2020 NFL season · final
Every upset of 2020, and which were deserved
88 upsets in 2020, 43 of them deserved. The biggest: the Jets beat the Rams 23–20 (Week 15) as 10% underdogs, and got lucky.
An upset is a win by the underdog of the closing betting line. The line says 93 of these 268 games should have gone to the underdog; 88 did. “Deserved” when the winner takes 60% or more of the replays with the same day’s form; “lucky” under 40% (27 of 88).
| # | Game | When | Before kickoff | Replay with same day’s form | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jets 23, Rams 20 | 2020 Week 15 · Dec 20, 2020 | 10% | 21% | Lucky |
| 2 | Bengals 27, Steelers 17 | 2020 Week 15 · Dec 21, 2020 | 14% | 84% | Deserved |
| 3 | Raiders 40, Chiefs 32 | 2020 Week 5 · Oct 11, 2020 | 21% | 87% | Deserved |
| 4 | Giants 17, Seahawks 12 | 2020 Week 13 · Dec 6, 2020 | 21% | 54% | Coin flip |
| 5 | Eagles 25, 49ers 20 | 2020 Week 4 · Oct 4, 2020 | 26% | 13% | Lucky |
| 6 | Dolphins 43, 49ers 17 | 2020 Week 5 · Oct 11, 2020 | 26% | 85% | Deserved |
| 7 | Bengals 31, Titans 20 | 2020 Week 8 · Nov 1, 2020 | 29% | 9% | Lucky |
| 8 | Eagles 24, Saints 21 | 2020 Week 14 · Dec 13, 2020 | 29% | 31% | Lucky |
| 9 | Bengals 37, Texans 31 | 2020 Week 16 · Dec 27, 2020 | 29% | 37% | Lucky |
| 10 | Jaguars 27, Colts 20 | 2020 Week 1 · Sep 13, 2020 | 30% | 31% | Lucky |
| 11 | Patriots 23, Ravens 17 | 2020 Week 10 · Nov 15, 2020 | 30% | 93% | Deserved |
| 12 | Cardinals 24, 49ers 20 | 2020 Week 1 · Sep 13, 2020 | 30% | 26% | Lucky |
| 13 | Broncos 18, Patriots 12 | 2020 Week 6 · Oct 18, 2020 | 30% | 51% | Coin flip |
| 14 | Cowboys 31, Vikings 28 | 2020 Week 11 · Nov 22, 2020 | 30% | 56% | Coin flip |
| 15 | Jets 23, Browns 16 | 2020 Week 16 · Dec 27, 2020 | 32% | 61% | Deserved |
| 16 | Panthers 21, Chargers 16 | 2020 Week 3 · Sep 27, 2020 | 33% | 60% | Deserved |
| 17 | Dolphins 34, Cardinals 31 | 2020 Week 9 · Nov 8, 2020 | 33% | 31% | Lucky |
| 18 | Titans 30, Ravens 24 | 2020 Week 11 · Nov 22, 2020 | 33% | 75% | Deserved |
| 19 | 49ers 20, Cardinals 12 | 2020 Week 16 · Dec 26, 2020 | 33% | 95% | Deserved |
| 20 | Washington 27, Eagles 17 | 2020 Week 1 · Sep 13, 2020 | 34% | 42% | Coin flip |
| 21 | Vikings 28, Packers 22 | 2020 Week 8 · Nov 1, 2020 | 34% | 70% | Deserved |
| 22 | Washington 23, Steelers 17 | 2020 Week 13 · Dec 7, 2020 | 34% | 28% | Lucky |
| 23 | 49ers 23, Rams 20 | 2020 Week 12 · Nov 29, 2020 | 36% | 43% | Coin flip |
| 24 | Browns 48, Steelers 37 | 2020 Wild Card · Jan 10, 2021 | 36% | 52% | Coin flip |
| 25 | Lions 26, Cardinals 23 | 2020 Week 3 · Sep 27, 2020 | 37% | 30% | Lucky |
| 26 | Giants 27, Eagles 17 | 2020 Week 10 · Nov 15, 2020 | 37% | 84% | Deserved |
| 27 | Steelers 28, Ravens 24 | 2020 Week 8 · Nov 1, 2020 | 38% | 37% | Lucky |
| 28 | Rams 27, Buccaneers 24 | 2020 Week 11 · Nov 23, 2020 | 38% | 64% | Deserved |
| 29 | Browns 41, Titans 35 | 2020 Week 13 · Dec 6, 2020 | 38% | 65% | Deserved |
| 30 | Broncos 32, Panthers 27 | 2020 Week 14 · Dec 13, 2020 | 38% | 61% | Deserved |
| 31 | Raiders 34, Saints 24 | 2020 Week 2 · Sep 21, 2020 | 38% | 19% | Lucky |
| 32 | Broncos 20, Dolphins 13 | 2020 Week 11 · Nov 22, 2020 | 38% | 87% | Deserved |
| 33 | Cowboys 41, 49ers 33 | 2020 Week 15 · Dec 20, 2020 | 38% | 18% | Lucky |
| 34 | Bears 20, Buccaneers 19 | 2020 Week 5 · Oct 8, 2020 | 40% | 42% | Coin flip |
| 35 | Cardinals 37, Seahawks 34 | 2020 Week 7 · Oct 25, 2020 | 40% | 14% | Lucky |
| 36 | Dolphins 28, Rams 17 | 2020 Week 8 · Nov 1, 2020 | 40% | 5% | Lucky |
| 37 | Falcons 43, Raiders 6 | 2020 Week 12 · Nov 29, 2020 | 40% | 83% | Deserved |
| 38 | Bills 56, Dolphins 26 | 2020 Week 17 · Jan 3, 2021 | 40% | 95% | Deserved |
| 39 | Packers 37, Saints 30 | 2020 Week 3 · Sep 27, 2020 | 40% | 70% | Deserved |
| 40 | Chiefs 34, Ravens 20 | 2020 Week 3 · Sep 28, 2020 | 40% | 83% | Deserved |
| 41 | Browns 49, Cowboys 38 | 2020 Week 4 · Oct 4, 2020 | 40% | 40% | Coin flip |
| 42 | Vikings 31, Texans 23 | 2020 Week 4 · Oct 4, 2020 | 40% | 88% | Deserved |
| 43 | Falcons 40, Vikings 23 | 2020 Week 6 · Oct 18, 2020 | 40% | 10% | Lucky |
| 44 | Chargers 30, Raiders 27 | 2020 Week 15 · Dec 17, 2020 | 40% | 32% | Lucky |
| 45 | Dolphins 31, Jaguars 13 | 2020 Week 3 · Sep 24, 2020 | 41% | 65% | Deserved |
| 46 | Panthers 31, Cardinals 21 | 2020 Week 4 · Oct 4, 2020 | 41% | 80% | Deserved |
| 47 | Titans 42, Bills 16 | 2020 Week 5 · Oct 13, 2020 | 41% | 50% | Coin flip |
| 48 | Buccaneers 38, Packers 10 | 2020 Week 6 · Oct 18, 2020 | 41% | 83% | Deserved |
| 49 | 49ers 33, Patriots 6 | 2020 Week 7 · Oct 25, 2020 | 41% | 83% | Deserved |
| 50 | Broncos 31, Chargers 30 | 2020 Week 8 · Nov 1, 2020 | 41% | 18% | Lucky |
| 51 | Saints 38, Buccaneers 3 | 2020 Week 9 · Nov 8, 2020 | 41% | 70% | Deserved |
| 52 | Giants 23, Washington 20 | 2020 Week 9 · Nov 8, 2020 | 41% | 30% | Lucky |
| 53 | Bills 44, Seahawks 34 | 2020 Week 9 · Nov 8, 2020 | 41% | 74% | Deserved |
| 54 | Panthers 20, Lions 0 | 2020 Week 11 · Nov 22, 2020 | 41% | 87% | Deserved |
| 55 | Titans 45, Colts 26 | 2020 Week 12 · Nov 29, 2020 | 41% | 87% | Deserved |
| 56 | Lions 34, Bears 30 | 2020 Week 13 · Dec 6, 2020 | 41% | 88% | Deserved |
| 57 | Washington 23, 49ers 15 | 2020 Week 14 · Dec 13, 2020 | 41% | 30% | Lucky |
| 58 | Cowboys 37, Eagles 17 | 2020 Week 16 · Dec 27, 2020 | 41% | 86% | Deserved |
| 59 | Rams 30, Seahawks 20 | 2020 Wild Card · Jan 9, 2021 | 41% | 63% | Deserved |
| 60 | Buccaneers 31, Packers 26 | 2020 NFC Championship · Jan 24, 2021 | 41% | 72% | Deserved |
| 61 | Buccaneers 31, Chiefs 9 | 2020 Super Bowl · Feb 7, 2021 | 41% | 83% | Deserved |
| 62 | Bears 27, Lions 23 | 2020 Week 1 · Sep 13, 2020 | 43% | 26% | Lucky |
| 63 | Bears 30, Falcons 26 | 2020 Week 3 · Sep 27, 2020 | 43% | 18% | Lucky |
| 64 | Panthers 23, Falcons 16 | 2020 Week 5 · Oct 11, 2020 | 43% | 95% | Deserved |
| 65 | Texans 27, Patriots 20 | 2020 Week 11 · Nov 22, 2020 | 43% | 56% | Coin flip |
| 66 | Washington 41, Cowboys 16 | 2020 Week 12 · Nov 26, 2020 | 43% | 68% | Deserved |
| 67 | Patriots 45, Chargers 0 | 2020 Week 13 · Dec 6, 2020 | 43% | 53% | Coin flip |
| 68 | Bears 33, Vikings 27 | 2020 Week 15 · Dec 20, 2020 | 43% | 43% | Coin flip |
| 69 | Buccaneers 30, Saints 20 | 2020 Divisional round · Jan 17, 2021 | 43% | 56% | Coin flip |
| 70 | 49ers 24, Rams 16 | 2020 Week 6 · Oct 18, 2020 | 44% | 55% | Coin flip |
| 71 | Rams 37, Eagles 19 | 2020 Week 2 · Sep 20, 2020 | 44% | 90% | Deserved |
| 72 | Bears 23, Panthers 16 | 2020 Week 6 · Oct 18, 2020 | 44% | 21% | Lucky |
| 73 | Falcons 25, Panthers 17 | 2020 Week 8 · Oct 29, 2020 | 46% | 37% | Lucky |
| 74 | Bills 34, 49ers 24 | 2020 Week 13 · Dec 7, 2020 | 46% | 50% | Coin flip |
| 75 | Dolphins 22, Patriots 12 | 2020 Week 15 · Dec 20, 2020 | 46% | 76% | Deserved |
| 76 | Giants 23, Cowboys 19 | 2020 Week 17 · Jan 3, 2021 | 46% | 52% | Coin flip |
| 77 | Washington 25, Cowboys 3 | 2020 Week 7 · Oct 25, 2020 | 47% | 91% | Deserved |
| 78 | Patriots 20, Cardinals 17 | 2020 Week 12 · Nov 29, 2020 | 47% | 35% | Lucky |
| 79 | Bears 36, Texans 7 | 2020 Week 14 · Dec 13, 2020 | 47% | 88% | Deserved |
| 80 | Steelers 28, Colts 24 | 2020 Week 16 · Dec 27, 2020 | 47% | 53% | Coin flip |
| 81 | Packers 43, Vikings 34 | 2020 Week 1 · Sep 13, 2020 | 47% | 31% | Lucky |
| 82 | Seahawks 38, Falcons 25 | 2020 Week 1 · Sep 13, 2020 | 47% | 34% | Lucky |
| 83 | Broncos 37, Jets 28 | 2020 Week 4 · Oct 1, 2020 | 47% | 88% | Deserved |
| 84 | Cardinals 38, Cowboys 10 | 2020 Week 6 · Oct 19, 2020 | 47% | 85% | Deserved |
| 85 | Lions 23, Falcons 22 | 2020 Week 7 · Oct 25, 2020 | 47% | 79% | Deserved |
| 86 | Steelers 27, Titans 24 | 2020 Week 7 · Oct 25, 2020 | 47% | 63% | Deserved |
| 87 | Raiders 16, Browns 6 | 2020 Week 8 · Nov 1, 2020 | 47% | 82% | Deserved |
| 88 | Ravens 24, Colts 10 | 2020 Week 9 · Nov 8, 2020 | 47% | 46% | Coin flip |
Upsets week by week
| Week | Upsets | Deserved | Games |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 6 | 0 | 16 |
| Week 2 | 2 | 1 | 16 |
| Week 3 | 6 | 4 | 15 |
| Week 4 | 5 | 3 | 15 |
| Week 5 | 5 | 3 | 14 |
| Week 6 | 6 | 2 | 14 |
| Week 7 | 5 | 4 | 14 |
| Week 8 | 7 | 2 | 14 |
| Week 9 | 5 | 2 | 14 |
| Week 10 | 2 | 2 | 14 |
| Week 11 | 6 | 4 | 14 |
| Week 12 | 5 | 3 | 16 |
| Week 13 | 6 | 2 | 15 |
| Week 14 | 4 | 2 | 16 |
| Week 15 | 6 | 2 | 16 |
| Week 16 | 5 | 3 | 16 |
| Week 17 | 2 | 1 | 16 |
| Wild Card | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| Divisional round | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Conference championships | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Super Bowl | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Other seasons: 2026 · 2025 · 2024 · 2023 · 2022 · 2021 · 2019
The biggest upsets since 2019 · 2020 luck rankings · Do unlucky teams cover the spread?