Here are the 10 lowest scoring offenses over the past 45 years
This wasn’t how the 2023 New York Giants season was supposed to go. Re-signing Daniel Jones to a four-year, $160 million deal and Saquon Barkley returning on a one-year, renegotiated deal were supposed to propel an offense that made significant strides last season.
Not only have the Giants regressed on offense, but they became significantly worse. New York is dead last in points per game (11.8) and yards per game (259.2) in a league that is averaging 21.8 points per game (lowest through Week 10 since 2007) and 332.1 yards per game.
The Giants are nowhere near the league average, as their offense has been grotesque. Jones is out for the season with a torn ACL and Tyrod Taylor is out with a rib injury, leaving third-string quarterback Tommy DeVito behind an offensive line that’s allowed an NFL-leading 54 sacks and 183 pressures. It’s not surprising the Giants are last in the NFL in points per possession (0.95) and yards per possession (21.6).
At just 11.8 points per game, the Giants are on the verge of challenging for the insidious title of worst offense in NFL history. How does the Giants offense stack up with the worst ever?
These are the worst offenses in terms of points per game since the NFL expanded to a 16-game schedule in 1978. All of these units were sore on the eyes.
10. 2023 Giants: 11.8 points per game (2-8 record)
This is the only group on the list that actually scored 31 points in a game, all in one half in Week 2 against the Cardinals. Take out that half of football, and the Giants are averaging 9.7 points per game. New York has actually averaged 11.8 points over its last four games.
With DeVito at quarterback behind that offensive line, the outlook New York’s points per game average appears to be on the decline.
With a 2-8 record, the Giants are currently slated to have the No. 2 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. For NFL Draft coverage, check out “With the First Pick” — CBS Sports’ year-round draft podcast with host Ryan Wilson and former Vikings general manager Rick Spielman. You can find “With the First Pick” wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, etc. Listen to the latest episode below!
9. 1993 Colts: 11.8 (4-12 record)
The Colts actually had a worse offense than this in the Jeff George era, but this unit crashed and burned despite having a 1,000-yard receiver in Reggie Langhorne and an 800-yard wideout in Jessie Hester. Indianapolis failed to score more than 10 points in any of its last seven games, getting shut out twice and scoring in single digits five times.
This team scored 44 points in the final seven games, an average of 6.3 points per game. This wasn’t even the lowest-scoring offense in the league.
Indianapolis had the worst rushing offense in football in a game determined by a rushing attack. Perhaps the Colts were ahead of their era, in spite of their dismal finish.
8. 1993 Bengals: 11.7 (3-13 record)
This was another poor unit, eclipsing just 20 points once even though it was able to get into double digits 11 times. David Klingler and Jay Schroeder combined to throw 11 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while Jeff Query led the team with 654 receiving yards. Harold Green led the team with 589 rushing yards.
This offense actually ended the season on a high note. Averaging 10.6 points with three games to play, it scored 49 points in the last three games to bump that average up.
7. 1990 Patriots: 11.3 (1-15 record)
A 37-year old Steve Grogan was on this team, only starting four games and leading it to its lone win. Marc Wilson and Tom Hodson combined for 10 touchdowns and 16 interceptions while John Stephens rushed for 808 yards.
The Patriots did score 20-plus points three times, but ended the season with 37 points across their last five games. They averaged just 4.4 yards per play on the year.
6. 2009 Rams: 10.9 (1-15 record)
The lowest scoring team of the advanced stats era (starting in 2006), the Rams only could muster 20-plus points twice in 16 games. Marc Bulger, Kyle Boller, and Keith Null combined to throw 11 touchdowns to 21 interceptions.
Steven Jackson made the Pro Bowl after rushing for 1,416 yards and Donnie Avery led the Rams with 589 yards receiving. The Rams averaged 0.93 points per possession, actually worse than the 2023 Giants.
5. 2006 Raiders: 10.5 (2-14 record)
How does a team with Randy Moss average this few points? Andrew Walter and Aaron Brooks combined to throw six touchdowns to 21 interceptions as the Raiders combined to score 12 points in their last three games combined. Oakland was last in points and yards per game while also having the fewest passing and rushing touchdowns in the league.
Justin Fargas led the team with 659 rushing yards and Ronald Curry had 727 receiving yards. Moss ended up with 553 yards and was traded to the Patriots after the season. The rest is history.
4. 2000 Browns: 10.1 (3-13 record)
This is a group that floundered at the end of the season, scoring just 31 points in its last four games (24 in one game). There was a stretch where it had just 12 first downs in three games.
The Browns were 30th in pass yards per game and 30th in rush yards per game (out of 31 teams). Tim Couch, Doug Pederson, and Spergon Wynn combined for nine touchdowns and 18 interceptions. Travis Prentice led the team in rushing yards (512) and Kevin Johnson in receiving yards (669). There weren’t many playmakers in this group.
3. 1998 Eagles: 10.1 (3-13 record)
This was the worst Eagles offense in modern history, finishing 30th in points and yards per game (out of 30 teams). They only scored more than 20 points once and were shut out three times. They were averaging 8.4 points per game after 12 weeks with Bobby Hoying, Koy Detmer, and Rodney Peete throwing for seven touchdowns and 18 interceptions.
Duce Staley had a 1,000-yard season, yet that was the only spark this offense had. It averaged 4.1 yards per pass attempt.
2. 1991 Colts: 8.9 (1-15 record)
Dead last in points and yards per game, the Colts were 27th in passing yards and 28th in rushing yards per game (out of 28 teams). This team had 61 points through nine games — and 24 came in one game. It failed to score in double digits in 11 of 16 games.
Jeff George threw 10 touchdowns to 12 interceptions and was sacked 56 times. Eric Dickerson rushed for 536 yards and two touchdowns. Somehow there was a worse offense in terms of points per game.
1. 1992 Seahawks: 8.8 (2-14 record)
Hard to believe this team was coached by a two-time Super Bowl champion in Tom Flores. The Seahawks never scored more than 17 points in a game all season, failed to reach double digits eight times and got shut out in back-to-back games.
Chris Warren rushed for 1,000 yards, but the three quarterbacks (Stan Gelbaugh, Kelly Stouffer, Dan McGwire) combined for nine touchdowns and 23 interceptions. They were also sacked 57 times.
This is the worst scoring offense in modern NFL history.
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