Fantasy Index

Factoid

Miami

Dolphins had lowest percentage of 3-and-out drives last year

We don’t generally think of the Dolphins as having one of the top offenses of last year. (And that’s fair, because they didn’t score enough points, gain enough yards or win enough games.) But with a lot of stats rolling by me over the few weeks, and there’s one area where Miami was surprisingly good.

Consider three-and-out drives – the number of times a team has to punt after three plays. In this area, Miami had the No. 1 offense in the entire league last year – and the 2nd-best offense of the last four years.

This is unusual, because normally this kind of offense is piling up more yards and points – and thus, winning more games. Most of these kind of teams tend to be winning their divisions and going to the playoffs. Miami went only 8-8 last year.

Last season, by the way, was a good one for offenses. Of the top 15 offenses (at avoiding three-and-out series), seven of them came from 2014.

LOWEST PERCENTAGE OF 3-AND-OUT DRIVES (since 2011)
YearTeamDrives3&outPct
2012New England (12-4-0)18623.124
2014Miami (8-8-0)18123.127
2011New Orleans (13-3-0)17523.131
2011San Diego (8-8-0)17223.134
2014Green Bay (12-4-0)16923.136
2013San Diego (9-7-0)16723.138
2011Green Bay (15-1-0)18127.149
2011Philadelphia (8-8-0)19029.153
2013Denver (13-3-0)20231.153
2011New England (13-3-0)18028.156
2014Dallas (12-4-0)17928.156
2014New Orleans (7-9-0)17428.161
2014Pittsburgh (11-5-0)17428.161
2014Baltimore (10-6-0)18230.165
2014Seattle (12-4-0)17530.171
2012Green Bay (11-5-0)18632.172
2012Dallas (8-8-0)18031.172
2011Dallas (8-8-0)18532.173
2011Washington (5-11-0)18833.176
2012NY Giants (9-7-0)17631.176
2012Seattle (11-5-0)17030.176

At the other end of these 128 teams, by the way, are the Raiders from last year. Over a third of their series in 2014 were of the three-and-out variety.

Two other teams from 2014 finished in the bottom 20 – Cleveland and Tampa Bay.

HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF 3-AND-OUT DRIVES (since 2011)
YearTeamDrives3&outPct
2014Oakland (3-13-0)19871.359
2011Indianapolis (2-14-0)18660.323
2012Arizona (5-11-0)20965.311
2013Jacksonville (4-12-0)19560.308
2011Denver (8-8-0)20462.304
2011Chicago (8-8-0)19960.302
2012San Diego (7-9-0)18053.294
2013NY Jets (8-8-0)19657.291
2013NY Giants (7-9-0)20459.289
2012Jacksonville (2-14-0)19656.286
2011NY Jets (8-8-0)20358.286
2011Jacksonville (5-11-0)19455.284
2013St. Louis (7-9-0)18452.283
2011St. Louis (2-14-0)19655.281
2014Cleveland (7-9-0)19354.280
2012Oakland (4-12-0)18851.271
2013Baltimore (8-8-0)20756.271
2011Kansas City (7-9-0)18951.270
2011Cincinnati (9-7-0)19753.269
2014Tampa Bay (2-14-0)18048.267

—Ian Allan

Fantasy Index