With Portland on defense and leading 14-7, they intercepted a Bangor pass and returned it for a touchdown.

The box score recorded a pick-six.

But the film revealed something more.

During the return, Portland’s #5 delivered an outstanding block that helped spring the interception returner for the touchdown.

It was the kind of play that coaches recognize immediately when watching film – even if it doesn’t appear in the traditional statistics.

So how much did that block matter?

Here’s where analytics add another layer to the story.

Before the play, Portland had a 70% chance of winning winning the game.

If the interception returner had been tackled at the Bangor 30-yard line, Portland’s win probability would have increased to around 84%.

But the return went for a touchdown, increasing Portland’s win probability to 91%.

Overall there was a +21% win probability swing on the play.

• +14% from the interception and resulting field position.

• +7% from turning the interception into a touchdown – this additional value was, primarily, the result of the block by #5.

The Full Picture

Stats tell us WHAT happened. An interception returned for a touchdown.

Film shows us HOW it happened. An outstanding block helped create the touchdown.

Analytics help us understand THE IMPACT. The block was worth an additional +7% in win probability.

None of these perspectives replaces the others.

Together, they give coaches a more complete understanding of the game.

And that’s where analytics become especially useful: helping helping coaches identify, understand, and prepare for the moments that shape outcomes.

If there’s a game situation where you’d like to see what better context looks like, I’d be happy to take a look.

Varsity AI | Game Strategy & Decision Intelligence