NFL BY THE NUMBERS
RUN VS PASS TRENDS
In the last ten years -
-actually more like the last three years - NFL teams have picked up the passing
pace. From 2002-2011, the league average
for rushing yards has been almost frozen in time. The average yards per game per team on the
ground during that period is 116, and the range is 111 yards per game average
in 2007 to 118 yards per game average in 2003.
Meanwhile, teams averaged 230 yards passing per game in 2011, versus 200
yards per game in 2003.
Notably, a team's running
prowess seems to have little bearing on its ability to win the ultimate Super
Bowl Prize. The teams that won the Super
Bowl over the last ten years have on average finished in the bottom half of the
league in yards rushing per game. During
that same period Super Bowl winners were on average the 11th best passing team.
The Passing emphasis is most
pronounced the last three years with the Super Bowl winner finishing in the top
five each year in passing yards per game.
Interestingly, to me anyway,
no Super Bowl winner in the last ten yards led the league in either passing or
rushing. The 2006 Colts finished second
in the league in passing yards per game.
The 2009 Saints were the most balanced Super Bowl winner, finishing
sixth in the league in rushing and fourth in passing. Last year's Super Bowl winners, the Giants,
finished dead last in rushing yards per game.
So, if you want to win the Super Bowl, fire up that passing game and draft
running backs in the sixth round.
|
Rush
Yds
|
Rush
Yds
|
Rank
|
Pass
Yds
|
Pass
Yds
|
Rank
|
Total
Yds
|
Total
Yds
|
|
|
Year
|
NFL
Avg
|
SB
Champ
|
SB
Champ
|
NFL
Avg
|
SB
Champ
|
SB
Champ
|
NFL
Avg
|
SB
Champ
|
|
2002 - Bucs
|
116
|
97
|
27
|
212
|
215
|
15
|
328
|
312
|
|
2003 - Patriots
|
118
|
100
|
27
|
200
|
214
|
9
|
318
|
314
|
|
2004 - Patriots
|
117
|
133
|
7
|
210
|
224
|
11
|
327
|
357
|
|
2005 - Steelers
|
113
|
138
|
5
|
203
|
183
|
24
|
316
|
321
|
|
2006 -
Colts
|
117
|
110
|
18
|
204
|
269
|
2
|
321
|
379
|
|
2007 - Giants
|
111
|
134
|
4
|
214
|
197
|
21
|
325
|
331
|
|
2008 - Steelers
|
116
|
106
|
23
|
211
|
206
|
17
|
327
|
312
|
|
2009- Saints
|
117
|
131
|
6
|
218
|
272
|
4
|
335
|
403
|
|
2010 - Packers
|
115
|
100
|
24
|
221
|
257
|
5
|
336
|
357
|
|
2011 - Giants
|
117
|
89
|
32
|
230
|
296
|
5
|
347
|
385
|
|
Ten Year Average
|
115.7
|
113.8
|
17.3
|
212.3
|
233.3
|
11.3
|
328
|
347.1
|
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