In 1980, teams averaged 20.5 points a game. This year they're averaging 24.2 points a game, an increase of 3.7 points a game per team over a 38 year period, and increase of 18.0% over that time frame.
Why is scoring up so much? Well, clearly yards are easier to gain, especially by way of passing. In 1980, teams averaged 323.5 yards a game. In 2018, they're averaging 361.3. That's an increase of 11.7% over that time frame.
But what's not really being talked about much is the remarkable improvement over the years in terms of field goal kicking success.
In 1980, kickers averaged 1.1 field goals made per game (out of 1.7 attempts), making 63.6% of their kicks. In 2018, kickers are averaging 1.6 field goals made per game (out of 1.9 attempts), making 84.4% of their kicks.
So there's an improvement in scoring by a half a field goal per game per team, simply due to amazing improvements in kicking accuracy. That's 1.5 points per game per team just on better field goal kicking, independent of the rules favoring the offense and such. So we're seeing, with all this offensive explosion, just 2.2 points per game per team improvement per game. Not insignificant, but not nearly as much as I'd have thought.
Why is scoring up so much? Well, clearly yards are easier to gain, especially by way of passing. In 1980, teams averaged 323.5 yards a game. In 2018, they're averaging 361.3. That's an increase of 11.7% over that time frame.
But what's not really being talked about much is the remarkable improvement over the years in terms of field goal kicking success.
In 1980, kickers averaged 1.1 field goals made per game (out of 1.7 attempts), making 63.6% of their kicks. In 2018, kickers are averaging 1.6 field goals made per game (out of 1.9 attempts), making 84.4% of their kicks.
So there's an improvement in scoring by a half a field goal per game per team, simply due to amazing improvements in kicking accuracy. That's 1.5 points per game per team just on better field goal kicking, independent of the rules favoring the offense and such. So we're seeing, with all this offensive explosion, just 2.2 points per game per team improvement per game. Not insignificant, but not nearly as much as I'd have thought.