Teams aren’t turning over the ball like they have in the past. The way rules have been changed, it’s not as easy for defenses to force fumbles and interceptions.
It shows up in the numbers. There are offenses nowadays that almost never turn the ball over – like Tom Brady throwing only 2 interceptions in his 12 regular-season games.
Five different offenses last year averaged under a turnover per game, with the two Super Bowl teams leading the way.
In the previous 16 seasons of this century, only 18 other offenses averaged under a turnover per game (with most of those groups coming in recent years).
Note, by the way, that the Bills last year became the first team in 14 years to average under a turnover per game and not make the playoffs (this happened with both Jacksonville and Kansas City in 2002).
| FEWEST TURNOVERS IN THIS CENTURY | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Team | Int | Fum | Total |
| 2011 | San Francisco | 5 | 5 | 10 |
| 2010 | New England | 5 | 5 | 10 |
| 2016 | Atlanta | 7 | 4 | 11 |
| 2016 | New England | 2 | 9 | 11 |
| 2016 | Buffalo | 7 | 5 | 12 |
| 2014 | Green Bay | 6 | 7 | 13 |
| 2014 | New England | 9 | 4 | 13 |
| 2008 | Miami | 7 | 6 | 13 |
| 2008 | NY Giants | 10 | 3 | 13 |
| 2016 | Oakland | 7 | 7 | 14 |
| 2015 | New England | 7 | 7 | 14 |
| 2014 | Seattle | 7 | 7 | 14 |
| 2013 | Indianapolis | 10 | 4 | 14 |
| 2012 | Washington | 8 | 6 | 14 |
| 2011 | Green Bay | 8 | 6 | 14 |
| 2010 | Kansas City | 8 | 6 | 14 |
| 2016 | Dallas | 6 | 9 | 15 |
| 2016 | Detroit | 10 | 5 | 15 |
| 2015 | Kansas City | 7 | 8 | 15 |
| 2007 | New England | 9 | 6 | 15 |
| 2006 | San Diego | 9 | 6 | 15 |
| 2002 | Jacksonville | 9 | 6 | 15 |
| 2002 | Kansas City | 13 | 2 | 15 |
Gone, it seems, are the days of offenses consistently handing the ball over on turnovers. The worst turnover offenses last year were the Chargers (35), Jets (34) and Bears (31). But in the first 16 seasons of this century (2000-15) there were 58 offenses that turned the ball over more often.
—Ian Allan