Back to the FBS Independents Newsfeed

Tuesday trends: Passing doesn't mean playoffs

If you think NFL teams need a strong passing attack to be a playoff team, the statistics say otherwise. Plus, a look at the NFL leaders in some deep-dive stats.

You know that new-age line of thinking about the NFL being a passing league? If passing numbers are the measure for success, you might want to consider re-thinking that philosophy.

Why? Only two of the 12 projected playoff teams have a top-10 passing offense. Sure, the New England Patriots have the second-best record in the NFL and the top passing offense, but it’s not necessarily the most important part of building a playoff team – at least that’s what the rankings through 12 weeks of NFL play indicate.