Factoid
We’re a quarter of the way through the season, so we’re far enough in that we can start looking at some overall numbers. And the shift from run to pass that we’ve seen in recent years is continuing.
Some quarterbacks have underachieved or been disappointments – Rodgers, Stafford, Newton and even Brady and Brees in varying degrees. But others are playing much better than expected, most notably Matt Ryan and Andy Dalton.
Overall, teams are averaging 258 passing yards per game. That’s the most in league history. If this holds up, it will be the 4th year in a row that passing yards league-wide set an all-time record.
Teams are also on pace to average 23.9 TD passes – the most ever.
Scoring is up. Teams are averaging 23.7 points, the most ever.
Rushing production, meanwhile, is trending downwards. Teams are averaging only 111 rushing yards per game, which is the fewest ever – down 6 from last year. And teams are on pace to average only 12.3 TD runs, which I think will be the 2nd-fewest since the 1970 merger.
The charts below show how the 2012 numbers project to compare with the last 10 years.
POINTS PER GAME, 2002-2012
Year Points
2012 23.7
2011 22.2
2010 22.0
2008 22.0
2007 21.7
2002 21.7
2004 21.5
2009 21.5
2003 20.8
2006 20.7
2005 20.6
PASSING YARDS PER GAME, 2002-2012
Year Yards
2012 258.0
2011 244.8
2010 236.3
2009 232.3
2007 228.3
2002 227.0
2004 225.3
2008 224.2
2006 219.3
2005 218.2
2003 213.8
AVERAGE TD PASSES (PER SEASON), 2002-2012
Year TDP
2012 23.9
2010 23.5
2011 23.3
2004 22.9
2007 22.5
2009 22.2
2002 21.7
2003 20.4
2006 20.3
2008 20.2
2005 20.1
RUSHING YARDS PER GAME, 2002-2012
Year Yards
2003 117.9
2006 117.3
2011 117.1
2009 116.7
2004 116.6
2002 116.1
2008 116.0
2010 114.5
2005 112.5
2007 110.9
2012 110.0
AVERAGE TD RUNS (PER SEASON), 2002-2012
Year TDR
2008 14.9
2002 14.4
2005 13.5
2009 13.4
2003 13.3
2006 13.3
2004 13.0
2011 12.5
2010 12.5
2012 12.3
2007 12.1
—Ian Allan
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Posted by JEFF FOSTER | Oct. 05 at 08:03 PM
Wonderng if u considered that passng is always up in frst part of season until the weather turns bad?..perhaps by week 13 they will level off and not improve over last year?...patriots seem more commited to the run than in recent years, for example..just a thought....