Factoid
Teams have been putting up crazy good passing numbers this year. Why, I’m not exactly sure. They’ve changed some rules, making it harder for defenses to tackle and to intimidate. It’s harder to cover receivers now, and it’s difficult to take down quarterbacks without getting flagged.
Or maybe offenses are just progressing. More colleges are using spread-type offenses, so maybe quarterbacks and receivers are simply better prepared for that kind of ball.
Regardless, we’re seeing better passing production than ever before.
Below see a couple of charts showing how the top teams this year (as we near the halfway point of the season) project to rank among the best offenses of the last 10 years.
The first chart shows passing yards, and the top 3 teams are all from 2011. These are net yards (the yards for sacks have been eliminated). And it makes it look pretty likely that multiple quarterbacks might get past Dan Marino’s single-season record for yards this year. (I’ll put up individual stats next week, so we can see exactly where Brees, Brady and Rodgers are – the numbers below are net, not gross, so the individual numbers for those guys will actually be higher).
PASSING YARDS PER GAME, 2001-2011
Yards Year
326.8 2011 New Orleans
324.7 2011 New England
323.4 2011 Green Bay
311.1 2008 New Orleans
295.7 2007 New England
292.1 2008 Arizona
291.4 2001 St. Louis
290.9 2009 Houston
288.9 2004 Indianapolis
288.1 2010 Indianapolis
287.6 2011 NY Giants
285.5 2011 Carolina
283.4 2011 San Diego
282.4 2010 San Diego
282.3 2004 Minnesota
282.2 2009 Indianapolis
281.4 2006 New Orleans
279.7 2002 Oakland
279.6 2011 Dallas
279.4 2008 Denver
277.6 2004 Green Bay
277.6 2010 New Orleans
277.3 2005 Arizona
277.3 2009 New England
275.4 2004 Kansas City
273.4 2011 Pittsburgh
272.2 2009 New Orleans
271.1 2009 San Diego
270.9 2007 Green Bay
269.6 2007 New Orleans
269.4 2011 Philadelphia
269.3 2006 Indianapolis
267.9 2009 Dallas
266.7 2008 Houston
265.8 2004 St. Louis
261.3 2009 Green Bay
261.2 2003 Indianapolis
260.6 2011 Detroit
259.8 2009 Minnesota
259.6 2002 St. Louis
TEAMS WITH MOST TD PASSES, 2001-2011
Stats for 2011 are projected totals.
TD Int Year
51 10 2004 Indianapolis
50 9 2007 New England
45.7 9.1 2011 Green Bay
41.1 18.3 2011 New England
39 12 2004 Minnesota
38.0 20.0 2011 New Orleans
38.0 8.0 2011 Detroit
37 22 2001 St. Louis
37 5 2010 New England
36 19 2004 Green Bay
36 19 2007 Dallas
34 18 2008 New Orleans
34 19 2009 Indianapolis
34 12 2009 New Orleans
34 7 2009 Minnesota
34 11 2008 San Diego
34 14 2007 Pittsburgh
33 17 2010 Indianapolis
33 22 2010 New Orleans
32 24 2007 Arizona
32 14 2007 Indianapolis
32 11 2004 Philadelphia
32 13 2003 Minnesota
32.0 18.3 2011 Buffalo
32 14 2005 Cincinnati
32 15 2001 Green Bay
32 12 2001 San Francisco
32 21 2003 Green Bay
31 15 2008 Arizona
31 9 2006 Indianapolis
31 13 2010 Green Bay
31 9 2006 Philadelphia
31 11 2005 Indianapolis
31 25 2010 NY Giants
30 13 2010 San Diego
30 15 2007 Green Bay
30 8 2009 Green Bay
30 13 2007 Seattle
30 9 2003 Tennessee
29.7 11.4 2011 NY Giants
29 17 2009 Houston
29 10 2009 San Diego
29 10 2003 Indianapolis
29 19 2010 Dallas
29 20 2008 Dallas
29 20 2007 Cleveland
29 15 2004 Carolina
29 16 2002 Green Bay
29 14 2004 New England
29 8 2004 San Diego
28 13 2009 New England
28.0 14.0 2011 Pittsburgh
28 18 2007 New Orleans
28 14 2009 Pittsburgh
28 15 2005 New England
28 14 2009 NY Giants
28 13 2010 Philadelphia
28 13 2006 Cincinnati
28 13 2008 Green Bay
28 14 2002 New England
28 9 2010 Atlanta
28 8 2007 Jacksonville
27.4 20.6 2011 Dallas
27.4 13.7 2011 NY Jets
27.4 18.3 2011 Denver
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