FTN's DVOA leaves out blocked kicks as too rare to predict, while PFSN's grade counts them through EPA. Teams that blocks have hurt or helped, like Dallas or Buffalo, can rate differently on the two.
Back to the trend of the day: A late kick block and a costly mistake decide a wild overtime football game
Poly Rating · from the trend of the day
Best Special Teams NFL 2026: Ratings vs Records
The Colts (81.2) and Eagles (81.0) have the NFL's second- and third-best special teams grades in 2026, and both are 2-4, while the 5-0 Chiefs rank 26th.
- No. 1: Philadelphia Eagles
- 10 places
01Final list
The leading AIs each built their own list of ten independently. Here is one result that is easy to check: every place has a reason, a source, and the list of AIs that included it.
Order: from most to least AI agreement.
A bright badge means this AI put the entry on its list. A dim badge means it did not.
- 1
Philadelphia Eagles
PFSN's No. 3 unit (81.0) sits on a 2-4 record per NFL.com. One AI listed them 5-1 with a mid-pack unit, which the Week 6 recap does not support.
Included it: Claude, Gemini.In their lists: Claude: 2 · Gemini: 10
What each AI noted 2
- Claudeplace 2
A PFSN top-3 special teams unit sits on a 2-4 record, with a perfect 5-for-5 on field goals that tells little because they have kicked so few.
Source ↗ - Geminiplace 10
A top-tier 5-1 record despite a 17-spot disparity between their #2 win-loss rank and their 19th-ranked net punt coverage efficiency.
Source ↗
2 AIs put it here - 2
Kansas City Chiefs
Unbeaten at 5-0 with the 26th-ranked special teams grade (72.5). Butker missed a PAT and a field goal in the Week 6 win. One AI said 5-1.
Included it: Claude, Gemini.In their lists: Claude: 3 · Gemini: 6
What each AI noted 2
- Claudeplace 3
They are 5-0 with a PFSN special teams grade of 72.5 (26th), and Harrison Butker missed an extra point and a field goal in the Week 6 win over the Chargers.
Source ↗ - Geminiplace 6
Sporting a 5-1 record despite a mediocre 19th DVOA rating, surviving off a 100% extra-point rate and timely fourth-quarter block schemes.
Source ↗
2 AIs put it here - 3
Los Angeles Rams
Last on both ratings, so the ratings agree here. The unit cost them two one-score games a week apart: 37-34 in OT at Buffalo and 18-16 to Arizona.
Included it: Claude, Gemini.In their lists: Claude: 5 · Gemini: 1
What each AI noted 2
- Claudeplace 5
The only unit at the bottom of both ratings, PFSN 32nd at 66.4 and 32nd in DVOA entering Week 5, has now cost the Rams two one-score games on kicks.
Source ↗ - Geminiplace 1
A high-powered 4-2 team ranked 7th overall whose minus-3 blocked kick differential and bottom-five DVOA directly cost them two games, including an OT thriller in Buffalo.
Source ↗
2 AIs put it here - 4
Arizona Cardinals
The 30th-graded unit (70.8) won 18-16 in Los Angeles on six Chad Ryland field goals, the last one at the gun.
Included it: Claude, Gemini.In their lists: Claude: 8 · Gemini: 8
What each AI noted 2
- Claudeplace 8
A 30th-ranked PFSN special teams unit won 18-16 in Los Angeles on six field goals from Chad Ryland, the last one the game-winner.
Source ↗ - Geminiplace 8
A minus-6.1% DVOA unit that has surrendered two dynamic kickoff returns for 50+ yards, undermining one of the league's toughest schedules.
Source ↗
2 AIs put it here - 5
Buffalo Bills
5-1 and 13-for-13 on field goals with a 10th-ranked grade (77.1). Without Rousseau's OT block they would be 4-2. One AI's FTN rank of 21st is unconfirmed.
Included it: Claude, Gemini.In their lists: Claude: 9 · Gemini: 2
What each AI noted 2
- Claudeplace 9
They are 13-for-13 on field goals and 5-1, and a Rousseau block in overtime is the difference between this record and 4-2.
Source ↗ - Geminiplace 2
Sitting at 4-1 largely on late special teams magic, the Bills rank 21st in down-to-down DVOA efficiency but lead the AFC with 2 clutch blocked kicks.
Source ↗
2 AIs put it here - 6
Indianapolis Colts
Rated 2nd on special teams (81.2) and 18-for-18 on field goals, yet 2-4. Their last loss came on a blocked-punt TD.
Included it: Claude. Did not include: Gemini.In their lists: Claude: 1
What each AI noted 1
- Claudeplace 1
They are 18-for-18 on field goals, the most perfect makes of any team, and their PFSN special teams grade ranks 2nd, yet the record is 2-4 and their last game was lost to a blocked punt returned for a TD.
Source ↗
1 AIs put it here - 7
San Francisco 49ers
CBS ranks them the NFL's best team, but their special teams grade ranks 25th (73.2) and they are 6-for-9 on field goals, with one blocked.
Included it: Claude. Did not include: Gemini.In their lists: Claude: 4
What each AI noted 1
- Claudeplace 4
The team CBS ranks as the league's best has a PFSN special teams grade of 73.2 (25th) and has made only 6 of 9 field goals, with one blocked.
Source ↗
1 AIs put it here - 8
New York Jets
Led the NFL in special teams DVOA in 2025 at +10.3%, fifth-best since 1978, and fell to -0.5% (16th) in 2026 at 2-4. The 2026 figure comes from a search snippet.
Included it: Claude. Did not include: Gemini.In their lists: Claude: 6
What each AI noted 1
- Claudeplace 6
They led the league in special teams DVOA in 2025 at +10.3%, the fifth-best mark since 1978, and sit at -0.5% (16th) this season at 2-4.
Source ↗
1 AIs put it here - 9
Dallas Cowboys
Most field goals blocked of any team (2) with a middling grade (74.7, 18th), on a 2-4 record. DVOA ignores those blocks; NFL.com's counts show them.
Included it: Claude. Did not include: Gemini.In their lists: Claude: 7
What each AI noted 1
- Claudeplace 7
They have had 2 field goals blocked, the most in the NFL.com table, and sit at 2-4.
Source ↗
1 AIs put it here - 10
Tennessee Titans
A 1-5 team with a mid-table grade (74.4, 20th) scored the NFL's first blocked-punt TD of 2026 to beat the Colts 26-20.
Included it: Claude. Did not include: Gemini.In their lists: Claude: 10
What each AI noted 1
- Claudeplace 10
A 1-5 team with a mid-table special teams grade (74.4, 20th) scored the NFL's first blocked-punt touchdown of 2026.
Source ↗
1 AIs put it here
02Worth knowing
What the AIs noticed while building the list.
After Minnesota (82.2), the two best special teams grades belong to the Colts (81.2) and Eagles (81.0), and both teams are 2-4.
2026 set a record for kickoff return yards through two weeks, so return and coverage units matter more, and ratings that weigh them differently drift apart.
The two AIs disagree on several 2026 records (Eagles 2-4 vs. 5-1, Bills 5-1 vs. 4-1, Chiefs 5-0 vs. 5-1). NFL.com's Week 6 recap backs the first figure each time.
03Questions people ask
Which NFL team has the easiest schedule in 2026?
Judged by 2025 opponent records, the Browns have the easiest full-season schedule at .429. Judged by projected win totals, Sharp Football Analysis has the Lions easiest.
Source ↗Which NFL team has the hardest schedule in 2026?
The Bears face the hardest schedule by 2025 opponent records (.550). By projected win totals, Sharp Football Analysis rates the Cardinals hardest. The two methods measure different things.
Source ↗How many blocked kicks this season in the NFL?
NFL.com's team table shows 7 blocked field goals so far in 2026, with Dallas at 2. A total of 11 blocked kicks of all types has no source page.
Source ↗04How we counted
In plain words, no formulas.
1The question
Top 10 NFL Teams Whose Special Teams Rating Doesn't Match Their Results in 2026
2Why this topic
It sets two independent special teams ratings and the raw counts against the standings, so the reader can see where the models disagree and which records may not hold up.
3Where it applies
NFL, 2026 season to date
4What we looked at
- Gap between special teams DVOA rank and the team's win-loss rank
- Gap between the FTN rating and the PFSN rating for the same unit
- Blocked kicks made minus blocked kicks allowed
- Expected points from kicks and punts compared with the points actually scored
- One-score games in which a special teams play decided the result
- PFSN Impact special teams grade — Net EPA plus field-goal, punt, return and coverage value, adjusted for opponent strength. The page shows the season so far.
- FTN special teams DVOA — Efficiency on every kicking and return play, leaving out blocked kicks, onside kicks and two-point tries. The full 2026 table could not be opened (403 error).
- NFL.com team field-goal stats 2026 — Field goals made and attempted, and field goals blocked against each team
5Who ranked
The leading AIs, each building its own list of ten independently and naming a source for every place: Claude, Gemini.
6How the places were set
The same entry written differently by different AIs was counted as one. The more AIs put an entry on their list, and the higher they put it, the higher its place. "AI agreement" shows how many of the AIs had it on their own list. Sources are only those the AIs found themselves; nothing was added by hand.
05Each AI's own list
🇺🇸 Claude10 places · 4 notes
The same question, answered by Claude alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.
- 1Indianapolis Colts
They are 18-for-18 on field goals, the most perfect makes of any team, and their PFSN special teams grade ranks 2nd, yet the record is 2-4 and their last game was lost to a blocked punt returned for a TD.
Source ↗ - 2Philadelphia Eagles
A PFSN top-3 special teams unit sits on a 2-4 record, with a perfect 5-for-5 on field goals that tells little because they have kicked so few.
Source ↗ - 3Kansas City Chiefs
They are 5-0 with a PFSN special teams grade of 72.5 (26th), and Harrison Butker missed an extra point and a field goal in the Week 6 win over the Chargers.
Source ↗ - 4San Francisco 49ers
The team CBS ranks as the league's best has a PFSN special teams grade of 73.2 (25th) and has made only 6 of 9 field goals, with one blocked.
Source ↗ - 5Los Angeles Rams
The only unit at the bottom of both ratings, PFSN 32nd at 66.4 and 32nd in DVOA entering Week 5, has now cost the Rams two one-score games on kicks.
Source ↗ - 6New York Jets
They led the league in special teams DVOA in 2025 at +10.3%, the fifth-best mark since 1978, and sit at -0.5% (16th) this season at 2-4.
Source ↗ - 7Dallas Cowboys
They have had 2 field goals blocked, the most in the NFL.com table, and sit at 2-4.
Source ↗ - 8Arizona Cardinals
A 30th-ranked PFSN special teams unit won 18-16 in Los Angeles on six field goals from Chad Ryland, the last one the game-winner.
Source ↗ - 9Buffalo Bills
They are 13-for-13 on field goals and 5-1, and a Rousseau block in overtime is the difference between this record and 4-2.
Source ↗ - 10Tennessee Titans
A 1-5 team with a mid-table special teams grade (74.4, 20th) scored the NFL's first blocked-punt touchdown of 2026.
Source ↗
What Claude noticed
The Jets had the best special teams DVOA of 2025 at +10.3%, fifth-best since 1978, and one analysis expected a drop but still an elite unit. A search snippet puts them at -0.5% (16th) after five games.
The Rams are bottom of PFSN's 32 teams (66.4) and 32nd in DVOA entering Week 5, and the unit's misses cost them two one-score games, Buffalo in overtime and Arizona 18-16, a week apart.
The two best PFSN special teams units after the Vikings (82.2) are the Colts (81.2) and the Eagles (81.0). Both are 2-4.
2026 has had the most kickoff return yards ever through two weeks. That means coverage and return units matter more than in past seasons, and rating methods that weigh them differently will diverge.
🇺🇸 Gemini10 places · 1 notes
The same question, answered by Gemini alone. The final list above combines all the AIs.
- 1Los Angeles Rams (2026)
A high-powered 4-2 team ranked 7th overall whose minus-3 blocked kick differential and bottom-five DVOA directly cost them two games, including an OT thriller in Buffalo.
Source ↗ - 2Buffalo Bills (2026)
Sitting at 4-1 largely on late special teams magic, the Bills rank 21st in down-to-down DVOA efficiency but lead the AFC with 2 clutch blocked kicks.
Source ↗ - 3Chicago Bears (2026)
Ranked #1 overall in FTN special teams DVOA thanks to punting pins inside the 10, yet hovering at .500 due to offensive stalling.
Source ↗ - 4Cleveland Browns (2026)
An elite kicking and return unit sitting 4th in DVOA contrasts with a 1-5 record, wasting 14.2 expected field position points over six games.
Source ↗ - 5Miami Dolphins (2026)
A 2-4 team whose dead-last 32nd DVOA rating masks two narrow one-score losses where missed 40-yard kicks wiped away comeback drives.
Source ↗ - 6Kansas City Chiefs (2026)
Sporting a 5-1 record despite a mediocre 19th DVOA rating, surviving off a 100% extra-point rate and timely fourth-quarter block schemes.
Source ↗ - 7New Orleans Saints (2026)
Consistently grading in the top 5 for return coverage, yet lagging in the NFC South because field-goal misses under 45 yards negated three lead changes.
Source ↗ - 8Arizona Cardinals (2026)
A minus-6.1% DVOA unit that has surrendered two dynamic kickoff returns for 50+ yards, undermining one of the league's toughest schedules.
Source ↗ - 9Detroit Lions (2026)
Entering 2026 with the NFC's highest-scoring offense and easiest projected schedule, their 24th-ranked special teams unit gave up 11 net hidden yards per punt.
Source ↗ - 10Philadelphia Eagles (2026)
A top-tier 5-1 record despite a 17-spot disparity between their #2 win-loss rank and their 19th-ranked net punt coverage efficiency.
Source ↗
What Gemini noticed
Teams with top-5 special teams DVOA win only 52% of one-score games over five-year samples, demonstrating that special teams luck regresses far faster than offensive efficiency.