New England Patriots Favored to Be NFL’s Top-Scoring Team
- Oddsmakers favor the New England Patriots to lead the NFL in scoring
- The Patriots last led the league in points in 2012
- The top-scoring offensive team in each of the past four seasons was from the NFC
Putting up points has never proven to be a problem for quarterback Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. In fact, four of the top 15 most prolific scoring teams in NFL history were Patriots offenses with Brady at the helm.
Last season, including postseason play, the Patriots averaged 28.9 points per game, second behind the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles (29.0). No wonder experts see the Patriots finishing as the NFL’s highest-scoring team in 2018.
| Highest Scoring NFL Teams, 2018 | Odds |
|---|---|
| New England Patriots | +550 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | +700 |
| Green Bay Packers | +800 |
| Los Angeles Rams | +800 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | +800 |
| New Orleans Saints | +900 |
| San Francisco 49ers | +1000 |
| Atlanta Falcons | +1400 |
| Detroit Lions | +1400 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | +1400 |
Don’t see your favorite team on this list? Follow the link in the table to see odds for all 32 teams.
Will the Patriots lead the NFL in scoring?
Heavily-favored to win the AFC East, certainly, the Patriots can put points on the board. Brady passed for 32 touchdowns last season, the third time in four years he’s thrown for over 30 TDs.
Brady likes to share the wealth. He tossed scoring passes to eight different players in 2017, and six of those receivers found themselves on the other end of at least three TD catches. His No. 1 target, tight end Rob Gronkowski, who snared eight TD passes, is still in the fold.
There are causes for concern that could prove to be a catch to the Patriots’ gameplan. Wideout Brandin Cooks (seven TDs) departed for the Los Angeles Rams, Danny Amendola (two TDs) is in Miami, and Julian Edelman will miss the first four games serving a PED suspension.
The Patriots could just run away with it
New England let veteran running back Dion Lewis (nine TDs) go to Tennessee, but as has proven to be the case in previous years when the Patriots allowed experienced rushers to leave like LaGarrette Blount, Laurence Maroney and BenJarvus Green-Ellis depart, there’s plenty of ball carriers still in the cupboard. Rex Burkhead (eight TDs), Mike Gillislee (five TDs) and James White (three TDs) all remain on the roster. And let’s not forget that Stephen Gostkowski has led NFL kickers in scoring four times since 2012.
NFC teams are scoring big
When it comes to piling up the points, lately it’s NFC teams that are scoring big. The NFC has produced the most potent offense in each of the past four seasons.
| Highest Scoring NFL Teams, 2013-17 | Points |
|---|---|
| 2017 – Los Angeles Rams | 478 |
| 2016 – Atlanta Falcons | 540 |
| 2015 – Carolina Panthers | 500 |
| 2014 – Green Bay Packers | 486 |
| 2013 – Denver Broncos | 606 |
The 2013 Denver Broncos were the last AFC team to top the NFL scoring charts. The Patriots most recently led the league in 2012, as well as in 2010 and 2007.
How does it all add up?
Remember the greatest show on turf, when the Rams housed the NFL’s most productive attack? Well, history may just be repeating itself.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAg3_thxNwA
With the addition of Cooks to an already explosive offense led by QB Jared Goff and featuring 2017 NFL TD king Todd Gurley, the Rams look like a solid bet to repeat as the NFL’s top-scoring team.
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
