I will have an eye on the Houston Texans this week. I want to see if Tom Savage can help pump some life into that offense. And I also want to see if that franchise can complete an unusual feat that will probably never be repeated.
Houston has clinched the AFC South title. Yet the offense has scored a league-low 21 touchdowns. That’s 2 fewer than the Rams, and 4 fewer than every other NFL team – Browns, Jets, all of them.
That’s weird. Normally when you’re not scoring touchdowns, that means you’re also not winning games. You can’t win without scoring points.
I pulled up the numbers since 1978. Only two other teams have ranked last in offensive touchdowns (rushing and passing) and finished with .500 records. The Cardinals in 1994 and the Chargers in 1999. The Bills have twice managed to go 7-9 while finishing last in touchdowns.
But typically a lack of touchdowns means you’re losing a bunch of games.
Houston has been able to turn logic on its head and win games without touchdowns.
OFFENSES RANKING LAST IN TOUCHDOWNS | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | Run | Pass | Tot | Record |
1978 | San Francisco | 14 | 9 | 23 | 2-14-0 |
1979 | Buffalo | 11 | 14 | 25 | 7-9-0 |
1979 | Detroit | 11 | 14 | 25 | 2-14-0 |
1980 | Cincinnati | 9 | 17 | 26 | 6-10-0 |
1981 | New Orleans | 16 | 8 | 24 | 4-12-0 |
1982 | Balt. Colts | 4 | 6 | 10 | 0-8-1 |
1983 | N.Y. Giants | 9 | 12 | 21 | 3-12-1 |
1984 | Cleveland | 10 | 14 | 24 | 5-11-0 |
1985 | Buffalo | 13 | 9 | 22 | 2-14-0 |
1986 | St.L. Cardinals | 8 | 17 | 25 | 4-11-1 |
1986 | Tampa Bay | 12 | 13 | 25 | 2-14-0 |
1987 | Atlanta | 5 | 17 | 22 | 3-12-0 |
1988 | Detroit | 7 | 13 | 20 | 4-12-0 |
1989 | Dallas | 7 | 14 | 21 | 1-15-0 |
1990 | New England | 4 | 14 | 18 | 1-15-0 |
1991 | Indianapolis | 3 | 10 | 13 | 1-15-0 |
1992 | Seattle | 4 | 9 | 13 | 2-14-0 |
1993 | Indianapolis | 4 | 10 | 14 | 4-12-0 |
1993 | Cincinnati | 3 | 11 | 14 | 3-13-0 |
1994 | Arizona | 12 | 11 | 23 | 8-8-0 |
1994 | Hou. Oilers | 10 | 13 | 23 | 2-14-0 |
1995 | Arizona | 3 | 17 | 20 | 4-12-0 |
1996 | N.Y. Giants | 4 | 14 | 18 | 6-10-0 |
1997 | San Diego | 5 | 12 | 17 | 4-12-0 |
1998 | Philadelphia | 10 | 7 | 17 | 3-13-0 |
1999 | San Diego | 10 | 12 | 22 | 8-8-0 |
2000 | Cleveland | 7 | 9 | 16 | 3-13-0 |
2001 | Carolina | 9 | 12 | 21 | 1-15-0 |
2002 | Hou. Texans | 6 | 11 | 17 | 4-12-0 |
2003 | Detroit | 5 | 17 | 22 | 5-11-0 |
2003 | N.Y. Giants | 6 | 16 | 22 | 4-12-0 |
2004 | Chicago | 10 | 9 | 19 | 5-11-0 |
2005 | San Francisco | 9 | 8 | 17 | 4-12-0 |
2006 | Oakland | 5 | 7 | 12 | 2-14-0 |
2007 | Buffalo | 8 | 12 | 20 | 7-9-0 |
2008 | Cincinnati | 6 | 11 | 17 | 4-11-1 |
2008 | Cleveland | 6 | 11 | 17 | 4-12-0 |
2009 | St.L. Rams | 4 | 12 | 16 | 1-15-0 |
2010 | Carolina | 7 | 9 | 16 | 2-14-0 |
2011 | St.L. Rams | 7 | 9 | 16 | 2-14-0 |
2012 | Kansas City | 9 | 8 | 17 | 2-14-0 |
2013 | Jacksonville | 7 | 16 | 23 | 4-12-0 |
2014 | Jacksonville | 9 | 15 | 24 | 3-13-0 |
2015 | San Francisco | 7 | 16 | 23 | 5-11-0 |
2016 | Hou. Texans | 7 | 14 | 21 | 9-6-0 |
—Ian Allan