An in depth look at the greatest offenses since 1994

[LieutenantGains]

Question: In your opinion, what are the 10 greatest offenses of all time? (can include pre 1994 teams also)

Points Per Drive

1. 2007 Patriots - 3.37

2. 2018 Chiefs - 3.25

3. 2018 Saints - 3.21

4. 2016 Falcons - 3.06

5. 2011 Packers - 3.05

6. 2011 Saints - 2.98

7. 2013 Broncos - 2.98

8. 2004 Colts - 2.93

9. 1998 Vikings - 2.92

10. 2010 Patriots - 2.90

11. 2000 Rams - 2.85

12. 2012 Patriots - 2.82

13. 1994 49ers - 2.64

14. 1998 Broncos - 2.62

Yards Per Drive

1. 2011 Saints - 42.44

2. 2007 Patriots - 41.63

3. 2018 Chiefs - 41.53

4. 2016 Falcons - 40.53

5. 2018 Saints - 39.89

6. 2004 Colts - 39.83

7. 2011 Packers 39.43

8. 2012 Patriots - 39.27

9. 2000 Rams - 38.67

10. 2013 Broncos - 38.22

11. 1998 Vikings - 36.26

12. 2010 Patriots - 36.11

13. 1994 49ers - 34.42

14. 1998 Broncos - 32.43

Offensive DVOA

1. 2007 Patriots - 43.5%

2. 2010 Patriots - 42.2%

3. 1998 Broncos - 34.5%

4. 2018 Chiefs - 34.2%

5. 2011 Packers - 33.8%

6. 2013 Broncos 33.5%

7. 2011 Saints - 33.0%

8. 2004 Colts - 31.8%

9. 2012 Patriots - 30.8%

10. 2000 Rams - 26.7%

11. 2016 Falcons - 24.6%

12. 1998 Vikings - 23.6%

13. 1994 49ers - 18.9%

14. 2018 Saints - 15.9%

Passing DVOA

1. 2007 Patriots - 72.7%

2. 2004 Colts - 67.6%

3. 2011 Packers - 67.6%

4. 2010 Patriots - 67.5%

5. 2018 Chiefs - 63.0%

6. 2013 Broncos - 60.3%

7. 2012 Patriots - 53.9%

8. 1998 Broncos - 52.5%

9. 1998 Vikings - 51.6%

10. 2016 Falcons - 50.8%

11. 2011 Saints - 50.1%

12. 2018 Saints - 34.4%

13. 2000 Rams - 32.6%

N/A 1994 49ers

Rushing DVOA

1. 2000 Rams - 36.5%

2. 1998 Broncos - 31.4%

3. 2010 Patriots 24.2%

4. 2007 Patriots - 19.6%

5. 2011 Saints - 18.5%

6. 2012 Patriots - 11.9%

7. 2018 Chiefs 10.9%

8. 1998 Vikings - 7.6%

9. 2011 Packers - 5.5%

10. 2004 Colts - 5.2%

11. 2013 Broncos - 4.2%

12. 2016 Falcons - 3.6%

13. 2018 Saints - 3.3%

N/A 1994 49ers

Scoring %

 

1. 2007 Patriots - 57.0%

2. 2018 Saints - 56.9%

3. 2016 Falcons - 55.8%

4. 2018 Chiefs 55.2%

5. 2011 Saints - 52.6%

6. 2011 Packers - 51.8%

7. 1998 Vikings - 51.4%

8. 2013 Broncos - 51.1%

9. 2010 Patriots - 51.0%

10. 2004 Colts - 49.1%

11. 2012 Patriots - 48.4%

12. 2000 Rams - 46.8%

13. 1998 Broncos - 41.7%

N/A 1994 49ers

Touchdown %

1. 2007 Patriots - 43.7%

2. 2018 Chiefs - 40.5%

3. 2018 Saints - 38.6%

4. 2013 Broncos - 37.9%

5. 2011 Packers - 37.6%

6. 2004 Colts - 37.1%

7. 2010 Patriots - 36.9%

8. 2011 Saints - 36.3%

9. 2016 Falcons - 35.2%

10. 2000 Rams - 34.0%

11. 2012 Patriots - 32.8%

N/A 1998 Vikings

N/A 1998 Broncos

N/A 1994 49ers

Turnover %

1. 2010 Patriots - 5.7%

2. 2016 Falcons - 6.7%

3. 2011 Packers - 7.1%

4. 2007 Patriots - 8.9%

5. 2012 Patriots - 9.0%

6. 1998 Broncos - 9.9%

7. 2004 Colts - 10.2%

8. 1998 Vikings - 10.5%

9. 2018 Saints - 10.7%

10. 2018 Chiefs - 10.7%

11. 2011 Saints - 11.1%

12. 2013 Broncos - 11.1%

13. 2000 Rams - 17.0%

N/A 1994 49ers

Total Yards

1. 2011 Saints - 7,474

2. 2013 Broncos - 7,317

3. 2000 Rams - 7,075

4. 2012 Patriots - 6,846

5. 2018 Chiefs - 6,810

6. 2016 Falcons 6,653

7. 2007 Patriots - 6,580

8. 2011 Packers - 6,482

9. 2004 Colts - 6,475

10. 1998 Vikings - 6,264

11. 1998 Broncos - 6,092

12. 2018 Saints - 6,067

13. 1994 49ers - 6,060

14. 2010 Patriots - 5,820

Passing Yards

1. 2013 Broncos - 5,444

2. 2011 Saints - 5,347

3. 2000 Rams - 5,232

4. 2018 Chiefs 4,955

5. 2011 Packers - 4,924

6. 2007 Patriots - 4,731

7. 2016 Falcons - 4,725

8. 2012 Patriots - 4,662

9. 2004 Colts - 4,623

10. 1998 Vikings - 4,328

11. 1994 49ers - 4,163

12. 2018 Saints - 4,042

13. 2010 Patriots - 3,847

14. 1998 Broncos - 3,624

Rushing Yards

1. 1998 Broncos - 2,468

2. 2012 Patriots - 2,184

3. 2011 Saints - 2,127

4. 2018 Saints - 2,025

5. 2010 Patriots - 1,973

6. 1998 Vikings - 1,936

7. 2016 Falcons - 1,928

8. 1994 49ers - 1,897

9. 2013 Broncos 1,873

10. 2018 Chiefs - 1,855

11. 2004 Colts - 1,852

12. 2007 Patriots - 1,849

13. 2000 Rams- 1,843

14. 2011 Packers - 1,558

Yards Per Play

1. 2000 Rams - 7.0

2. 2018 Chiefs - 6.8

3. 2016 Falcons - 6.7

4. 2011 Saints - 6.7

5. 2004 Colts - 6.7

6. 2011 Packers - 6.5

7. 2013 Broncos - 6.3

8. 2007 Patriots - 6.2

9. 1998 Vikings - 6.2

10. 2018 Saints - 6.0

11. 2010 Patriots - 5.9

12. 1998 Broncos - 5.9

13. 1994 49ers - 5.8

14. 2012 Patriots - 5.7

Drive Success Rate

1. 2007 Patriots - .812

2. 2018 Chiefs - .798

3. 2018 Saints - .797

4. 2011 Saints - .788

5. 2012 Patriots - .787

6. 2004 Colts - .783

7. 2013 Broncos - .782

8. 2016 Falcons .778

9. 2011 Packers - .771

10. 2010 Patriots - .767

11. 2000 Rams - .765

12. 1994 49ers - .755

13. 1998 Vikings - .742

14. 1998 Broncos .735

First Downs

1. 2012 Patriots - 444

2. 2013 Broncos - 435

3. 2011 Saints - 416

4. 2007 Patriots - 393

5. 2018 Chiefs - 384

6. 2000 Rams - 380

7. 2004 Colts - 379

8. 2016 Falcons - 379

9. 2018 Saints - 377

10. 1994 49ers - 362

11. 2011 Packers - 353

12. 1998 Broncos - 347

13. 2010 Patriots - 335

14. 1998 Vikings -335

3rd Down Conversion %

1. 2011 Saints - 56.7%

2. 1998 Vikings - 51.4%

3. 1994 49ers - 51.0%

4. 2012 Patriots - 48.7%

5. 2007 Patriots - 48.2%

6. 2010 Patriots - 48.2%

7. 2011 Packers - 48.1%

8. 2000 Rams - 47.5%

9. 2018 Chiefs - 47.2%

10. 2013 Broncos - 46.3%

11. 2018 Saints - 44.6%

12. 1998 Broncos - 43.0%

13. 2004 Colts 42.7%

14. 2016 Falcons - 42.1%

Total Offensive Touchdowns

1. 2013 Broncos - 71

2. 2007 Patriots - 67

3. 2018 Chiefs - 66

4. 2000 Rams - 63

5. 2011 Packers - 63

6. 2011 Saints - 62

7. 2004 Colts - 61

8. 1994 49ers - 60

9. 2012 Patriots - 59

10. 2018 Saints - 59

11. 2016 Falcons - 58

12. 1998 Vikings - 58

13. 1998 Broncos - 58

14. 2010 Patriots - 56

Passing Touchdowns

1. 2013 Broncos - 55

2. 2004 Colts - 51

3. 2011 Packers - 51

4. 2007 Patriots - 50

5. 2018 Chiefs - 50

6. 2011 Saints - 46

7. 1998 Vikings - 41

8. 2016 Falcons - 38

9. 2010 Patriots - 37

10. 1994 49ers - 37

11. 2000 Rams - 37

12. 2012 Patriots - 34

13. 2018 Saints - 33

14. 1998 Broncos - 32

Rushing Touchdowns

1. 1998 Broncos - 26

2. 2000 Rams - 26

3. 2018 Saints - 26

4. 2012 Patriots - 25

5. 1994 49ers - 23

6. 2016 Falcons - 20

7. 2010 Patriots - 19

8. 2007 Patriots - 17

9. 1998 Vikings - 17

10. 2013 Broncos - 16

11. 2011 Saints - 16

12. 2018 Chiefs - 16

13. 2011 Packers - 12

14. 2004 Colts - 10

Average Defense Faced

1. 2010 Patriots - 13.2

2. 1998 Broncos - 13.3

3. 2012 Patriots - 14.2

4. 2018 Chiefs - 16.1

5. 2007 Patriots - 17.1

6. 2016 Falcons - 17.5

7. 2013 Broncos - 17.8

8. 2004 Colts - 18.1

9. 1998 Vikings - 18.5

10. 2000 Rams - 18.6

11. 1994 49ers - 19.0

12. 2018 Saints - 20.3

13. 2011 Packers - 21.0

14. 2011 Saints - 21.1

Top 10 Defenses Faced

1. 2010 Patriots - 7

2. 2012 Patriots - 7 

3. 1998 Broncos - 7

4. 2018 Chiefs - 6

5. 2007 Patriots - 5

6. 2013 Broncos - 5

7. 2004 Colts - 4

8. 2016 Falcons - 4

9. 1994 49ers - 4

10. 1998 Vikings - 3

11. 2000 Rams - 3

12. 2011 Packers - 2

13. 2011 Saints - 2

14. 2018 Saints - 2

Schedule

1. 2010 Patriots - -4.7%

2. 1998 Broncos - -3.4%

3. 2016 Falcons - -2.2%

4. 2012 Patriots - -2.1%

5. 2018 Chiefs - -0.9%

6. 2007 Patriots - -0.6%

7. 2004 Colts - 1.6%

8. 2011 Packers - 1.7%

9. 2011 Saints - 1.9%

10. 1994 49ers - 2.9%

11. 1998 Vikings - 3.0%

12. 2000 Rams - 3.4%

13. 2018 Saints - 3.4%

14. 2013 Broncos - 4.2%

Dome Games

1. 2018 Chiefs - 0

2. 2012 Patriots - 0

3. 2010 Patriots - 1

4. 1998 Broncos - 1

5. 2007 Patriots - 2

6. 2013 Broncos - 3

7. 2011 Packers - 3

8. 1994 49ers - 4

9. 2016 Falcons - 9

10. 1998 Vikings - 10

11. 2000 Rams - 10

12. 2004 Colts - 10

13. 2011 Saints - 11

14. 2018 Saints - 11

[Jlowe22]

2011 Saints were also 55.7% on third conversions.  I think it’s still the record, but I could be wrong.  

Also worth mentioning, the defense was next to dead last in takeaways that year with only 16.  Part of the reason for the insane amount of yards.  

[LieutenantGains]

Updated with 3rd down conversion %

[AlNFL19]

I think you have to give the No. 1 spot to the 2007 Patriots, looking where they rank in all those. 

[Hunter2_1]

Judging by the above, it's 2007 Pats and not particularly close. They don't appear outside of the top 5 on many of those metrics at all.

From memory,

07 Pats

11 Saints

16 Falcons

13 Broncos

maybe 18 Chiefs

[Malik]

98 Broncos were the only ones that one the Championship oddly enough. 07 Pats and 13 Broncos both went and had terrible offensive efforts. 

[game3525]

I wonder what is the best stretch for a team offensively? I would bet it would have to be the  Pats from 2010-2012 or Niners from the late 80s early 90s.

[Forge]

1 hour ago, Malik said:

98 Broncos were the only ones that one the Championship oddly enough. 07 Pats and 13 Broncos both went and had terrible offensive efforts. 

The 94 49ers won the super bowl. 

[game3525]

21 minutes ago, Forge said:

The 94 49ers won the super bowl. 

The best team money can buy. 

[LieutenantGains]

18 minutes ago, game3525 said:

I wonder what is the best stretch for a team offensively? I would bet it would have to be the  Pats from 2010-2012 or Niners from the late 80s early 90s.

1999-2001 Rams

2.65 PPD

.747 DSR

21.6% DVOA

36.2% Passing DVOA

20.8% Rushing DVOA

6.7 Yards Per Play

20,177 Total Yards

1,072 First Downs

175 Touchdowns

116 Passing Touchdowns

59 Rushing Touchdowns

34.1% Touchdown 

19.1% Turnover 

31 Dome Games

 

 

2010-2012 Patriots

2.83 PPD

.776 DSR

34.9% DVOA

58.9% Passing DVOA

16.2% Rushing DVOA

19,514 Total Yards

1,178 First Downs

172 Touchdowns

110 Passing Touchdowns

62 Rushing Touchdowns

35.1% Touchdown 

8.1% Turnover

1 Dome Game

[vikingsrule]

Hard for me not to pick the 1998 Vikings. They didn't win the super bowl that year but they played in an era that was much harder for offenses. Many of the offenses in this list were post 2003, the 1998 Vikings were not. They had HOF WRs in Moss and Carter. Jake Reed was solid too. The OL was tremendous and so was Robert Smith. Defenses couldn't stop rookie Moss.

[braylon]

Both the eyeball test and the stats say it was 2007 Pats for me.

[NFLExpert49]

Impossible to say based on how different the eras were.

Then there's the question of system vs. talent responsible...dome vs. outdoors (in bad weather)...and strength of schedule (particularly, the quality of the defenses for each team's opponents).

The 1998 Vikings didn't have the QB part, but Randy Moss by himself was essentially Michael Jordan in the 80s. What he did to the Packers on MNF that year at Lambeau was the greatest offensive performance I have ever seen. NOBODY did something like that, to those Packers, in that situation. Nobody had any idea how to defend Moss for a year...it was like an alien had invaded. 

Then you add Cris Carter and Robert Smith...I don't think the dome mattered too much. 

[C0LTSFAN4L1F3]

I had compiled offensive statistics numbers prior to this season, since there's no list of actual raw scoring production anywhere on the internet. I use the total points to rank them, and give the corresponding efficiency points. Frankly, to me, it is obvious that the 07' Patriots were the greatest offense of all time by far. 

 

1. 13' Broncos 578 points(on 192 drives for 3.01 points per drive)

2. 07' Patriots 533 points(on 158 drives for 3.37 points per drive)

3. 11' Saints 519 points(on 182 drives for 2.98 points per drive)

4. 98 Vikings 514 points(on 175 drives for 2.94 points per drive)

5. 83' Skins 513 points 

6. 00' Rams 512 points(on 180 drives for 2.84 points per drive)

7. 11' Packers 511 points(on 168 drives for 3.04 points per drive)

8. 16' Falcons 505 points(on 166 drives for 3.06 points per drive)

8. 12' Patriots 501 points(on 180 drives for 2.78 points per drive)

9.  04' Colts 494 points(on 166 drives for 2.98 points per drive)

10. 84' Dolphins 491 points

11. 11' Patriots 485 points(on 173 drives for 2.80 points per drive)

12. 98 Broncos 473 points(on 184 drives for 2.57 points per drive)

13. 98' 49ers 472 points(on 195 drives for 2.42 points per drive)

14. 81' Chargers 471 points

15. 01' Rams 468 points(on 176 drives for 2.66 points per drive)

 

Of those teams, the 13' Broncos, the 07' Patriots, 83 Skins, 16' Falcons, 84' Dolphins, 01' Rams, 11' Patriots,  all went to the Super Bowl, and every single one of them lost. The only one of these teams that went and won, was the 1998 Broncos. These all-time great offenses are 1-7 in Super Bowls. 

 

Now, none of this includes the ridiculously stupidly large offensive season of last season. Here are the numbers for the top offenses of this season:

 

18' Chiefs: 530 points(on 163 drives for 3.25 points per drive)

18' Rams: 499 points(on 175 drives for 2.85 points per drive)

18' Saints: 497 points(on 155 drives for 3.21 points per drive) 

 

Those offenses would rank 3rd, 10th and 11th on the all-time scoring rankings. And the Saints are one of the most efficient offenses of all time. 

[x0x]

Stats often missing is peer to peer comparisons.

2007 Patriots faced 6 of 11 playoff teams in the regular season. They would face a 7th different team in the playoffs. Of the 10 other regular season opponents, one was 10-6 (but missed the playoffs), one was 8-8 and three were 7-9. Now, in fairness, the remaining 5 opponents were pretty bad but 4 comprised of 2 teams in division. Overall that regular season schedule is one of the hardest in NFL history, legitimately. And as noted, the only way they could have faced more good teams was in division and their in division opponents lost 2 games because of them directly. I mean, the 7-9 Bills are a loser because they lose to the Patriots twice, the 4-12 Jets lost an OT game by a field goal, another by 3 and another by 4, so I'm not saying they were a good team but not your typical 4-12 squad. The only truly bad team were the hapless Dolphins that went 1-15. Even the 5-11 Ravens that nearly beat the Pats lost two OT games that year.

 

And the Pats went 16-0. Then they lose the Super Bowl because they showed all their cards to their opponent 4 weeks earlier more than less. By a late TD and 4 points.

 

I don't think any team will come close to them.