NFL Average Scores per Game 2000-2020

Introduction

This article is a simple look at the average number of each way to score in the NFL has changed in the 20-year period ending in 2020. I look at regular season games only.

Touchdowns

The following graph shows the average touchdowns per game by year. The blue line shows the average per game per year. The red line shows the least-squares regression line, which flattens out the ups and downs to show the overall trend.

NFL-2000-2020-touchdowns

It's easy to see there the trend of increasing touchdowns. The red trend line shows an increase of 0.0367 touchdowns per game per year. Over 21 years covered, that is an increase of 0.77 per game.

Extra Points

The following graph shows the average extra points after a touchdown per game by year. The blue line shows the average per year. The red line shows the least-squares regression line, which flattens out the ups and downs to show the overall trend.

NFL-2000-2020-extra-points

Although there is an increasing trend in more extra points per game by year, it isn't as strong as the increasing touchdowns. This is obviously due to two-point conversion attempts becoming more popular. The red trend line shows an increase of 0.015 touchdowns per game per year. Over 21 years covered, that is an increase of 0.315 per game.

Two-Point Conversions

The following graph shows the average two-point conversions after a touchdown per game. The blue line shows the average per year. The red line shows the least-squares regression line, which flattens out the ups and downs to show the overall trend.

NFL-2000-2020-two-point-conversion

The red trend line shows an increase of 0.0041 two-point conversions per game by year. Over 21 years covered, that is an increase of 0.086 per game per year. This may not sound like much, but the average two-point conversions per game over the 21-year period is 0.294. The 0.086 increase per game represents 29% of the overall average per game.

Field Goals

The following graph shows the average field goals per game. The blue line shows the average per year. The red line shows the least-squares regression line, which flattens out the ups and downs to show the overall trend.

NFL-2000-2020-field-goals

The red trend line shows increase of 0.0201 field goals per game per year. Over the 21-year period, that is an increase of 0.4221 per game. The average over the 21 period is 3.12, so an increase of 0.42 per game represents a significant change.

Safties

The following graph shows the average safties per game by year. The blue line shows the average per year. The red line shows the least-squares regression line, which flattens out the ups and downs to show the overall trend.

NFL-2000-2020-safties

The red trend line shows a very minor increase of 0.0008 safties per game per year by year. Over the 21-year period, that is an increase of 0.0168 per game. The average over the 21 period is 0.0634, so an increase of 0.0168 per game represents a moderate increase.

Total Points Scored

The following graph shows the average points scored per game by year. The blue line shows the average per year. The red line shows the least-squares regression line, which flattens out the ups and downs to show the overall trend.

NFL-2000-2020-points-game

The red trend line shows a very minor increase of 0.3054 points scored per game per year by year . Over the 21-year period, that is an increase of 6.41 per year. The average over the 21 period is 44.36, so an increase of 6.41 per year represents a significant increase.

Raw Data

The following table shows the year by year totals from 1935 to 2020. The source of the data is Pro Football Reference.

1935-2020 Raw Data

Year	Games	Touchdowns	Extra Points	2-Pt Conv.	Field Goals	Safties	Total Pts.
2020	512	2,946	2,488	126	1,624	48	25,384
2019	512	2,664	2,272	108	1,604	34	23,352
2018	512	2,742	2,328	132	1,604	20	23,896
2017	512	2,450	2,132	74	1,732	30	22,236
2016	512	2,612	2,238	102	1,700	40	23,294
2015	512	2,636	2,292	90	1,668	32	23,356
2014	512	2,586	2,444	56	1,658	42	23,130
2013	512	2,676	2,524	68	1,726	40	23,974
2012	512	2,594	2,458	58	1,704	26	23,302
2011	512	2,518	2,400	48	1,676	42	22,716
2010	512	2,540	2,406	52	1,588	26	22,566
2009	512	2,494	2,330	48	1,512	28	21,982
2008	512	2,492	2,340	56	1,690	42	22,558
2007	512	2,486	2,330	60	1,590	36	22,208
2006	512	2,362	2,248	42	1,534	24	21,154
2005	512	2,344	2,198	54	1,566	22	21,112
2004	512	2,536	2,358	74	1,406	30	22,000
2003	512	2,396	2,220	58	1,512	42	21,332
2002	512	2,540	2,296	94	1,474	24	22,194
2001	496	2,240	2,016	80	1,464	20	20,048
2000	496	2,302	2,106	70	1,462	32	20,508
1999	496	2,306	2,102	62	1,498	46	20,648
1998	480	2,314	2,062	82	1,416	36	20,430
1997	480	2,240	1,986	94	1,416	26	19,914
1996	480	2,168	1,954	88	1,464	40	19,610
1995	480	2,322	2,060	80	1,476	24	20,628
1994	448	2,040	1,782	118	1,280	26	18,150
1993	448	1,812	1,752	-	1,346	46	16,754
1992	448	1,916	1,872	-	1,122	24	16,782
1991	448	1,898	1,838	-	1,246	24	17,012
1990	448	2,070	1,994	-	1,180	38	18,030
1989	448	2,120	2,050	-	1,202	44	18,464
1988	448	2,102	2,008	-	1,142	52	18,150
1987	420	2,124	2,020	-	1,102	36	18,142
1986	448	2,154	2,052	-	1,118	28	18,386
1985	448	2,250	2,146	-	1,192	34	19,290
1984	448	2,236	2,150	-	1,126	30	19,004
1983	448	2,328	2,208	-	1,102	38	19,558
1982	252	1,190	1,114	-	622	20	10,160
1981	448	2,208	2,082	-	1,042	34	18,524
1980	448	2,224	2,084	-	956	30	18,356
1979	448	2,202	1,982	-	908	30	17,978
1978	448	1,994	1,828	-	854	36	16,426
1977	392	1,630	1,482	-	720	22	13,466
1976	392	1,820	1,632	-	800	32	15,016
1975	364	1,840	1,668	-	738	34	14,990
1974	364	1,620	1,466	-	670	20	13,236
1973	364	1,560	1,508	-	1,086	24	14,174
1972	364	1,680	1,622	-	998	24	14,744
1971	364	1,612	1,572	-	936	22	14,096
1970	364	1,594	1,544	-	956	22	14,020
1969	224	1,128	1,102	-	486	18	9,364
1968	224	1,110	1,056	-	484	8	9,184
1967	224	1,212	1,174	-	438	14	9,788
1966	210	1,082	1,042	-	526	6	9,124
1965	196	1,126	1,076	-	392	16	9,040
1964	196	1,056	1,002	-	428	8	8,638
1963	196	1,074	1,020	-	376	12	8,616
1962	196	1,096	1,046	-	360	22	8,746
1961	196	1,052	1,020	-	358	12	8,430
1960	156	820	784	-	326	22	6,726
1959	144	780	744	-	232	12	6,144
1958	144	832	788	-	238	6	6,506
1957	144	708	676	-	256	10	5,712
1956	144	746	700	-	226	8	5,870
1955	144	764	712	-	230	8	6,002
1954	144	800	762	-	238	14	6,304
1953	144	794	754	-	216	14	6,194
1952	144	838	774	-	190	22	6,416
1951	144	822	778	-	196	10	6,318
1950	156	958	894	-	160	18	7,158
1949	120	730	678	-	124	8	5,446
1948	120	778	712	-	90	6	5,662
1947	120	712	658	-	106	10	5,268
1946	110	582	516	-	94	12	4,314
1945	100	518	458	-	68	6	3,782
1944	110	514	440	-	46	6	3,674
1943	100	446	400	-	32	-	3,172
1942	110	486	436	-	66	6	3,562
1941	110	490	418	-	94	4	3,648
1940	110	448	378	-	84	10	3,338
1939	110	448	368	-	104	8	3,384
1938	110	394	326	-	82	10	2,956
1937	110	374	308	-	92	10	2,848
1936	108	332	272	-	96	8	2,568
1935	108	302	234	-	86	6	2,316

Averages by Year

The following table shows the average scores and total points by year from 1935 to 2020, based on the totals in the table above.

1935-2020 Averages

Year	Touchdowns	Extra Points	2-Pt Conv.	Field Goals	Safties	Total Pts.
2020	5.75	4.86	0.25	3.17	0.09	49.58
2019	5.20	4.44	0.21	3.13	0.07	45.61
2018	5.36	4.55	0.26	3.13	0.04	46.67
2017	4.79	4.16	0.14	3.38	0.06	43.43
2016	5.10	4.37	0.20	3.32	0.08	45.50
2015	5.15	4.48	0.18	3.26	0.06	45.62
2014	5.05	4.77	0.11	3.24	0.08	45.18
2013	5.23	4.93	0.13	3.37	0.08	46.82
2012	5.07	4.80	0.11	3.33	0.05	45.51
2011	4.92	4.69	0.09	3.27	0.08	44.37
2010	4.96	4.70	0.10	3.10	0.05	44.07
2009	4.87	4.55	0.09	2.95	0.05	42.93
2008	4.87	4.57	0.11	3.30	0.08	44.06
2007	4.86	4.55	0.12	3.11	0.07	43.38
2006	4.61	4.39	0.08	3.00	0.05	41.32
2005	4.58	4.29	0.11	3.06	0.04	41.23
2004	4.95	4.61	0.14	2.75	0.06	42.97
2003	4.68	4.34	0.11	2.95	0.08	41.66
2002	4.96	4.48	0.18	2.88	0.05	43.35
2001	4.52	4.06	0.16	2.95	0.04	40.42
2000	4.64	4.25	0.14	2.95	0.06	41.35
1999	4.65	4.24	0.13	3.02	0.09	41.63
1998	4.82	4.30	0.17	2.95	0.08	42.56
1997	4.67	4.14	0.20	2.95	0.05	41.49
1996	4.52	4.07	0.18	3.05	0.08	40.85
1995	4.84	4.29	0.17	3.08	0.05	42.98
1994	4.55	3.98	0.26	2.86	0.06	40.51
1993	4.04	3.91	-	3.00	0.10	37.40
1992	4.28	4.18	-	2.50	0.05	37.46
1991	4.24	4.10	-	2.78	0.05	37.97
1990	4.62	4.45	-	2.63	0.08	40.25
1989	4.73	4.58	-	2.68	0.10	41.21
1988	4.69	4.48	-	2.55	0.12	40.51
1987	5.06	4.81	-	2.62	0.09	43.20
1986	4.81	4.58	-	2.50	0.06	41.04
1985	5.02	4.79	-	2.66	0.08	43.06
1984	4.99	4.80	-	2.51	0.07	42.42
1983	5.20	4.93	-	2.46	0.08	43.66
1982	4.72	4.42	-	2.47	0.08	40.32
1981	4.93	4.65	-	2.33	0.08	41.35
1980	4.96	4.65	-	2.13	0.07	40.97
1979	4.92	4.42	-	2.03	0.07	40.13
1978	4.45	4.08	-	1.91	0.08	36.67
1977	4.16	3.78	-	1.84	0.06	34.35
1976	4.64	4.16	-	2.04	0.08	38.31
1975	5.05	4.58	-	2.03	0.09	41.18
1974	4.45	4.03	-	1.84	0.05	36.36
1973	4.29	4.14	-	2.98	0.07	38.94
1972	4.62	4.46	-	2.74	0.07	40.51
1971	4.43	4.32	-	2.57	0.06	38.73
1970	4.38	4.24	-	2.63	0.06	38.52
1969	5.04	4.92	-	2.17	0.08	41.80
1968	4.96	4.71	-	2.16	0.04	41.00
1967	5.41	5.24	-	1.96	0.06	43.70
1966	5.15	4.96	-	2.50	0.03	43.45
1965	5.74	5.49	-	2.00	0.08	46.12
1964	5.39	5.11	-	2.18	0.04	44.07
1963	5.48	5.20	-	1.92	0.06	43.96
1962	5.59	5.34	-	1.84	0.11	44.62
1961	5.37	5.20	-	1.83	0.06	43.01
1960	5.26	5.03	-	2.09	0.14	43.12
1959	5.42	5.17	-	1.61	0.08	42.67
1958	5.78	5.47	-	1.65	0.04	45.18
1957	4.92	4.69	-	1.78	0.07	39.67
1956	5.18	4.86	-	1.57	0.06	40.76
1955	5.31	4.94	-	1.60	0.06	41.68
1954	5.56	5.29	-	1.65	0.10	43.78
1953	5.51	5.24	-	1.50	0.10	43.01
1952	5.82	5.38	-	1.32	0.15	44.56
1951	5.71	5.40	-	1.36	0.07	43.88
1950	6.14	5.73	-	1.03	0.12	45.88
1949	6.08	5.65	-	1.03	0.07	45.38
1948	6.48	5.93	-	0.75	0.05	47.18
1947	5.93	5.48	-	0.88	0.08	43.90
1946	5.29	4.69	-	0.85	0.11	39.22
1945	5.18	4.58	-	0.68	0.06	37.82
1944	4.67	4.00	-	0.42	0.05	33.40
1943	4.46	4.00	-	0.32	-	31.72
1942	4.42	3.96	-	0.60	0.05	32.38
1941	4.45	3.80	-	0.85	0.04	33.16
1940	4.07	3.44	-	0.76	0.09	30.35
1939	4.07	3.35	-	0.95	0.07	30.76
1938	3.58	2.96	-	0.75	0.09	26.87
1937	3.40	2.80	-	0.84	0.09	25.89
1936	3.07	2.52	-	0.89	0.07	23.78
1935	2.80	2.17	-	0.80	0.06	21.44

Summary

The following table shows the totals for each score over the 21 seasons from 2000 to 2020. The number of regular-season games played in that time was 10,720.

2000-2020 NFL Scoring Summary

Score	Total	Average /Game	Increase /Year
Touchdown	53,156	4.9586	0.0367
Extra point	48,424	4.5172	0.0150
Two-point conversion	3,148	0.2937	0.0041
Field goal	33,494	3.1244	0.0201
Safety	680	0.0634	0.0008
Total points	475,498	44.3562	0.3054