Cleveland led the league in pass attempts last year. It not only attempted more passes than everyone else, but if you include sacks, the Browns finished with the 3rd-most pass plays in league history.
Trailed only the 2012 Lions and the 1981 Vikings. (I didn’t see that coming – 1981 Vikings – I wouldn’t have guessed they would be in the top 200).
This won’t be repeated of course. New coaching staff, new offense, new quarterback. But something to keep in mind with guys like Josh Gordon and Jordan Cameron. If the team averages 40-50 fewer passing yards this year, and maybe a half-dozen fewer touchdown passes, how are those guys suppose to come anywhere close to what they did last year?
Here be the 25 teams that over the years have attempted at least 40 passes per game. This is from the 16-game schedules only. Not sure if a 9-game team from 1982 would have slipped in there, or maybe somebody from the 15-game slate in 1987 that included three weeks of replacement players.
I’ve got them ordered by total play plays (regular attempts plus sacks).
| TEAMS ATTEMPTING 40-PLUS PASSES PER GAME | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | Att | Sacks | Plays |
| 2012 | Detroit | 46.3 | 1.8 | 48.1 |
| 1981 | Minnesota | 44.3 | 1.8 | 46.1 |
| 2013 | Cleveland | 42.6 | 3.1 | 45.6 |
| 1999 | Chicago | 42.8 | 2.4 | 45.1 |
| 1994 | New England | 43.7 | 1.4 | 45.1 |
| 2005 | Arizona | 41.9 | 2.8 | 44.7 |
| 1995 | New England | 42.9 | 1.7 | 44.6 |
| 1994 | Minnesota | 42.1 | 1.9 | 44.0 |
| 2013 | Atlanta | 41.2 | 2.8 | 43.9 |
| 2011 | Detroit | 41.6 | 2.3 | 43.9 |
| 1984 | San Diego | 41.4 | 2.3 | 43.6 |
| 2012 | New Orleans | 41.9 | 1.6 | 43.6 |
| 2013 | Denver | 42.2 | 1.3 | 43.4 |
| 2010 | Indianapolis | 42.4 | 1.0 | 43.4 |
| 2012 | Dallas | 41.1 | 2.3 | 43.4 |
| 1991 | Houston | 41.7 | 1.5 | 43.2 |
| 2013 | New Orleans | 40.7 | 2.3 | 43.0 |
| 2010 | New Orleans | 41.3 | 1.6 | 42.9 |
| 1983 | Kansas City | 40.1 | 2.9 | 42.9 |
| 2011 | New Orleans | 41.4 | 1.5 | 42.9 |
| 1995 | Minnesota | 40.1 | 2.5 | 42.6 |
| 1995 | San Francisco | 40.3 | 2.1 | 42.3 |
| 2012 | New England | 40.1 | 1.7 | 41.8 |
| 2007 | New Orleans | 40.8 | 1.0 | 41.8 |
| 1986 | Miami | 40.3 | 1.1 | 41.4 |
—Ian Allan