It’s too early to start slotting players and drawing any firm conclusions; let’s see who gets signed and drafted, and who’s starting at quarterback for some of these teams. But I am working my way through the 2016 numbers, collecting data and making some notes. And I see that three offenses were really prone to field goals last year.
The Ravens and Eagles had offenses that finished with 9 more field goal attempts than touchdowns last year. And the Texans finished with an all-time number – 18 more field goal tries than touchdowns, the 3rd-largest number of the last 10 years.
Such a stat, of course, must be taken with a grain of salt. It’s an indication of what happened last year. All three of those teams, no doubt, would like to be more effective in the red zone in 2017.
Pulling out the numbers for the last 10 years, 36 other offenses have finished with a least 8 more field goal attempts than touchdowns (that’s offensive touchdowns, setting aside defenses and kick returns). Of those 36 teams, only 10 came back and finished with 8 more field goal attempts than touchdowns again. (I’ve got them flagged with black dots.) Eight finished with slightly more field goal attempts, while the other half (18 of 36) finished with more touchdowns than field goal tries.
Still, in the fickle world of kickers, I’m guessing Justin Tucker (for sure), Nick Novak and Caleb Sturgis will all be in my top 10 for 2017.
| MORE FGA THAN TOUCHDOWNS (2006-2016) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | FGA | TD | Diff | Next |
| 2011 | San Francisco | 52 | 32 | 20 | 42 41 1 |
| 2008 | Cleveland | 36 | 17 | 19 | 25 21 4 |
| 2016 | Houston | 41 | 23 | 18 | ? ? ? |
| 2012 | Kansas City | 34 | 17 | 17 | 28 41 -13 |
| 2008 | • St. Louis | 36 | 19 | 17 | 24 16 8 |
| 2010 | • Miami | 41 | 25 | 16 | 39 31 8 |
| 2007 | NY Jets | 36 | 21 | 15 | 29 42 -13 |
| 2013 | Baltimore | 41 | 26 | 15 | 34 43 -9 |
| 2011 | Washington | 41 | 27 | 14 | 30 48 -18 |
| 2010 | Carolina | 29 | 16 | 13 | 28 47 -19 |
| 2007 | Tennessee | 39 | 26 | 13 | 33 37 -4 |
| 2006 | Miami | 36 | 23 | 13 | 23 26 -3 |
| 2006 | Oakland | 25 | 12 | 13 | 32 28 4 |
| 2014 | NY Jets | 39 | 27 | 12 | 33 44 -11 |
| 2011 | St. Louis | 28 | 16 | 12 | 31 27 4 |
| 2009 | Oakland | 29 | 17 | 12 | 41 37 4 |
| 2010 | • St. Louis | 39 | 27 | 12 | 28 16 12 |
| 2011 | • Kansas City | 30 | 18 | 12 | 34 17 17 |
| 2015 | • Baltimore | 40 | 29 | 11 | 39 30 9 |
| 2013 | • NY Jets | 36 | 25 | 11 | 39 27 12 |
| 2009 | Buffalo | 33 | 23 | 10 | 21 30 -9 |
| 2007 | Chicago | 36 | 26 | 10 | 29 36 -7 |
| 2008 | Washington | 36 | 26 | 10 | 25 29 -4 |
| 2007 | Atlanta | 34 | 25 | 9 | 31 40 -9 |
| 2016 | Baltimore | 39 | 30 | 9 | ? ? ? |
| 2016 | Philadelphia | 41 | 32 | 9 | ? ? ? |
| 2013 | Houston | 35 | 26 | 9 | 35 34 1 |
| 2011 | Cleveland | 29 | 20 | 9 | 31 28 3 |
| 2015 | Dallas | 32 | 24 | 8 | 32 49 -17 |
| 2014 | Buffalo | 38 | 30 | 8 | 27 42 -15 |
| 2006 | Arizona | 37 | 29 | 8 | 30 42 -12 |
| 2006 | Green Bay | 35 | 27 | 8 | 39 43 -4 |
| 2008 | Cincinnati | 25 | 17 | 8 | 28 30 -2 |
| 2007 | Baltimore | 32 | 24 | 8 | 35 36 -1 |
| 2011 | Miami | 39 | 31 | 8 | 30 28 2 |
| 2008 | • Buffalo | 38 | 30 | 8 | 33 23 10 |
| 2009 | • St. Louis | 24 | 16 | 8 | 39 27 12 |
| 2008 | • Oakland | 30 | 22 | 8 | 29 17 12 |
| 2007 | • St. Louis | 32 | 24 | 8 | 36 19 17 |
—Ian Allan

