The NFL is often described as a passing league but that notion seems to be changing this season.
The quarterback position has been changing and signal callers are being asked to run the ball more often.
With several rookie quarterbacks under center, more NFL teams have also been relying on the run game to move the ball.
As a result, passing yards are nearing their lowest mark in more than a decade.
Data provided to The Sports Daily indicates that passing yards per game have reached their lowest mark since 2009.
Heading into Week 11, passing touchdowns per game are also down by 12 percent compared to last year, marking their lowest total (1.383) since the 2008 season.
NFL Team Average Fewest Passing Yards Since 2009
The 2022 NFL season has brought forth some unexpected narratives like the upstart Philadelphia Eagles and the plus-.500 New York Jets.
Another unexpected occurrence has been the lack of passing and overall scoring this season.
So far, NFL teams have recorded fewer passing yards per game than in any season since the 2017 campaign.
NFL teams come in averaging just 221.4 passing yards per game, the lowest mark since 2009.
Check out the chart below for the NFL average passing yards.
| Year | Average Passing Yards/Game |
| 2022 | 221.4 |
| 2021 | 228.3 |
| 2020 | 240.2 |
| 2019 | 235 |
| 2018 | 237.8 |
| 2017 | 224.4 |
| 2016 | 241.5 |
| 2015 | 243.8 |
| 2014 | 236.8 |
| 2013 | 235.6 |
| 2012 | 231.3 |
| 2011 | 229.7 |
| 2010 | 221.5 |
| 2009 | 218.5 |
| 2008 | 211.3 |
| 2007 | 214.3 |
| 2006 | 204.8 |
NFL Teams Average Least Amount of Passing Touchdowns Since 2008
Along with a decrease in yardage, the average number of passing TDs per game has also dropped to new lows as well.
Heading into Week 11, teams are averaging just 1.383 passing touchdowns per game, down 15 percent decrease compared to last season.
That also marks the lowest number since 2008, a span of more than 14 years.
Check out the chart below for the average team passing touchdowns per game, by year.
| Year | Passing TDs Per Game |
| 2022 | 1.383 |
| 2021 | 1.544 |
| 2020 | 1.701 |
| 2019 | 1.557 |
| 2018 | 1.654 |
| 2017 | 1.447 |
| 2016 | 1.535 |
| 2015 | 1.645 |
| 2014 | 1.576 |
| 2013 | 1.570 |
| 2012 | 1.479 |
| 2011 | 1.455 |
| 2010 | 1.467 |
| 2009 | 1.387 |
| 2008 | 1.262 |
| 2007 | 1.406 |
| 2006 | 1.266 |
| 2005 | 1.258 |
| 2004 | 1.430 |
| 2003 | 1.277 |
| 2002 | 1.355 |
| 2001 | 1.240 |
| 2000 | 1.238 |
NFL Unders Are Hitting At Profitable 58.8% Rate In 2022
Not only is passing down but scoring is also down league-wide this year.
Last season, the league averaged 23 points per game and that number has decreased to just 21.9 points so far this year, representing the lowest mark since 2017.
Fans that have been betting on the NFL have been able to earn a profit on this league-wide trend, as the ‘under’ has won at a 58.8 percent rate, according to our sports betting experts.
Several factors have contributed to the decrease in passing offense and touchdowns.
A shortened preseason certainly hasn’t helped. Neither has the retirement of three of the league’s top quarterbacks of the last decade.
The NFL was forced to welcome in the next generation of quarterbacks after saying goodbye to Drew Brees, Philip Rivers, and Ben Roethlisberger in the offseason.
The position under center has also changed with the dual-threat QBs like Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts, and even Daniel Jones proving that teams can win with running quarterbacks.
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