Largest Increases in Team Scoring

by Chase Stuart on November 3, 2017

Last year, the Los Angeles Rams scored 224 points, or just 14.0 points per game. That ranked last in the NFL, 40 points behind the 31st-ranked Cleveland Browns. But as noted earlier this week, the 2017 Rams have scored 212 through seven games, a 30.3 points per game average that ranks 2nd in the NFL.

If that holds, the Rams increase of 16.3 points per game would rank as the third largest ever, and the biggest increase since 1950. [Update: Los Angeles ended the season averaging 29.9 points per game; that 15.9 PPG increase remains the third largest in NFL history, and displaces the 1999 Rams for the biggest year-over-year increase since 1950.] The table below shows the 100 biggest per-game increases in scoring in pro football history:

Rk	Team	Year	Prev Yr PPG	Curr Yr PPG	Increase
1	Cleveland Bulldogs	1924	7.4	25.4	18.0
2	New York Yanks	1950	12.8	30.5	17.8
3	St. Louis Rams	1999	17.8	32.9	15.1
4	New York Giants	1929	6.1	20.8	14.7
5	Baltimore Colts	1975	13.6	28.2	14.6
6	Chicago Bears	1941	21.6	36.0	14.4
7	Detroit Lions	1943	3.5	17.8	14.3
8	Chicago Cardinals	1946	9.8	23.6	13.8
9	Kansas City Chiefs	2013	13.2	26.9	13.7
10	Oakland Raiders	2010	12.3	25.6	13.3
11	San Francisco 49ers	1965	16.9	30.1	13.2
12	Carolina Panthers	2011	12.3	25.4	13.1
13	New England Patriots	2007	24.1	36.8	12.8
14	Rock Island Independents	1922	9.3	22.0	12.7
15	Washington Redskins	1983	21.1	33.8	12.7
16	Minnesota Vikings	1998	22.1	34.8	12.6
17	Atlanta Falcons	2016	21.2	33.8	12.6
18	San Francisco 49ers	1948	23.4	35.4	12.0
19	Baltimore Colts	1948	11.9	23.8	11.9
20	Los Angeles Raiders	1982	17.1	28.9	11.8
21	Philadelphia Eagles	1973	10.4	22.1	11.8
22	Chicago Bears	1934	10.2	22.0	11.8
23	Dallas Cowboys	1962	16.9	28.4	11.6
24	Arizona Cardinals	2015	19.4	30.6	11.2
25	Buffalo Bills	1975	18.9	30.0	11.1
26	New Orleans Saints	2006	14.7	25.8	11.1
27	Seattle Seahawks	1983	14.1	25.2	11.1
28	New York Jets	1972	15.1	26.2	11.1
29	Cincinnati Bengals	1981	15.3	26.3	11.1
30	Oakland Raiders	1967	22.5	33.4	10.9
31	Green Bay Packers	1950	9.5	20.3	10.8
32	Denver Broncos	2012	19.3	30.1	10.8
32	Green Bay Packers	2011	24.3	35.0	10.8
34	Oakland Raiders	1963	15.2	25.9	10.7
35	Denver Broncos	2000	19.6	30.3	10.7
36	Chicago Cardinals	1929	1.2	11.8	10.7
37	Chicago Bears	1965	18.6	29.2	10.6
38	St. Louis Cardinals	1987	13.6	24.1	10.5
39	Chicago Bears	2006	16.3	26.7	10.4
40	Phi/Pit Eagles/Steelers	1943	12.2	22.5	10.3
41	Cleveland Browns	2007	14.9	25.1	10.3
42	New Orleans Saints	2011	24.0	34.2	10.2
43	New Orleans Saints	1987	18.0	28.1	10.1
44	Philadelphia Eagles	2013	17.5	27.6	10.1
45	Carolina Panthers	2015	21.2	31.3	10.1
46	Pittsburgh Steelers	1952	15.3	25.0	9.8
47	New York Giants	1941	11.9	21.6	9.7
48	New York Giants	1933	7.8	17.4	9.7
49	Houston Oilers	1961	27.1	36.6	9.6
50	New York Giants	1954	14.9	24.4	9.5
51	Buffalo Bills	2004	15.2	24.7	9.5
52	Chicago Bears	1939	17.6	27.1	9.5
53	Green Bay Packers	1947	13.5	22.8	9.4
54	Washington Redskins	1962	12.4	21.8	9.4
55	Washington Redskins	2012	18.0	27.3	9.3
56	Atlanta Falcons	1975	7.9	17.1	9.2
57	Carolina Panthers	2008	16.7	25.9	9.2
57	Kansas City Chiefs	2002	20.0	29.2	9.2
59	Dallas Cowboys	2016	17.2	26.3	9.1
60	Boston Patriots	1961	20.4	29.5	9.1
61	Buffalo Bills	1998	15.9	25.0	9.1
62	Washington Redskins	1947	15.5	24.6	9.0
63	Cincinnati Bengals	1988	19.0	28.0	9.0
63	Kansas City Chiefs	1966	23.0	32.0	9.0
65	New York Giants	1948	15.8	24.8	8.9
66	Columbus Tigers	1923	3.0	11.9	8.9
67	Los Angeles Rams	1950	30.0	38.8	8.8
68	New York Jets	1978	13.6	22.4	8.8
69	Seattle Seahawks	1993	8.8	17.5	8.8
70	Denver Broncos	1972	14.5	23.2	8.7
71	Dallas Cowboys	1966	23.2	31.8	8.6
72	New York Jets	2008	16.8	25.3	8.6
73	Washington Redskins	1939	13.5	22.0	8.5
74	Cleveland Browns	1957	13.9	22.4	8.5
75	New England Patriots	1976	18.4	26.9	8.4
76	Green Bay Packers	2007	18.8	27.2	8.4
76	St. Louis Cardinals	1983	15.0	23.4	8.4
76	Cleveland Indians	1921	3.5	11.9	8.4
79	Pittsburgh Steelers	1958	13.4	21.8	8.3
80	Philadelphia Eagles	1953	21.0	29.3	8.3
81	San Diego Chargers	2004	19.6	27.9	8.3
82	Atlanta Falcons	2008	16.2	24.4	8.3
83	St. Louis Rams	2003	19.8	27.9	8.2
83	Chicago Bears	1985	20.3	28.5	8.2
85	Pittsburgh Steelers	1966	14.4	22.6	8.1
86	Arizona Cardinals	2013	15.6	23.7	8.1
87	Baltimore Colts	1964	22.6	30.6	8.0
88	Jacksonville Jaguars	2015	15.6	23.5	7.9
89	Chicago Bears	1958	16.9	24.8	7.9
90	Denver Broncos	2013	30.1	37.9	7.8
91	Los Angeles Rams	1967	20.6	28.4	7.8
92	New England Patriots	1996	18.4	26.1	7.8
92	Washington Redskins	1999	19.9	27.7	7.8
92	Miami Dolphins	1984	24.3	32.1	7.8
92	Cleveland Browns	2001	10.1	17.8	7.8
96	New York Yankees	1947	19.3	27.0	7.7
97	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	1978	7.4	15.1	7.7
98	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	2007	13.2	20.9	7.7
99	Cleveland Browns	1960	22.5	30.2	7.7
100	Dallas Cowboys	1971	21.4	29.0	7.6

The Rams can set another record by ranking 4th or higher in points scored. Right now, the biggest increase in a team’s rank in points scored is 27 slots, when the 2010 Panthers jumped from 32nd to 5th after drafting Cam Newton. The table below shows all instances when a team jumped at least 16 slots in the points scored rankings.

Team	Year	Prev Yr PPG	Prev Yr Rk	Current Yr PPG	Current Yr Rk	PPG Increase	Rank Increase
Carolina Panthers	2011	12.3	32	25.4	5	13.1	27
Kansas City Chiefs	2013	13.2	32	26.9	6	13.7	26
New Orleans Saints	2006	14.7	31	25.8	5	11.1	26
Dallas Cowboys	2016	17.2	31	26.3	5	9.1	26
Oakland Raiders	2010	12.3	31	25.6	6	13.3	25
Philadelphia Eagles	2013	17.5	29	27.6	4	10.1	25
Cincinnati Bengals	1981	15.3	27	26.3	3	11.1	24
Chicago Bears	2006	16.3	26	26.7	2	10.4	24
St. Louis Rams	1999	17.8	24	32.9	1	15.1	23
Los Angeles Raiders	1982	17.1	25	28.9	2	11.8	23
Denver Broncos	2012	19.3	25	30.1	2	10.8	23
Buffalo Bills	2004	15.2	30	24.7	7	9.5	23
Arizona Cardinals	2015	19.4	24	30.6	2	11.2	22
Cleveland Browns	2007	14.9	30	25.1	8	10.3	22
Washington Redskins	2012	18.0	26	27.3	4	9.3	22
Buffalo Bills	1998	15.9	29	25.0	7	9.1	22
Baltimore Colts	1975	13.6	23	28.2	2	14.6	21
Seattle Seahawks	1983	14.1	27	25.2	6	11.1	21
New York Jets	1972	15.1	23	26.2	2	11.1	21
St. Louis Cardinals	1987	13.6	28	24.1	7	10.5	21
St. Louis Rams	2003	19.8	23	27.9	2	8.2	21
New England Patriots	1996	18.4	23	26.1	2	7.8	21
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	2000	16.9	27	24.3	6	7.4	21
Atlanta Falcons	2016	21.2	21	33.8	1	12.6	20
Carolina Panthers	2008	16.7	26	25.9	7	9.2	19
Cincinnati Bengals	1988	19.0	20	28.0	1	9.0	19
New York Jets	1978	13.6	22	22.4	3	8.8	19
Atlanta Falcons	2008	16.2	29	24.4	10	8.3	19
New York Giants	2005	18.9	22	26.4	3	7.4	19
Denver Broncos	1993	16.4	22	23.3	3	6.9	19
Dallas Cowboys	1991	15.3	26	21.4	7	6.1	19
New England Patriots	2001	17.3	25	23.2	6	5.9	19
New Orleans Saints	2000	16.3	29	22.1	10	5.9	19
Kansas City Chiefs	1997	18.6	24	23.4	5	4.9	19
Philadelphia Eagles	1973	10.4	26	22.1	8	11.8	18
Carolina Panthers	2015	21.2	19	31.3	1	10.1	18
Green Bay Packers	2007	18.8	22	27.2	4	8.4	18
Jacksonville Jaguars	2015	15.6	32	23.5	14	7.9	18
Green Bay Packers	1989	15.0	26	22.6	8	7.6	18
Washington Redskins	2005	15.0	31	22.4	13	7.4	18
Atlanta Falcons	2002	18.2	23	25.1	5	6.9	18
Cleveland Browns	1986	17.9	23	24.4	5	6.5	18
Carolina Panthers	1996	18.1	25	22.9	7	4.9	18
New Orleans Saints	1987	18.0	19	28.1	2	10.1	17
Chicago Bears	2001	13.5	28	21.1	11	7.6	17
Detroit Lions	1980	13.7	28	20.9	11	7.2	17
New York Jets	2015	17.7	28	24.2	11	6.5	17
Jacksonville Jaguars	2005	16.3	29	22.6	12	6.3	17
Houston Texans	2014	17.3	31	23.3	14	6.0	17
San Diego Chargers	2016	20.0	26	25.6	9	5.6	17
Baltimore Ravens	2014	20.0	25	25.6	8	5.6	17
Houston Oilers	1977	15.9	22	21.4	5	5.5	17
Detroit Lions	1997	18.9	21	23.7	4	4.8	17
Denver Broncos	2000	19.6	18	30.3	2	10.7	16
New York Jets	2008	16.8	25	25.3	9	8.6	16
St. Louis Cardinals	1983	15.0	25	23.4	9	8.4	16
Chicago Bears	1995	16.9	24	24.5	8	7.6	16
Buffalo Bills	2002	16.6	27	23.7	11	7.1	16
Indianapolis Colts	1999	19.4	19	26.4	3	7.1	16
Houston Texans	2007	16.7	28	23.7	12	7.0	16
Minnesota Vikings	2002	18.1	24	24.4	8	6.3	16
San Francisco 49ers	2000	18.4	22	24.3	6	5.8	16
Washington Redskins	2015	18.8	26	24.3	10	5.4	16
Indianapolis Colts	2016	20.8	24	25.7	8	4.9	16

What stands out to you?

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