MPR: how good is the team?
Matrix Power Rating is the neutral-field strength layer. It is designed to let teams be compared before their specific schedule is applied.
Apply the schedule
Opponent strength, venue and timing change the season path. A highly rated team can still face a difficult projected record if the schedule is unusually demanding.
Projected Wins: what record should it earn?
Projected Wins combines strength with the schedule layer. That is why MPR rank and projected-wins rank do not need to match.
Why the separation matters
Keeping strength separate from path makes model changes easier to understand. A team can improve without its schedule becoming easier, and a projected-win change can be traced back to either a strength update or the path around it.
