Everyone looks at the final score. It’s natural. You see a 35-10 blowout and assume the winning team has some unstoppable juggernaut, but football is rarely that simple. Honestly, the top offenses NFL 2024 conversation is kind of a mess if you only look at total yards.
The Baltimore Ravens finished the 2024 regular season with a massive 7,224 total offensive yards. That’s a franchise record. It’s also the first time in the history of the league that a team put up 4,000 passing yards and 3,000 rushing yards in the same season. On paper? Absolute dominance. But if you ask a Ravens fan about that divisional round loss to the Bills, they won’t be talking about the 5.8 yards per carry average.
They’ll be talking about the missed opportunities.
The Statistical Reality of Top Offenses NFL 2024
When we talk about the best units from the 2024 season, we have to look at the Detroit Lions. Jared Goff had a career year, throwing for 4,629 yards and 37 touchdowns. But the real magic in Detroit wasn't just Goff. It was the "Sonic and Knuckles" duo in the backfield. Jahmyr Gibbs exploded for 1,412 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns. Meanwhile, David Montgomery chipped in another 12 scores.
Ben Johnson, the Lions' offensive coordinator, basically turned the field into a chess board. They weren't just fast; they were efficient.
Why Yards Can Be Liars
Take the Cincinnati Bengals. Joe Burrow led the league with 4,918 passing yards. That sounds incredible, right? And it was. Ja'Marr Chase was a monster with 1,708 receiving yards. But the Bengals finished 9-8 and missed the playoffs. Why? Because a high-flying passing attack doesn't always equal a top-tier offense if you can’t protect the quarterback or run the ball when it matters.
- Baltimore Ravens: 424.9 yards per game (1st)
- Detroit Lions: 409.5 yards per game (2nd)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 399.5 yards per game (3rd)
Wait, the Bucs? Yeah. Baker Mayfield quietly threw 41 touchdowns.
Most people didn't see that coming. Tampa Bay averaged nearly 400 yards a game, yet they were often overlooked in the national conversation. They relied heavily on a resurgent Mayfield and a vertical passing game that kept defenses on their heels. It’s a perfect example of how a narrative—"Baker is a journeyman"—can blind us to what's actually happening on the field.
The San Francisco 49ers and the "System" Debate
The 49ers are always in this conversation. Kyle Shanahan is a genius; we get it. In 2024, they were the model of balance until the wheels sort of fell off late in the year. Brock Purdy threw 20 touchdowns before dealing with injuries, and Christian McCaffrey still managed to rack up 1,202 rushing yards and 102 receptions.
But here’s the kicker: their "yards per play" was elite (6.2 in 2024), yet they finished with a 6-11 record.
How does a team with that much talent fail so spectacularly? Turnovers. They had a -6 turnover ratio. You can move the ball 80 yards down the field, but if you fumble at the goal line, those yards are "empty calories." This is the nuance that raw stats miss.
The Surprising Rise of the Commanders
Jayden Daniels changed everything in Washington. The Commanders finished 7th in total offense, averaging 369.6 yards per game. That’s a massive jump for a franchise that has been stuck in the mud for years. Daniels wasn't just a "scrambling" QB; he was a legitimate passer, finishing with 25 touchdowns.
They played fast. They played aggressive.
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They also proved that a dual-threat quarterback is the ultimate "get out of jail free" card for a rebuilding offensive line. When the play broke down, Daniels just made something happen. It wasn’t always pretty, but it was effective.
Key Efficiency Metrics (The Real Top Offenses NFL 2024)
If you want to know who was actually "good" and not just "busy," you look at points per game.
- Detroit Lions: 33.2 PPG
- Buffalo Bills: 30.8 PPG
- Baltimore Ravens: 30.5 PPG
The Lions didn't just move the ball; they finished. They had 70 total touchdowns. Compare that to the Chiefs, who had a great record but only scored 42 touchdowns all year. Kansas City won with defense and "just enough" offense. Detroit won by trying to break the scoreboard.
Actionable Insights for Next Season
If you're looking at these top offenses NFL 2024 to predict what happens in 2025 or 2026, keep these three things in mind.
First, ignore total passing yards as a standalone stat. Joe Burrow led the league in yards but sat at home during the playoffs. Look for "Yards per Attempt" instead. Lamar Jackson led the league there at 8.8. That tells you he was making chunk plays, not just dinking and dunking.
Second, watch the "Sonic and Knuckles" trend. Teams are moving away from the "bell cow" back and toward two-headed monsters. The Lions (Gibbs/Montgomery) and Ravens (Henry/Jackson) dominated because they could change the pace of the game at will.
Third, Red Zone efficiency is king. The 49ers were great at moving the ball but struggled to score when the field shrank late in the season.
To stay ahead of the curve, stop watching the highlight reels and start looking at how teams perform on 3rd-and-short. That’s where the 2024 season was won and lost. The Lions converted 47.5% of their third downs, which is why they stayed on the field and kept defenses exhausted. If you want to find the next elite offense, find the team that doesn't waste its possessions.