Chip Kelly said before the season that he wasn’t too worried about time of possession. It’s plays, not time, that’s important, he said. He wanted an offense firing off lots of plays.
Looks like he was right. The Eagles ranked last in time of possession, down at only 26:24 per game (out of 60 minutes) yet Philadelphia won the NFC East anyway.
This is rare. In the last 10 years, 29 teams have finished under 28 minutes in time of possession. Only one of those other teams made the playoffs – the 2009 Colts. All but five of those teams finished with losing records.
UNDER 28 MINUTES TIME OF POSSESSION | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | Time | Win | Loss |
2010 | Tennessee | 25:54 | 6 | 10 |
2011 | Indianapolis | 26:13 | 2 | 14 |
2010 | Arizona | 26:14 | 5 | 11 |
2013 | Philadelphia | 26:24 | 10 | 6 |
2008 | Seattle | 26:30 | 4 | 12 |
2005 | NY Jets | 26:37 | 4 | 12 |
2004 | Oakland | 26:47 | 5 | 11 |
2007 | San Francisco | 26:51 | 5 | 11 |
2008 | Detroit | 26:59 | 0 | 16 |
2006 | Tennessee | 27:17 | 8 | 8 |
2005 | San Francisco | 27:18 | 4 | 12 |
2012 | Tennessee | 27:18 | 6 | 10 |
2013 | Jacksonville | 27:22 | 4 | 12 |
2010 | Carolina | 27:24 | 2 | 14 |
2005 | Miami | 27:25 | 9 | 7 |
2012 | Jacksonville | 27:29 | 2 | 14 |
2009 | Seattle | 27:31 | 5 | 11 |
2007 | Detroit | 27:33 | 7 | 9 |
2008 | Cleveland | 27:33 | 4 | 12 |
2010 | Seattle | 27:33 | 7 | 9 |
2009 | Kansas City | 27:37 | 4 | 12 |
2009 | Indianapolis | 27:40 | 14 | 2 |
2010 | Buffalo | 27:40 | 4 | 12 |
2006 | Detroit | 27:41 | 3 | 13 |
2009 | Buffalo | 27:50 | 6 | 10 |
2011 | Tennessee | 27:52 | 9 | 7 |
2010 | Cleveland | 27:55 | 5 | 11 |
2008 | Kansas City | 27:56 | 2 | 14 |
2012 | Cleveland | 27:59 | 5 | 11 |
—Ian Allan