Colts head coach Tony Dungy says he wasn't as concerned about his team's run defense last season as some might think. "[Opponents were] trying to keep our offense off the field by running the ball,' Dungy said, "and they're kicking field goals, and we're scoring touchdowns." The Colts' passing game averaged 7.53 yards per pass play on offense and surrendered just 5.79 per pass play on defense. (Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)

In 2006, QB Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts were the only team in the AFC to average more than seven yards per pass play and the only team in the NFL to average more than 7.5. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

When Dick Vermeil coached the St. Louis Rams, his offenses excelled at pushing the ball downfield through the air. "Yards per pass attempt has one of the most direct correlations to the won-loss record," Vermeil says. (Otto Greule/Getty Images)

While with the Rams, Kurt Warner averaged 8.6 yards per pass attempt while leading the Rams to two Super Bowl appearances and one title. (Al Bello/Getty Images)

With a new set of receivers around him, quarterback Tom Brady of the New England Patriots leads the league in yards per pass attempt (8.7 yards) while completing 72.5 percent of his passes. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Tony Romo of the Dallas Cowboys ranks right behind Tom Brady in yards per pass attempt at 8.5. However, Romo's completion percentage (59.5) and interception rate (4.5 percent) are well behind the Patriots QB (72.5 percent and 0.98). (Rick Stewart/Getty Images)

In his first season as a starting quarterback, Matt Schaub of the Houston Texans is averaging 8.3 yards per pass attempt. That is one reason the Texans are ranked No. 6 in the league in offensive yards per game. (Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images)

Bucs quarterback Jeff Garcia is averaging 8.3 yards per pass attempt through Week 6, a much more relevant stat to many league insiders than his 103.6 passer rating. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

In 1996, the New York Jets had the worst field-position differential in the league at minus-5.7 yards, meaning QB Neil O'Donnell and the offense had farther to go to score, while opponents had less ground to cover. The result? The Jets were 1-15. Photo by Getty Images.

In 1995, coach Dom Capers spurred the Carolina Panthers, in just their second season of existence, to a 12-4 record and a berth in the NFC title game by stressing field position. The Panthers had the best offensive starting field position in the league, and the second-best defensive starting field position. (Rick Stewart/Getty Images)

As coach of the Steelers, Bill Cowher was a strong believer in field position and the so-called hidden yardage it gives -- or takes away. "How long a field are you creating when you kick off, and how short a field are you creating when you return it?" (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

In 2000, coach Brian Billick's Baltimore Ravens allowed opponents into their red zone only 27 times in 16 games and surrendered only 2.7 points per effort. That year, the Ravens won the Super Bowl. (Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

As defensive coordiantor of the Baltimore Ravens in 2000, Marvin Lewis coached linebacker Ray Lewis and company to one of the best defensive seasons in NFL history. But since the league's rankings are based on yards, the Ravens ranked only No. 2 in the league. (Thomas Croke/WireImage.com)

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis spearheaded a defense that rarely let teams penetrate its red zone and even more rarely let them score touchdowns. (Al Messerschmidt/WireImage.com)

Denver Broncos coach Mike Shanahan used the knowledge he gained from studying his own team's tendencies to help plan practice schedules. (Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

Texans head coach Gary Kubiak learned as an assistant in Denver how to structure practice time based on how much game time his team spends on each phase of the game. "Let's say we were on the goal line three percent of the time," Kubiak says. "Then, three percent of training camp is going to be devoted to the goal line." (Bob Levey/WireImage.com)

Mike Holmgren says he's not much of a stats guru at this point in his career, but as 49ers offensive coordinator his in-depth study of Joe Montana's interceptions led to a tweak to the playbook and one of Montana's best seasons ever. (Otto Greule /Getty Images)

After then-49ers offensive coordinator Mike Holmgren removed a high-risk play from the team's playbook in 1989, QB Joe Montana threw only eight interceptions, completed 70 percent of his passes and led the 49ers to their fourth Super Bowl victory. (Al Messerschmidt/WireImage.com)

In the 49ers' West Coast offense, quarterbacks Joe Montana and Steve Young were among the most difficult passers to intercept. Montana's career interception percentage was 2.5783, Young's 2.5789. (NFL/WireImage.com)