NFL ยท By the Numbers
Are NFL division games lower scoring?
Yes, a bit. NFL division games average 44.8 combined points versus 46.0 in non-division games. Familiar opponents who play twice a year tend to grind, and the gap is worth more than a point.
Combined points per game
Division games
44.8
Non-division games
46.0
Across 2,629 games. Small, but real and consistent.
Coaches know each other's tendencies, the games are often close and conservative, and division dogs tend to hang around. It is a genuine, if modest, nudge toward the under in rivalry weeks.
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How we counted
Every number here comes from our own game database: 2,629 regular-season NFL games since 2016, rebuilt daily. We compute rates across all qualifying games, never a cherry-picked window. This is descriptive history, not a prediction, and it updates on its own.
Last recomputed August 13, 2026.
Keep digging
Does home field advantage matter in the NFL?
The home team wins, but by less than the reputation suggests.
Do NFL favorites cover the spread?
Under half. The spread is efficient, and chalk does not print.
How often do NFL favorites win straight up?
About two in three. Winning and covering are very different things.
How often do NFL games go over the total?
Almost exactly half. The total is a sharp, efficient line.
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