Football is supposed to be about touchdowns. High-flying offenses, 50-yard bombs, and the roar of a crowd after a goal-line stand. But for fans of the lowest scoring team in NFL circles, Sunday afternoons are less about "the roar" and more about the slow, agonizing sound of a punter’s foot hitting leather.
As of early 2026, looking back at the 2025 regular season, the data is pretty grim. If you’re a fan of the Las Vegas Raiders or the Cleveland Browns, you might want to look away. These teams didn't just struggle; they basically lived in a world where the end zone was a mythic city they couldn't find on a map.
The 2025 Reality: Who Actually Scored the Fewest?
Honest truth? Being the lowest scoring team in NFL play isn't just about bad luck. It’s a systemic failure. In 2025, the Las Vegas Raiders officially "earned" the bottom spot. They averaged a measly 14.2 points per game. Think about that for a second. You can get 14 points just by showing up and having a decent kicker and one lucky break. But the Raiders made it look like climbing Everest.
Close behind them—and honestly, just as painful to watch—were the Cleveland Browns and the Tennessee Titans. The Browns ended their campaign averaging 16.4 points, while the Titans hovered around 16.7.
Why the Raiders Bottomed Out
It wasn't one thing. It was everything. You've got a quarterback carousel that never stopped spinning, an offensive line that felt more like a suggestion than a barrier, and a "stuff rate" that led the league. Basically, they couldn't run the ball, and they couldn't protect the passer. When you're averaging under 15 points a game in a league that has literally changed the rules to favor scoring, you're doing something fundamentally wrong.
Historical Context: How Bad is "Bad"?
To really understand the pain of a low-scoring season, we have to look back. The 2025 Raiders were bad, sure, but are they "1992 Seattle Seahawks" bad?
Not quite.
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The 1992 Seahawks are the gold standard for offensive futility. In a 16-game season, they scored only 140 points. That is 8.75 points per game. That’s a touchdown and a prayer. If the 2025 Raiders were a disaster, the '92 Seahawks were a total blackout.
Here is how some of the all-time basement dwellers stack up in terms of total points:
- 1992 Seattle Seahawks: 140 points (The absolute floor).
- 1991 Indianapolis Colts: 143 points.
- 2000 Cleveland Browns: 161 points.
- 2025 Las Vegas Raiders: 241 points (over 17 games).
The shift to a 17-game season hides some of the ugliness. When you look at the "per game" average, the 2025 Raiders (14.2) actually look a lot like the 2006 Raiders, who averaged 10.5 points. It seems the Silver and Black have a bit of a history with this kind of thing.
The "Eagles Effect" and Defensive Dominance
Sometimes a team becomes the lowest scoring team in NFL weeks because of who they have to play. In the 2024 and 2025 seasons, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Los Angeles Chargers became "offense killers."
The Chargers, under Jim Harbaugh and DC Jesse Minter, allowed only 17.7 points per game in 2024. If you were a struggling offense like the Panthers or the Jets, playing the Chargers was basically a guaranteed 3-point outing. In fact, many of the lowest-scoring individual games for teams in 2024 happened specifically when they lined up against Philly or the Bolts.
It’s a bit of a "chicken or the egg" scenario. Is the offense that bad, or is the defense that good? Usually, it's a bit of both. But for the 2025 Raiders, they didn't need a top-tier defense to stop them; they were perfectly capable of stopping themselves.
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The Anatomy of a Scoring Drought
What actually causes a team to become the lowest scoring team in NFL? If you ask an analyst, they'll give you a 20-minute breakdown of EPA (Expected Points Added) and "success rates." If you ask a fan, they'll tell you it's because the quarterback sucks.
Both are right.
1. The Quarterback Vacuum
In 2025, the Raiders cycled through multiple starters. When you don't have a "franchise guy," you don't have timing. Without timing, you get sacks. The Raiders' quarterbacks were under pressure on nearly 40% of dropbacks. You can't score if you're on your back.
2. Third Down Disasters
The Raiders and the Browns shared a common trait in 2025: a total inability to convert on 3rd and long. Cleveland, specifically, had a 3rd-down conversion rate that dipped below 30% for a large chunk of the season.
3. Red Zone Phobia
Then there’s the Red Zone. Some teams get to the 20-yard line and freeze. The 2025 New Orleans Saints had a stretch where they went nearly three games without a Red Zone touchdown. They settled for field goals—or worse, turnovers. You don't win games with three points at a time. Not in today's NFL.
The Most Surprising Low-Scorers
The weirdest part of the 2024-2025 era? The Kansas City Chiefs.
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Wait, what?
Yeah, seriously. In late 2024, the Chiefs—the team with Patrick Mahomes—actually went through a stretch where they were among the lower-scoring teams in the league. At one point in Week 16 of the 2024 season, they were one of only four teams that hadn't cracked 30 points in a single game.
Of course, they had a winning record because their defense was elite, but it shows that even the "greats" can flirt with being a low-scoring unit. The difference? The Chiefs figured it out. The Raiders and the Browns just kept sinking.
Is There Hope for the Bottom Dwellers?
If your team was the lowest scoring team in NFL this past year, what's next? Usually, it means a "house cleaning."
We saw it with the Panthers. After a 2024 season that was offensive offensive, they made massive changes to their scheme. They didn't become the Greatest Show on Turf, but they moved out of the basement. For the 2026 season, the Raiders are looking at a total offensive overhaul. New coordinator, likely a new high-draft-pick QB, and a prayer that they can at least hit 20 points a game.
Actionable Steps for the Offseason
If you’re a fan or just a degenerate gambler trying to avoid these teams next year, here’s what to look for during the spring and summer:
- Check the Offensive Line Continuity: If a team ranks in the bottom five for scoring, look at their "Sacks Allowed" and "Adjusted Line Yard" stats. If they aren't bringing in at least two new starters on the line, expect more of the same.
- The "Bridge QB" Trap: Teams that sign a veteran "bridge" quarterback (think Gardner Minshew or similar tier) rarely jump out of the low-scoring cellar. They just stabilize the suck. You want to see a high-upside rookie or a major trade.
- Red Zone Personnel: Look for the addition of a big-bodied tight end or a "contested catch" receiver. Teams like the 2025 Raiders struggled because they had no one to win the "toss-up" balls in the corner of the end zone.
The 2025 season is in the books, and the Las Vegas Raiders hold the "title" no one wants. But in the NFL, things move fast. One good draft and a lucky coaching hire can turn 14 points per game into 24. For now, though, the Silver and Black will just have to sit with the stats. 14.2 points per game. It’s a long way to the top.