Who doesn’t love statistics? Each week during the NFL season, we use statistics as a way to add context to why a team won or lost. In this piece on advanced stats, we’re looking at numbers from 2022 and how they determined whether a team was successful or failed. So keep these mind-boggling stats in mind as you take part in your fantasy drafts over the next few weeks or wonder why your team is winning or losing in 2023.
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Arizona Cardinals
4.4
The Cardinals struggled with generating explosive plays, which is why they averaged a league-worst 4.4 yards before catch per reception.
Atlanta Falcons
1,017
The Falcons were inconsistent in the passing game, but they were physical in the ground game and recorded 1,017 rushing yards after contact, third-best in the NFL.
Baltimore Ravens
4.0
The Ravens were terrific once again on special teams, tying for second-best in DVOA (defense-adjusted value over average) at 4.0% with the Texans, according to Football Outsiders.
Buffalo Bills
5,205
Quarterback Josh Allen led all passers with 5,205 intended air yards last season, according to Pro Football Reference. Tom Brady came in second with 4,876.
Carolina Panthers
5.0
Miles Sanders averaged 5.0 yards per carry during four seasons with the Eagles. He’s now in Carolina, where the Panthers averaged 4.6 yards per carry as a team last season.
Chicago Bears
-34.5%
Justin Fields ranked last with a DVOA of -34.5% among quarterbacks who attempted at least 200 passes last season, according to Football Outsiders.
Cincinnati Bengals
18.1%
Last season, the Bengals ranked third among AFC teams and fifth overall in Football Outsiders’ DVOA statistic (a measure of a team’s efficiency on a play-by-play basis as compared to league averages. DVOA is not limited to just teams but is also used on individual player performances) at 18.1%, trailing the Bills and Chiefs respectively.
Cleveland Browns
340
Nick Chubb led the NFL with a DYAR (defense-adjusted yards above replacement) of 340, per Football Outsiders. Chubb outpaced Josh Jacobs (308) of the Raiders and Miles Sanders (252), then of the Eagles, who came in second and third.
Dallas Cowboys
40
Left tackle Tyler Smith had a productive rookie season, allowing 40 pressures in 17 starts, according to Pro Football Focus. To compare, Seattle’s Charles Cross and New York’s Evan Neal had 50 and 52 pressures, respectively.
Denver Broncos
26.5
As if Denver’s offense didn’t have enough issues in 2022, the Broncos were saddled with the AFC’s worst starting field position on average last season, beginning at the 26.5-yard line.
Detroit Lions
5,282
Jared Goff was third in the league for effective yards with 5,282, ranking behind only Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady, according to Football Outsiders.
Green Bay Packers
12
The Packers’ inexperienced pass catchers only had 12 combined broken tackles on receptions. Only the Bills (11), Seahawks (11) and Falcons (7) had fewer last season.
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Houston Texans
-45.95
Despite a strong performance from rookie running back Dameon Pierce, the Texans had the AFC’s worst figure for expected points contributed from their rushing offense at -45.95, per Pro Football Reference.
Indianapolis Colts
37
The Colts led the league with 37 fumbles, 11 more than any other AFC team.
Jacksonville Jaguars
95
Jaguars defenders did an excellent job of getting their hands on throws, pacing the NFL with 95 passes defensed.
Kansas City Chiefs
8.5
Patrick Mahomes led the Chiefs to the top ranking in adjusted yards per pass attempt, coming in at 8.5.
Las Vegas Raiders
-119.40
The Raiders struggled all year to get stops, exemplified by an AFC-worst -119.40 expected points contributed by the passing defense, per Pro Football Reference.
Los Angeles Chargers
182
Justin Herbert faced 182 blitzes last season per Pro Football Reference. This was tops among all AFC quarterbacks and second only to the Lions’ Jared Goff across the NFL.
Los Angeles Rams
81.8
The Rams’ offensive line is coming off a dreadful season in which it received a pass-blocking efficiency grade of 81.8 from Pro Football Focus, which ranked 30th in the league.
Miami Dolphins
8.8
Tua Tagovailoa has been oft-criticized for throwing short, but he led the NFL in completed air yards per completion at 8.8, per Pro Football Reference. Buffalo’s Josh Allen ranked second at 7.5.
Minnesota Vikings
13.9
Justin Jefferson had a league-high average of 13.9 yards per touch among players who averaged at least 6.25 touches per game last season.
New England Patriots
42.2
The Patriots struggled offensively in 2022, largely because they had the worst red zone conversion rate in football at 42.2 percent.
New Orleans Saints
181
The Saints only generated 181 first downs from receptions last season. To compare, the Chiefs led this category with 272.
New York Giants
3,327
Daniel Jones and the Giants recorded 3,327 intended air yards on all pass attempts, whether completed or incomplete, ranking 31st in the league, only ahead of the Panthers.
New York Jets
0
New York was one of three teams last season—and the only AFC club—to not attempt a single two-point conversion.
Philadelphia Eagles
-15.5%
The Eagles’ stout defense, which includes cornerbacks Darius Slay and James Bradberry, ranked first in pass defense DVOA with -15.5%, according to Football Outsiders.
Pittsburgh Steelers
12.2
Although the defense was the stronger unit in 2022, the Steelers averaged an AFC-worst 12.2 yards per completion allowed.
San Francisco 49ers
73
Nick Bosa won Defensive Player of the Year partly because he recorded a league-high 73 QB pressures, according to NextGenStats.
Seattle Seahawks
35.38
Cornerback Tariq Woolen only allowed an average of 35.38 yards in coverage per game during his remarkable rookie season, according to Pro Football Focus.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
5
The Buccaneers’ poor ground game had a league-low of five total rushing touchdowns last season. To compare, the Eagles had a league-high 32 total rushing touchdowns.
Tennessee Titans
636
Last season, the Titans permitted 636 punt return yards, 235 more than any other team.
Washington Commanders
19.0%
The Commanders’ rotation of quarterbacks last season combined for a 19.0 percentage of poor throws per pass attempts, excluding spikes and throwaways. Only the Texans, Jets, Falcons, Bears and Raiders did worse.
