Guys like Peyton Manning and Drew Brees have taken advantage of rules changes to put up numbers never seen before. On the other side of the coin, that also means defenses are getting pushed around unlike anything we've ever seen. Ian Allan explains.
This year, four different teams gave up over 400 yards per game. That's rushing and passing production, but not including yards lost on sacks. It's a lot of yards.
Seeing a defense give up 400 yards used to be rare. It happened only once during all of the '90s. Now it's happened to four teams for the second time in three years.
In a 16-game season, it's happened only 26 times. Half of those 26, however, have come in the last five years. It's just the direction the game is headed.
Teams Allowing 400 Yards Per Game | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | Run | Pass | Total |
2012 | New Orleans | 147.5625 | 304.6875 | 452.25 |
1981 | Balt. Colts | 166.5625 | 264.25 | 430.8125 |
2013 | Dallas | 128.5 | 302.1875 | 430.6875 |
2011 | New England | 117.125 | 311.0625 | 428.1875 |
2011 | Green Bay | 111.8125 | 311.75 | 423.5625 |
1983 | Green Bay | 165.0625 | 252.0625 | 417.125 |
2008 | Detroit | 172.125 | 244.1875 | 416.3125 |
2013 | Minnesota | 110.4375 | 304.5 | 414.9375 |
1995 | Cincinnati | 131.5 | 282 | 413.5 |
2013 | Philadelphia | 104.4375 | 306.6875 | 411.125 |
1985 | San Diego | 123.25 | 287.3125 | 410.5625 |
2000 | Seattle | 153.375 | 255.5625 | 408.9375 |
1984 | Minnesota | 160.8125 | 247.125 | 407.9375 |
1981 | San Diego | 114.0625 | 293.4375 | 407.5 |
2013 | Chicago | 161.4375 | 244.9375 | 406.375 |
1986 | Tampa Bay | 165.5 | 239.875 | 405.375 |
1985 | Hou. Oilers | 175.875 | 228.375 | 404.25 |
2009 | Cleveland | 144.625 | 259.3125 | 403.9375 |
2002 | Kansas City | 129.1875 | 274.75 | 403.9375 |
2011 | Tampa Bay | 156.0625 | 247.625 | 403.6875 |
2005 | San Francisco | 114.5 | 288.75 | 403.25 |
1980 | New Orleans | 194.125 | 208.8125 | 402.9375 |
2011 | Oakland | 136.125 | 266.375 | 402.5 |
2009 | Detroit | 126.5625 | 274.9375 | 401.5 |
2010 | Denver | 154.5625 | 246 | 400.5625 |
2010 | Washington | 127.5625 | 272.6875 | 400.25 |
--Ian Allan