The Buffalo Bills are scoring more points per snap than any other NFL offense through five weeks. Buffalo has scored 164 points on 295 offensive plays, an average of 0.556 points per play, the best mark in the league. The league average is 0.376 points per play across every contest through Monday night.
The Bills posted 0.649 points per play in Monday night’s overtime win over the Los Angeles Rams (37 points on 57 plays) and 0.692 in the season opener against Houston. San Francisco is second at 0.542 (154 points on 284 plays), and Detroit is third at 0.494 (164 on 332). Those three clubs are the only ones above 0.49.
Best offenses in points per play after Week 5
| Rank | Team | Record | Games | Points | Plays | Points per play | Points allowed per play (rank) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Buffalo Bills | 4-1 | 5 | 164 | 295 | 0.556 | 0.403 (21) |
| 2 | San Francisco 49ers | 5-0 | 5 | 154 | 284 | 0.542 | 0.292 (3) |
| 3 | Detroit Lions | 3-2 | 5 | 164 | 332 | 0.494 | 0.412 (24) |
| 4 | Baltimore Ravens | 4-1 | 5 | 146 | 310 | 0.471 | 0.384 (19) |
| 5 | Kansas City Chiefs | 4-0 | 4 | 118 | 252 | 0.468 | 0.302 (4) |
| 6 | Dallas Cowboys | 2-3 | 5 | 138 | 305 | 0.452 | 0.439 (27) |
| 7 | Carolina Panthers | 2-2 | 4 | 121 | 268 | 0.451 | 0.407 (22) |
| 8 | Seattle Seahawks | 3-2 | 5 | 134 | 297 | 0.451 | 0.347 (11) |
| 9 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 4-1 | 5 | 123 | 293 | 0.420 | 0.235 (2) |
| 10 | Cincinnati Bengals | 3-2 | 5 | 128 | 312 | 0.410 | 0.355 (13) |
Baltimore ranks fourth at 0.471 and Kansas City fifth at 0.468 in four games. Dallas, Carolina and Seattle sit in a tight cluster around 0.45. San Francisco owns the best difference between offense and defense at +0.250 points per play, ahead of Buffalo (+0.156) because the 49ers’ defense ranks third in points allowed per play.
Tennessee is last at 0.212 points per play (58 points on 273 plays), with Miami (0.255) and the Los Angeles Chargers (0.273) just ahead. The Titans managed only three points on 58 plays against Houston in Week 5.
Best defenses in points allowed per play after Week 5
| Rank | Team | Record | Points allowed | Plays allowed | Points allowed per play | Offense points per play | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota Vikings | 5-0 | 64 | 281 | 0.228 | 0.355 | +0.127 |
| 2 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 4-1 | 70 | 298 | 0.235 | 0.420 | +0.185 |
| 3 | San Francisco 49ers | 5-0 | 93 | 318 | 0.292 | 0.542 | +0.250 |
| 4 | Kansas City Chiefs | 4-0 | 77 | 255 | 0.302 | 0.468 | +0.166 |
| 5 | New York Jets | 2-3 | 96 | 317 | 0.303 | 0.316 | +0.013 |
| 6 | New England Patriots | 3-2 | 94 | 286 | 0.329 | 0.345 | +0.016 |
| 7 | Denver Broncos | 3-2 | 111 | 332 | 0.334 | 0.338 | +0.004 |
| 8 | Philadelphia Eagles | 2-3 | 112 | 332 | 0.337 | 0.318 | -0.019 |
| 9 | Green Bay Packers | 3-2 | 112 | 328 | 0.341 | 0.354 | +0.012 |
| 10 | Tennessee Titans | 0-5 | 109 | 317 | 0.344 | 0.212 | -0.131 |
Minnesota has allowed 64 points on 281 opponent plays, or 0.228 points per play, the stingiest rate in the league. Jacksonville is second at 0.235, followed by San Francisco (0.292), Kansas City (0.302) and the New York Jets (0.303). The Vikings’ board matches their league-best marks in points allowed per drive and first downs allowed.
Dallas has allowed a league-worst 0.515 points per play (162 points on 315 opponent plays). Detroit (0.478) and Arizona (0.476) are next. The Lions’ offense sits third in points per play while their defense ranks 31st, so Detroit games have been efficient on one side and leaky on the other.
Week 6 tests: Buffalo (league-best points per play) visits Las Vegas. San Francisco hosts Washington on Monday night. Jacksonville hosts Houston in London. Minnesota is on its bye.
Points and plays come from the official box score of every regular-season game through Week 5, including overtime. Thursday night’s Seahawks-Broncos game is not included. The ranking matches independent league tracking for points per play for all 32 teams.
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