Grounded, NFL-Style

The Cincinnati Bengals attempted only 9 passes in last week's game against the Browns. This is only the 14th time since passing rules were liberalized in 1978 that an NFL team has attempted fewer than 10 passes in a game. Needless to say, most of these games were played in poor conditions and/or featured terrible quarterbacks. At least two NFL teams did not attempt an official pass in a game - the Steelers against the Los Angeles Rams on November 13, 1949 (with the players "wallowing like water buffalos in mud as thick as paste" [New York Times]) and the Browns against the Eagles on December 3, 1950 (played in a hard rain). The Browns actually completed a pass, but it was nullified by an illegal motion penalty. Fewest team pass attempts in a game, NFL, 1978-2008: Team Date Comp Att Yards TD Int Sacked-Lost Opponent Result Possible reason New Orleans 10/15/1978 2 4 31 1 0 0-0 San Francisco W, 14-7 New England 12/12/1982 2 5 13 0 1 0-0 Miami W, 3-0 "Snow Plow" game San Diego 12/19/2004 4 6 85 1 0 1-2 Cleveland W, 21-0 30 mph wind, snow Houston Oilers 10/4/1981 1 6 3 0 0 1-7 Cincinnati W, 17-10 Carolina 12/24/2006 4 7 32 1 0 3-21 Atlanta W, 10-3 Chris Weinke Chicago 11/26/1978 4 7 62 0 1 1-12 Tampa Bay W, 14-3 Chicago 10/7/1979 4 8 22 0 0 1-4 Buffalo W, 7-0 Chicago 10/19/1980 5 8 172 1 1 1-1 Detroit W, 24-7 Dallas 12/10/2000 5 8 89 0 0 3-17 Washington W, 32-13 Troy Aikman concussed New England 12/28/2008 6 8 78 0 0 1-5 Buffalo W, 13-0 35-55 mph winds Green Bay 9/3/1978 3 9 31 0 0 0-0 Detroit W, 13-7 New York Giants 10/25/1992 5 9 94 1 0 1-9 Seattle W, 23-10 Ray Handley Cleveland 11/24/1985 5 9 102 1 0 0-0 Cincinnati W, 24-6 Buffalo 10/29/1989 6 9 123 1 0 2-9 Miami W, 31-17 Houston Texans 10/23/2005 6 9 48 1 1 5-42 Indianapolis L, 20-38 David Carr Cincinnati 12/21/2008 5 9 55 1 0 0-0 Cleveland W, 14-0 26 mph wind, Ryan Fitzpatrick