reserve
  • Payton Turner DEInjured Reserve
  • Derrick Moore DEQuestionable
  • D.J. Reed CBQuestionable
  • Ennis Rakestraw Jr. CBQuestionable
  • Jimmy Rolder LBQuestionable

From ESPN's report. The model prices the quarterback; other absences are context it does not yet price.

Informational only. Winner probabilities are backtested and calibrated; spread and total calls are tracked leans. 21+, 1-800-GAMBLER.