It’s only been three weeks, but the NFL’s offensive scoring and passing offenses are down again.
Even though the New York Jets’ offensive production is up with Aaron Rodgers back at the helm, the same can’t be said for most teams.
Collectively, team scoring average is on track to decline for the fourth straight year after an all-time high (24.8 points per game) in 2020. So far in 2024, NFL teams are averaging 21.2 points per game per exit. The Jets, however, have scored nine touchdowns in three games, a feat that took them 11 weeks to achieve last season.
Passing numbers are also down, and Jets fans can relate to that since their future Hall of Fame quarterback only threw for 176 yards in a Week 2 road win over the Tennessee Titans. Teams are averaging 201.2 passing yards per game in 2024. That number was 218.9 yards per game at the end of last season and it reached 240.2 yards per game in 2020.
Jets head coach Robert Saleh doesn’t anticipate a sudden increase in offensive production league-wide, at least not this year.
“It’s a season-long thing,” Saleh said while speaking to reporters at Florham Park. “In recent years, defenses have rested in a double hull and dared to carry out attacks. I think the league coordinators are doing a very good job of remaining patient. »
New York actually experienced this trend, victimized by a heavy dose of the San Francisco 49ers’ rushing attack in a season-opening loss.
“Week 1 was a perfect example of that. I joked with [49ers’ head coach] Kyle [Shanahan] the other day I somehow wish [RB Christian] McCaffrey played because he would have thrown it then, but he turned around and put it back over 40 times,” Saleh said. “You see a lot of teams, even New England before we played them, deliver 30-plus times.”
Just like the number of meters covered, pass attempts are significantly down, which supports Saleh’s theory. Teams are throwing an average of 31.1 times per game so far this season, a drop of 4.1 attempts per game from the 2020 figure.
“The players who call are very patient, put the ball behind their back, run it and just embrace the challenge of running the ball,” Saleh said.
As defenses lighten up and litter the field with defensive backs, offenses are seemingly ready to respond by choosing to crash to the ground and pound. The cyclical nature of the NFL appears to be on display once again.
More New York Jets news:
• Even more respect for the New York Jets to gain in the NFL Power Rankings
• Two starters listed as non-participants on Jets’ short injury report for Week 4
• Jets’ Joe Tippmann has a luxury many NFL centers don’t have
• Jets rookie RB forces Robert Saleh’s hand and Aaron Rodgers agrees
• Most promising sign in Aaron Rodgers’ first home win for the Jets
