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The number of possessions in an NFL game may be one of the toughest things to determine. During the 2013 NFL season, it was projected that each team will receive 12 possessions throughout a full NFL game.
The NFL is a different league now, and there are three factors that play a part in the number of possessions a team receives. Let's take an in-depth look at these factors.
#1 Time of Possession
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The Green Bay Packers led the NFL in time of possession for the 2020-2021 NFL season. Green Bay averaged a time of possession of 32 minutes and 50 seconds for the season.
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The teams that faced the Packers saw a drop in the number of possessions because they held the football for more than half the game. Here's how the rest of the NFL turned out in terms of time of possession.
The Houston Texans ended the 2020-2021 NFL season in last place with a time of possession of 27 minutes and 18 seconds.
#2 The average number of plays NFL teams run per game
The Los Angeles Chargers led the NFL in the number of plays ran during the 2020-2021 NFL season. Los Angeles averaged 70.4 plays per game last season. This is due to the Chargers' fast-paced offense.
Here's the number of plays that the rest of the NFL averaged for the 2020-2021 NFL season.
The Houston Texans averaged 58.8 plays per game to finish last in the number of plays ran each game for the 2020-2021 NFL season.
#3 Whether a team is winning or losing
When a team is winning by multiple scores, it starts to bleed the clock. This is mostly seen in the fourth quarter of a game where one team has the victory in hand. The pace is slow and it takes time away from the possessions.
When a team is losing, we often see the no-huddle and the team clocking the football after first downs or a big play late in the game. One game that stands out when it comes to time of possession is the comeback that Peyton Manning conducted with the Colts. The Indianapolis Colts erased a 27-point deficit during the 2009 season against the Miami Dolphins.
Indianapolis only held the football for 14 minutes and 53 seconds. Manning led the Colts to a victory over the Dolphins with little time. The 14 minutes and 53 seconds is the lowest time of possession for a winning team since 1977.
