The San Francisco 49ers lead the NFL in net yards per pass attempt at 8.15 through five weeks. Brock Purdy has completed 98 of 142 passes for 1,196 yards and 13 touchdowns with two interceptions, and the 49ers have been sacked only three times all season.
Those three sacks all came Sunday at Seattle. San Francisco had not allowed a sack in its first four games, when Purdy threw for 205, 287, 297 and 218 net yards. The Dolphins game in Week 2 produced 13.0 net yards per pass play on 20-of-22 passing, and Arizona was hit for 11.0 the following week. Even with the three sacks in Seattle, the 49ers’ sack rate is 2.1 percent of dropbacks, the lowest in the league.
Buffalo is second in net yards per pass at 8.05 and still leads in gross yards per attempt at 9.1, but the Bills have taken 10 sacks. Baltimore is third at 7.76, Kansas City fourth at 7.46 in four games, and New England fifth at 7.30. Purdy’s 119.3 passer rating ranks among the league leaders, and San Francisco is one of two unbeaten teams, along with Minnesota.
Highest net yards per pass attempt after Week 5
| Rank | Team | Record | Games | Pass att. | Sacks taken | Net yards/pass | Yards/attempt | Net pass yards/game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco 49ers | 5-0 | 5 | 142 | 3 | 8.15 | 8.4 | 236.4 |
| 2 | Buffalo Bills | 4-1 | 5 | 138 | 10 | 8.05 | 9.1 | 238.2 |
| 3 | Baltimore Ravens | 4-1 | 5 | 137 | 11 | 7.76 | 9.0 | 229.8 |
| 4 | Kansas City Chiefs | 4-0 | 4 | 128 | 6 | 7.46 | 8.1 | 249.8 |
| 5 | New England Patriots | 3-2 | 5 | 157 | 11 | 7.30 | 8.1 | 245.2 |
| 6 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 4-1 | 5 | 143 | 10 | 7.21 | 8.2 | 220.6 |
| 7 | Seattle Seahawks | 3-2 | 5 | 147 | 11 | 7.03 | 8.1 | 222.0 |
| 8 | Carolina Panthers | 2-2 | 4 | 163 | 10 | 6.97 | 7.8 | 301.2 |
| 9 | Green Bay Packers | 3-2 | 5 | 185 | 10 | 6.95 | 7.6 | 271.0 |
| 10 | Detroit Lions | 3-2 | 5 | 191 | 11 | 6.92 | 7.8 | 279.6 |
Net yards per pass attempt subtracts sack yardage and counts sacks in the denominator, so it rewards teams that protect the quarterback. San Francisco’s 236.4 net passing yards per game rank in the top half of the league even though the 49ers do not throw as often as some higher-volume offenses. The Rams lead the NFL at 307.6 net passing yards per game but sit 12th in net yards per pass at 6.81.
Lowest net yards per pass attempt after Week 5
| Rank | Team | Record | Games | Pass att. | Sacks taken | Net yards/pass | Yards/attempt | Net pass yards/game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | Indianapolis Colts | 2-3 | 5 | 176 | 9 | 5.22 | 5.8 | 193.0 |
| 28 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1-4 | 5 | 151 | 17 | 5.16 | 6.3 | 173.4 |
| 29 | Los Angeles Chargers | 0-5 | 5 | 144 | 17 | 5.11 | 6.5 | 164.6 |
| 30 | Philadelphia Eagles | 2-3 | 5 | 155 | 13 | 5.08 | 6.0 | 170.6 |
| 31 | Tennessee Titans | 0-5 | 5 | 155 | 10 | 4.96 | 5.8 | 163.8 |
| 32 | Arizona Cardinals | 1-4 | 5 | 200 | 12 | 4.94 | 5.6 | 209.6 |
Arizona has the lowest mark at 4.94, with 12 sacks taken in five games. Tennessee (4.96), Philadelphia (5.08), the Los Angeles Chargers (5.11), Tampa Bay (5.16) and Indianapolis (5.22) are next. The Chargers and Buccaneers have each been sacked 17 times, and Cleveland leads the league with 19 sacks allowed.
San Francisco hosts Washington on Monday night. The Commanders have allowed 255.0 net passing yards per game. Net yards per pass is each team’s regular-season total through Week 5 and does not include Thursday night’s Seahawks-Broncos game.
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