Factoid
We may be getting to the point where the 300-yard passing day is more common than the 100-yard rusher. That’s where things seem to be headed.
The numbers since the league went to the 16-game schedule in 1978 appear below. And they’ve been massaged to account for their being fewer teams in the ‘80s and only 9 games in 1982 and 15 games in 1987.
Back in 1978, there were 92 100-yard rushers (individuals going for 100-plus yards) and only 15 quarterbacks throwing for 300 – an average of about one per week for the entire league.
But look at last year. 131 100-yard rushers (that’s 4.1 per team season) but 121 300-yard passers (3.8).
We may see passers edge by rushers before long. That’s what the rule makers in the league office seem to want.
The below chart appears in a more graphically appealing format at our Facebook page.
100-YARD RUSHERS VS. 300-YARD PASSERS
Since move to 16-game schedule in 1978:
Year Run Pass
1978 3.3 0.5
1979 3.5 1.6
1980 3.2 1.9
1981 3.4 2.0
1982 3.6 2.7
1983 4.3 2.4
1984 3.5 2.5
1985 4.3 2.4
1986 3.3 2.2
1987 3.0 2.2
1988 3.3 1.9
1989 2.6 2.3
1990 2.6 1.5
1991 2.8 2.0
1992 3.3 1.5
1993 3.1 1.3
1994 2.9 2.3
1995 3.4 2.7
1996 3.4 1.7
1997 4.0 1.5
1998 4.8 1.7
1999 3.5 2.3
2000 3.8 2.1
2001 4.0 2.3
2002 4.3 2.5
2003 4.7 1.9
2004 5.6 2.5
2005 4.3 2.0
2006 5.0 2.0
2007 4.4 2.5
2008 4.1 2.4
2009 3.6 3.3
2010 3.9 3.0
2011 4.1 3.8
—Ian Allan
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