The 10 Best NFL Offenses of the Last Decade

2012 New England Patriots

Their first appearance on the list, and I can promise you not their last, the New England Patriots had a disappointing end to their season in 2012, when they lost in the AFC Championship game to the Baltimore Ravens.

The Patriots were not only the most efficient offense in the league, with a 0.18 NEP per play, but they saw a ton of volume, with their 78.56 plays per game being the most in our database (dating back to the 2000 season).

Conversations about New England's offensive success tend to start with Tom Brady, and this is no exception. Brady led the league with in both Passing NEP (186.79) and Passing NEP per drop back (0.28), while throwing for 4,827 yards (the second-highest total of his career) with 34 touchdowns and 8 interceptions.

While the offense only produced one 1,000 yard receiver (Wes Welker), three other players (Brandon Lloyd, Rob Gronkowski, and Aaron Hernandez) each caught at least 50 passes.

Danny Woodhead, who had 40 catches of his own, had a 0.76 Reception NEP per target that led, by a significant margin, the 20 backs who were targeted at least 50 times in 2012. (For comparison, second place was Darren Sproles, who posted a 0.52).

Welker's 115.40 Reception NEP was good for seventh in the NFL, while Gronkowski's 0.96 Reception NEP per target ranked third among the 137 players with at least 50 targets.

2012 was also a career year for Stevan Ridley, who set career-highs with in carries (290), yards (1,263), and touchdowns (12), and his 11.25 Rushing NEP ranked eighth in the league.

It was far from the best season of the decade for the Patriots, both in terms of overall success and offensive prowess, but it was an impressive one.