As the NFL prepares to vote on whether to add extra scrimmage plays via the expansion of regular-season overtime to 15 minutes (as noted last night, the Eagles believe it will be roughly 30 per year), it’s important to note that something happened last year regarding the number of scrimmage plays in the NFL’s 272 regular-season games.
Based on information distributed by the league during the Scouting Combine, there were 490 fewer plays from scrimmage in 2024 than 2023. That makes it easier to justify adding extra plays via the expansion of overtime from a maximum of 10 minutes to a maximum of 15 minutes.
The question becomes why were there fewer plays from scrimmage? There are a couple of potential reasons for it.
First, the running game had a resurgence in 2024, with 3,890 more rushing yards league-wide than 2023. The 239.6 rushing yards per game were the second most since 1988. Obviously, more running plays means more plays that won’t end with the clock stopping after an incomplete pass.
Second, for out of bounds plays with more than two minutes in the second quarter and four minutes in the fourth quarter, there has been an inconsistency regarding how quickly the officials re-start the clock. The faster the clock starts again, the more time elapses before the next play begins.
While the sample size is limited, it bears watching whether the number of plays will continue to slide toward, on average, 150 per game. (Last year, it was down to 151.3 plays per game.)
It also bears watching whether the NFL will do something to boost the number of plays. Since that will boost the number of yards. And boost the number of points. Which is what the NFL always wants.
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