NFL Team Red-Zone Statistics: Mannings Peyton & Eli in a Race for Pole Position!

Question:  Why does FFArmory.com spend so much time analyzing team and player red-zone statistics?

Answer:  There have been 727 total passing and rushing TDs combined so far this season, guess how many of those were on plays that started inside the red-zone?

I think, at one point, my mother told me to never answer a question with a question.  I do my best but fall off the wagon from time to time.  Plus, as long as I eventually answer the question with (516), mom should be able to forgive me. 

That's right, 71 percent of passing/rushing TDs in 2010 through Week 11 have been scored from plays starting inside the red zone. 

Learning what and how the 32 teams are doing in the red zone can help break close calls on who to start and who to sit in your fantasy football league.

My man, Whack, has again, pored over ESPN.com game-casts from all games so far this season to bring you the below statistical chart.  It outlines how frequently teams are finding themselves inside the red zone, as well as how efficient they have been to date. 

We put this chart out on Thursday of every week.  Oh, by the way… Happy Thanksgiving!

Observations:

If you have been starting multiple WRs or RBs or TEs from the Panthers, you are probably in last place. 

Look at the Manning brothers duke it out; Eli has been more efficient, meanwhile Peyton has moved his team inside the RZ more frequently. 

Can you believe the 'Skins extended McNabb with that contract? Five passing TDs inside the RZ?  Yeah, I know, the contract is structured such that they can cut him without much of a hit, which makes me wonder why they even bothered or why McNabb would sign such a deal.  But five RZ TDs is not acceptable. 

Speaking of All-Pro QBs who are smelling up the RZ something fierce; Brett Favre has certainly had better years, hasn't he?  Man, am I asking a lot of questions in this piece or what?  See, there I go again.  

One million dollars per game.  Say that over and over in your head.  Then divide 10 million dollars by 10 and you have Favre's income per touchdown thrown through 11 weeks of action.  Good times... for him.

*the below chart is ranked in order from most to least red-zone touchdowns.  The red zone is defined as inside the opponent’s 20 yard line.

rank	Team	Total plays	Passes	Rushes	Pass %	Rush %	Pass TDs in the RZ	Rush TDs in the RZ	Total TDs in the RZ
1	Indianapolis	106	63	43	59.4	40.6	16	8	24
2	NY Giants	101	51	50	50.5	49.5	14	9	23
3	New England	98	46	52	46.9	53.1	14	9	23
4	San Diego	96	52	44	54.2	45.8	13	10	23
5	Atlanta	125	59	66	47.2	52.8	13	7	20
6	Houston	101	38	63	37.6	62.4	9	11	20
7	Green Bay	84	51	33	60.7	39.3	13	6	19
8	Detroit	74	53	21	71.6	28.4	14	5	19
9	Philadelphia	99	51	48	51.5	48.5	10	8	18
10	Denver	97	60	37	61.9	38.1	11	7	18
11	Kansas City	89	40	49	44.9	55.1	11	7	18
12	Dallas	82	50	32	61	39	16	2	18
13	Jacksonville	82	44	38	53.7	46.3	13	5	18
14	New Orleans	129	74	55	57.4	42.6	13	4	17
15	Baltimore	101	36	65	35.6	64.4	9	7	16
16	Cincinnati	82	43	39	52.4	47.6	12	4	16
17	Tennessee	77	33	44	42.9	57.1	9	7	16
18	Buffalo	68	40	28	58.8	41.2	11	5	16
19	Tampa Bay	64	29	35	45.3	54.7	10	6	16
20	Oakland	97	45	52	46.4	53.6	7	8	15
21	NY Jets	92	50	42	54.3	45.7	8	6	14
22	Pittsburgh	77	35	42	45.5	54.5	7	7	14
23	Cleveland	64	28	36	43.8	56.2	5	9	14
24	St. Louis	91	51	40	56	44	10	3	13
25	Minnesota	84	37	47	44	56	6	7	13
26	Chicago	80	43	37	53.8	46.2	9	4	13
27	San Fran	69	34	35	49.3	50.7	9	4	13
28	Seattle	105	55	50	52.4	47.6	6	6	12
29	Washington	79	37	42	46.8	53.2	5	7	12
30	Miami	64	34	30	53.1	46.9	7	3	10
31	Arizona	60	31	29	51.7	48.3	6	4	10
32	Carolina	53	29	24	54.7	45.3	3	2	5