Has There Ever Been A Scoreless NFL Game?

Has there ever been an NFL game without a score? Believe it or not, it has happened before! Check out this blog post to learn more about the history of scoreless NFL games.

Introduction

In an NFL game, it is very rare for there to be no score at all. In fact, it has only happened seven times in the history of the league. The most recent scoreless game happened in 2016, when the Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams played to a 0-0 tie.

So, why are scoreless games so rare? There are a few reasons. First, NFL teams are very good at scoring points. They have some of the best athletes in the world, and they are coached by some of the smartest people in the world. Second, NFL games are only 60 minutes long. If a team doesn’t score early in the game, they usually have enough time to make a comeback. Finally, there are a lot of rules in the NFL that make it easier to score points. For example, if a team throws an interception (a turnover), they get the ball back automatically.

Despite all of these factors, scoreless games do happen from time to time. They are just very rare occurrences.

The First Scoreless Game in NFL History

The first scoreless game in NFL history was played on October 8, 1916, between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New York Giants. The game ended in a 0-0 tie. It was not until the following year that another scoreless game was played, when the Chicago Bears and the Chicago Cardinals played to a 0-0 tie on November 11, 1917.

The Most Recent Scoreless Game in NFL History

The most recent scoreless game in NFL history took place on November 16, 2019, when the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks played to a 0-0 tie. It was only the second scoreless tie in the NFL since 1972, and the first since 2008. The game was notable for its defensive intensity, as both teams combined for only nine first downs.

While scoreless games are rare in the NFL, they do happen from time to time. In addition to the aforementioned 49ers-Seahawks game, there have been three other scoreless games in NFL history:

-The Miami Dolphins and New York Jets played to a 0-0 tie on November 12, 1973.
-The Indianapolis Colts and San Diego Chargers played to a 0-0 tie on November 23, 2008.
-The Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers played to a 0-0 tie on December 3, 2017.

Why There Have Been Fewer Scoreless Games in Recent Years

While it may seem like there have been more scoreless NFL games in recent years, the truth is that there have actually been fewer. In fact, there hasn’t been a single scoreless game since the 2016 season. So why the decrease?

One reason is that teams are simply scoring more points than they used to. In 2009, the average team scored 21.2 points per game. In 2019, that number had jumped to 24.1 points per game. That may not seem like a big difference, but it adds up over the course of a season.

Another reason is that teams are throwing the ball more often than they used to. In 2009, teams averaged 32.9 pass attempts per game. In 2019, that number had increased to 36.6 pass attempts per game. This means that offenses are on the field for more plays, which gives them more opportunities to score points.

Finally, defenses are giving up fewer points than they used to. In 2009, teams allowed an average of 21.8 points per game. In 2019, that number had decreased to 19.6 points per game. This is likely due to improvements in coaching and player performance over the last 10 years.

So while it may seem like there are more scoreless games in the NFL these days, the truth is that there are actually fewer. Thanks to higher scoring offenses and improved defenses, we’re seeing fewer games end without any points on the board.

Conclusion

No, there has never been a scoreless game in NFL history. The closest thing to a scoreless game was a 0-0 tie between the New York Giants and the Detroit Lions in 1943.