Coordinators' Chat: How the Panthers got their rookies ready

[Sir Purr]

SCORING AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH


Throughout the NFL, offenses have been remarkably efficient and performed at a record-setting pace through the first four weeks of the season.


According to NFL Research, teams have put up 52 performances of at least 30 points in the first four weeks, shattering the record set in 2013 when teams had 36 such games. In 2020, league points per game (51.3), offensive touchdowns per game (5.7), total yards per game (739.0), passing yards per game (499.6), and passer rating (96.5) are all on pace to break records set since the 1970 NFL/AFL merger. Data for third-down percentage dates back to just 1991, but at 43 percent, that's at an all-time high as well.


Offensive coordinator Joe Brady couldn't put a finger on just one reason for all the points.


"Nothing that comes to mind. I know there are some great offenses in this league," he said. "You look at the touchdown tapes across the league each week, I think the coaches across the league are just putting their players in position to have success and are doing a great job at it.


"Watching some of the throws these quarterbacks are making and watching these running backs just get in space, I think a lot of it just has to do with the game being at an extremely high level. And it's fun to watch."


But Snow thinks it might have to do with the environments in which 2020 games are being played.


"Normally offensively when you go on the road, it's really hard to run an offense, especially on third down or if you have to check (because of) the crowd noise," Snow said. "Well, we're not having any crowd noise. So when teams go on the road, they're not at a disadvantage on offense.


"We count on that crowd noise where they can't get to what they want, and it's hard to run their offense, and we don't have that right now. So I think that has led to some of the scoring."


The two coordinators approach the influx of points from different lines of thinking — one being on offense, the other on defense. But as long as the Panthers score one more point than their opponent, they probably don't much care how many total points there are in the game.