A recent study from Casino.guru shared that the pressure index is turned up with many NFL teams. As no surprise, the winless Chargers and struggling Eagles and Saints top the index.
Chargers Top NFL Pressure Index Leaders, with Eagles and Saints Also Struggling
The NFL Pressure Index combines underperformance against preseason expectations (27.8%), recent form (22.2%), painful defeats (15%), playoff pressure (15%), injuries (10%), and performance red flags (10%) to produce a score out of 100.
NFL Pressure Index Leader Key Highlights:
- The Los Angeles Chargers are under the most pressure, with an Index Score of 89.2/100 and a 0-5 record against preseason expectations of 9.5 wins, 3 wins behind pace.
- The Eagles rank 2nd (87.5/100) after climbing 13 places. Their score increased by 30.8 points, while their estimated playoff chances have dropped from 69% to 41%.
- The New Orleans Saints rank 3rd (85.2/100). The Saints have climbed from 14th to 3rd, with their pressure score rising 27.7 points since Week 3.
- The Chicago Bears have the NFL’s biggest rise in pressure: Their score has increased by 31.6 points, climbing from 25th to joint 10th in the rankings. Their estimated playoff chances have dropped by 18.2%.
- Houston Texans suffer the NFL’s biggest playoff hopes collapse: Their estimated playoff chances have fallen by 33.3 percentage points, from 59% to 25%.
- Minnesota Vikingsare the NFL’s least pressured team: Minnesota sits at the bottom of the Pressure Index with just 8.9/100, having started the season 5-0.
- The New England Patriots have had the biggest turnaround: Their pressure score has fallen 40.3 points, from 81.0 to 40.7, dropping from 8th to 21st in the rankings.
NFL Pressure Index Leaders: Chargers, Eagles and Saints Top the List
1. Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers have had a poor start to the season and find themselves not only 0-5, but consequently now the team is under the most pressure within the NFL, with an index score of 89.2/100. Preseason expectations gave Los Angeles a projected win total of 9.5; however, their winless start means they are already 3 wins behind that pace after 5 weeks.
The team’s playoff hopes have also dropped an estimated 30.6% after 5 weeks, now sitting at just 2%. They have also suffered some of the league’s most painful defeats this season. Across all games played so far, they reached an average high live win probability of 74%, including 2 of their defeats in which their chances of winning exceeded 80%.
2. Philadelphia Eagles
Following a devastating last-second field goal from the Jags, the Philadelphia Eagles now find themselves the team under the second most pressure after 5 weeks, with a Pressure Index Score of 87.5/100. Just like the Chargers, the Eagles are also falling short of preseason expectations so far. They entered the season with a projected win total of 10.5, but have started 2-3, 0.9 wins behind their expected total after 5 games.
The study gave teams an initial ranking after 3 weeks, and Philadelphia found themselves 2-1 in the league and 15th in the index. However, recent results and other factors considered by the index have seen the Eagles climb 13 places to 2nd after Week 5. Their playoff hopes have also dramatically reduced, with the probability falling from 69% to 41%.
3. New Orleans Saints
Rounding out the top 3 teams under the most pressure so far this season is the New Orleans Saints(85.2/100). As expected, they are also falling behind their preseason expectations. New Orleans came in with a projected win total of 8.5 but have started 1-4, leaving them 1.2 wins behind their expected wins at this stage.
The Saints have moved up 11 places in the Pressure Index Rankings since Week 3, with their score increasing from 57.5 to 85.2, showing a recent decline in the team’s performance and an increase in pressure on them to perform. Looking at New Orleans playoff chances within the study, they have seen a decrease from 37% to just 13%, further highlighting the pressure Kelen Moore’s team is under.
NFL Pressure Index Leaders: Minnesota Vikings are Under the Least Pressure, and the Patriots Drop 13 Places
The Minnesota Vikings have lots to be positive about after their 5-0 start, and now their fans will be happy to know they are statistically under the least pressure of all NFL teams with a Pressure Index Score of just 8.9/100.
The Patriots (40.7/100) are coming off solid back-to-back wins against the Bills and Raiders, which has helped them fall down the Pressure Index Rankings. New England has experienced the NFL’s biggest drop, and their score has fallen 40.3 points, from 81 to 40.7. This drop places them at 21st in the rankings compared to 8th just a few weeks ago.
In contrast to the Patriots, the Bears have seen the league’s biggest increase in pressure, climbing 15 places in the NFL Pressure Rankings.
NFL Pressure Index Leaders: Complete Results
| Rank | Team | Record | Week 5 Pressure Score / 100 | Week 3 Pressure Score / 100 | Pressure Increase / Decrease |
| 1 | Los Angeles Chargers | 0-5 | 89.2 | 87.6 | 1.6 |
| 2 | Philadelphia Eagles | 2-3 | 87.5 | 56.7 | 30.8 |
| 3 | New Orleans Saints | 1-4 | 85.2 | 57.5 | 27.7 |
| 4 | Miami Dolphins | 0-5 | 74.7 | 73.2 | 1.5 |
| 5 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1-4 | 73.8 | 82.6 | -8.8 |
| 6 | Tennessee Titans | 0-5 | 72.9 | 69.2 | 3.7 |
| 7 | Houston Texans | 1-4 | 68.8 | 85.8 | -17 |
| 8 | Washington Commanders | 1-3-1 | 67.2 | 58 | 9.2 |
| 9 | Arizona Cardinals | 1-4 | 67 | 46.8 | 20.2 |
| 10 | Los Angeles Rams | 2-3 | 62.5 | 77 | -14.5 |
| 10 | Chicago Bears | 3-2 | 62.5 | 30.9 | 31.6 |
| 12 | Dallas Cowboys | 2-3 | 61.9 | 62.2 | -0.3 |
| 13 | Indianapolis Colts | 2-3 | 52.6 | 64.8 | -12.2 |
| 14 | Seattle Seahawks | 3-2 | 51.2 | 39.4 | 11.8 |
| 15 | Cincinnati Bengals | 3-2 | 49.9 | 32.6 | 17.3 |
| 16 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 3-2 | 49.2 | 42.5 | 6.7 |
| 17 | Detroit Lions | 3-2 | 48.9 | 46.2 | 2.7 |
| 18 | New York Jets | 2-3 | 46.4 | 49.4 | -3 |
| 19 | Green Bay Packers | 3-2 | 45.2 | 81.3 | -36.1 |
| 20 | Atlanta Falcons | 2-3 | 42.3 | 65.5 | -23.2 |
| 21 | New England Patriots | 3-2 | 40.7 | 81 | -40.3 |
| 22 | Las Vegas Raiders | 3-2 | 37.9 | 9.7 | 28.2 |
| 23 | Baltimore Ravens | 4-1 | 37 | 36.4 | 0.6 |
| 24 | New York Giants | 3-1-1 | 36.8 | 43.3 | -6.5 |
| 25 | Carolina Panthers | 2-2 | 33.6 | 63.5 | -29.9 |
| 26 | Denver Broncos | 3-2 | 29.7 | 34.5 | -4.8 |
| 27 | Cleveland Browns | 3-2 | 27.3 | 29.4 | -2.1 |
| 28 | Buffalo Bills | 4-1 | 25 | 12.7 | 12.3 |
| 29 | Kansas City Chiefs | 4-0 | 13.8 | 12.7 | 1.1 |
| 30 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 4-1 | 11 | 18.8 | -7.8 |
| 31 | San Francisco 49ers | 5-0 | 10.6 | 14.3 | -3.7 |
| 32 | Minnesota Vikings | 5-0 | 8.9 | 9.6 | -0.7 |
NFL Pressure Index Leaders: Methodology
The NFL Pressure Index analyzed all 32 NFL teams across the opening five weeks of the 2026 season to identify which teams are facing the greatest pressure based on their performances, preseason expectations, and current circumstances.
Each team was assessed using six key factors, which were combined to produce an overall Pressure Index score out of 100. The higher the score, the greater the level of pressure facing that team.
NFL Pressure Index Leaders, Six Factors:
Performance against preseason expectations (27.8%): Compares each team’s actual results with its expected performance heading into the season.
Recent form (22.2%): Assesses each team’s results across the opening five weeks of the season.
Painful defeats (15%): Examines how teams have lost games, including defeats in which they held a strong chance of winning.
Playoff pressure (15%): Considers each team’s estimated playoff chances, how those chances have changed, and the importance of upcoming results to their postseason prospects.
Injury pressure (10%): Accounts for the impact of injuries and unavailable key players.
Performance red flags (10%): Examines underlying indicators of poor performance that could suggest wider problems beyond a team’s win-loss record.
Each factor was converted into a score out of 100 before being combined using its respective weighting to calculate the final Pressure Index score.
The Last Word
Entering the 2026 season, expectations were high for the Los Angeles Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles, and New Orleans Saints. Poor starts to the season, however, have resulted in all three teams facing significant fan unrest. It is no coincidence that the head coaches of each team are also on the short list for being fired. The pressure on teams to perform is always there, but falling short of playoff expectations is a surefire way of upsetting fans. The pressure watch will be updated as the season progresses, but unmet expectations will continue to haunt teams across the league.
More NFL News
- Football Obsessions Impact Productivity and Health for Fans
- Buffalo Bills Week 6 Forecast: Win Over the Raiders On Deck
- LWOS Braintrust Week 6 NFL Rankings: Best in the League Rising to the Top
- Bills Week 5 Takeaways: Back in Super Bowl Contention
- NFL Corporate Sponsors for 2026 Include Team, Stadium and Jersey Patch Sponsorships: NFC Look
Main Image: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images