The Patriots and Eagles host playoff games this weekend. They put up the best passing numbers in the just-completed season. But neither put up what you would call special numbers.
Using standard fantasy scoring (4 points for TD passes and 1 point for every 20 yards) neither one of these teams finished with the kind of production you would typically expect from a league leader.
In comparison to other teams of the last 10 years (and there have been 320 of them), the Patriots ranked only 35th in passing production, while the Eagles closed at 47th after Carson Wentz missed the final three games.
TOP 50 PASSING SEASONS OF LAST 10 YEARS | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | Pct | Yards | TD | Int | Points |
2013 | Denver Broncos | 68% | 5,572 | 55 | 10 | 498.6 |
2011 | Green Bay Packers | 68% | 5,161 | 51 | 8 | 462.1 |
2011 | New Orleans Saints | 71% | 5,505 | 46 | 14 | 459.3 |
2012 | New Orleans Saints | 63% | 5,187 | 43 | 19 | 431.4 |
2011 | New England Patriots | 66% | 5,257 | 39 | 12 | 418.9 |
2011 | Detroit Lions | 64% | 5,071 | 41 | 16 | 417.6 |
2016 | New Orleans Saints | 70% | 5,258 | 38 | 15 | 414.9 |
2013 | New Orleans Saints | 69% | 5,162 | 39 | 12 | 414.1 |
2014 | Indianapolis Colts | 62% | 4,894 | 42 | 16 | 412.7 |
2016 | Atlanta Falcons | 70% | 4,960 | 38 | 7 | 400.0 |
2014 | Denver Broncos | 66% | 4,661 | 40 | 15 | 393.1 |
2008 | New Orleans Saints | 65% | 5,069 | 34 | 18 | 389.5 |
2015 | New Orleans Saints | 69% | 5,205 | 32 | 12 | 388.3 |
2015 | New England Patriots | 64% | 4,812 | 36 | 7 | 384.6 |
2016 | Green Bay Packers | 65% | 4,445 | 40 | 8 | 382.3 |
2012 | Denver Broncos | 68% | 4,671 | 37 | 11 | 381.6 |
2015 | Arizona Cardinals | 63% | 4,775 | 35 | 13 | 378.8 |
2012 | New England Patriots | 63% | 4,844 | 34 | 9 | 378.2 |
2012 | Green Bay Packers | 67% | 4,342 | 40 | 8 | 377.1 |
2014 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 67% | 4,825 | 33 | 10 | 373.3 |
2014 | New Orleans Saints | 69% | 4,764 | 33 | 17 | 370.2 |
2015 | New York Giants | 63% | 4,500 | 36 | 14 | 369.0 |
2008 | Arizona Cardinals | 66% | 4,875 | 31 | 15 | 367.8 |
2010 | Indianapolis Colts | 66% | 4,700 | 33 | 17 | 367.0 |
2009 | Indianapolis Colts | 67% | 4,605 | 34 | 19 | 366.3 |
2012 | Dallas Cowboys | 66% | 4,992 | 29 | 19 | 365.6 |
2014 | Green Bay Packers | 65% | 4,261 | 38 | 6 | 365.1 |
2012 | Atlanta Falcons | 69% | 4,719 | 32 | 14 | 364.0 |
2010 | New Orleans Saints | 68% | 4,636 | 33 | 22 | 363.8 |
2015 | San Diego Chargers | 66% | 4,855 | 30 | 13 | 362.8 |
2011 | New York Giants | 61% | 4,933 | 29 | 16 | 362.7 |
2015 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 58% | 4,428 | 35 | 18 | 361.4 |
2009 | New Orleans Saints | 69% | 4,490 | 34 | 12 | 360.5 |
2017 | New England Patriots | 66% | 4,619 | 32 | 8 | 359.0 |
2010 | San Diego Chargers | 66% | 4,746 | 30 | 13 | 357.3 |
2009 | Houston Texans | 67% | 4,803 | 29 | 17 | 356.2 |
2009 | Minnesota Vikings | 68% | 4,403 | 34 | 7 | 356.2 |
2015 | Detroit Lions | 66% | 4,463 | 33 | 14 | 355.2 |
2011 | Dallas Cowboys | 66% | 4,453 | 33 | 12 | 354.7 |
2016 | Indianapolis Colts | 63% | 4,491 | 32 | 15 | 352.6 |
2013 | San Diego Chargers | 69% | 4,478 | 32 | 11 | 351.9 |
2016 | San Diego Chargers | 60% | 4,386 | 33 | 21 | 351.3 |
2016 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 64% | 4,377 | 33 | 15 | 350.9 |
2016 | New England Patriots | 67% | 4,456 | 32 | 2 | 350.8 |
2013 | Chicago Bears | 64% | 4,450 | 32 | 13 | 350.5 |
2017 | Philadelphia Eagles | 60% | 3,967 | 38 | 9 | 350.4 |
2010 | New England Patriots | 65% | 4,022 | 37 | 5 | 349.1 |
2013 | Detroit Lions | 59% | 4,650 | 29 | 19 | 348.5 |
2013 | Philadelphia Eagles | 61% | 4,406 | 32 | 9 | 348.3 |
2013 | Cincinnati Bengals | 62% | 4,321 | 33 | 20 | 348.1 |
The 2017 season was more heavily represented at the other end of that 320-team scale, with four teams in the bottom 50.
That includes the Tennessee Titans, who will play against the previously mentioned Patriots on Saturday.
WORST 50 PASSING SEASONS OF LAST 10 YEARS | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | Pct | Yards | TD | Int | Points |
2009 | Cleveland Browns | 49% | 2,255 | 11 | 18 | 156.8 |
2010 | Carolina Panthers | 53% | 2,635 | 9 | 21 | 167.8 |
2008 | Cleveland Browns | 49% | 2,537 | 11 | 20 | 170.9 |
2011 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 51% | 2,510 | 12 | 15 | 173.5 |
2009 | New York Jets | 53% | 2,596 | 12 | 21 | 177.8 |
2008 | Cincinnati Bengals | 59% | 2,677 | 11 | 15 | 177.9 |
2012 | Kansas City | 57% | 2,937 | 8 | 20 | 178.9 |
2009 | Oakland Raiders | 53% | 2,875 | 10 | 18 | 183.8 |
2008 | Oakland Raiders | 53% | 2,639 | 13 | 11 | 184.0 |
2015 | St. Louis Rams | 58% | 2,931 | 11 | 11 | 190.6 |
2009 | St. Louis Rams | 57% | 2,970 | 12 | 21 | 196.5 |
2008 | Tennessee Titans | 58% | 2,902 | 13 | 9 | 197.1 |
2011 | St. Louis Rams | 53% | 3,258 | 9 | 10 | 198.9 |
2010 | Arizona Cardinals | 51% | 3,264 | 10 | 19 | 203.2 |
2017 | Chicago Bears | 62% | 3,085 | 13 | 12 | 206.3 |
2008 | St. Louis Rams | 56% | 3,268 | 11 | 19 | 207.4 |
2009 | Buffalo Bills | 58% | 2,789 | 17 | 19 | 207.5 |
2014 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 58% | 3,001 | 15 | 18 | 210.1 |
2014 | New York Jets | 58% | 2,946 | 16 | 15 | 211.3 |
2010 | Cleveland Browns | 62% | 3,203 | 13 | 18 | 212.2 |
2012 | Arizona Cardinals | 55% | 3,383 | 11 | 21 | 213.2 |
2017 | Indianapolis Colts | 59% | 3,226 | 13 | 9 | 213.3 |
2008 | Seattle Seahawks | 55% | 2,831 | 18 | 15 | 213.6 |
2012 | New York Jets | 55% | 3,178 | 14 | 19 | 214.9 |
2011 | Denver Broncos | 51% | 2,708 | 20 | 13 | 215.4 |
2013 | New York Jets | 55% | 3,270 | 13 | 22 | 215.5 |
2011 | Kansas City | 60% | 3,288 | 13 | 18 | 216.4 |
2011 | Indianapolis Colts | 57% | 3,223 | 14 | 14 | 217.2 |
2009 | Carolina Panthers | 57% | 3,070 | 16 | 20 | 217.5 |
2008 | Baltimore Ravens | 60% | 3,085 | 16 | 12 | 218.3 |
2017 | Buffalo Bills | 61% | 3,086 | 16 | 10 | 218.3 |
2015 | Minnesota Vikings | 65% | 3,246 | 14 | 9 | 218.3 |
2012 | Minnesota Vikings | 62% | 2,935 | 18 | 12 | 218.8 |
2009 | Tennessee Titans | 57% | 3,104 | 16 | 15 | 219.2 |
2008 | Washington | 62% | 3,291 | 14 | 6 | 220.6 |
2008 | Buffalo Bills | 65% | 3,302 | 14 | 15 | 221.1 |
2014 | Cleveland Browns | 55% | 3,465 | 12 | 16 | 221.3 |
2016 | Los Angeles Rams | 58% | 3,313 | 14 | 20 | 221.7 |
2010 | Minnesota Vikings | 60% | 3,327 | 14 | 26 | 222.4 |
2012 | Miami Dolphins | 58% | 3,425 | 13 | 13 | 223.3 |
2008 | Carolina Panthers | 59% | 3,288 | 15 | 12 | 224.4 |
2017 | Tennessee Titans | 62% | 3,394 | 14 | 17 | 225.7 |
2009 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 53% | 3,134 | 18 | 29 | 228.7 |
2011 | Cleveland Browns | 56% | 3,300 | 16 | 13 | 229.0 |
2009 | Miami Dolphins | 61% | 3,396 | 15 | 19 | 229.8 |
2014 | Minnesota Vikings | 62% | 3,244 | 17 | 18 | 230.2 |
2016 | Buffalo Bills | 60% | 3,250 | 17 | 7 | 230.5 |
2016 | Houston Texans | 60% | 3,418 | 15 | 16 | 230.9 |
2014 | Kansas City | 65% | 3,182 | 18 | 6 | 231.1 |
—Ian Allan