By Dean Michaels, NFL Writer

Nothing exhibits the unpredictability of the NFL more than the tightness of NFL games:

"A lot of real close, competitive games come down to the last possession, the last play or one key play right at the end of the game," says New England Patriots head coach BILL BELICHICK. "The league is very competitive all the way across the board."

Games continued to be this close. Nearly 67% were within one score in the fourth quarter:

NFL Games Decided By One Score

Points Games Percent
Source: NFL
8 or Fewer132 of 25651.6%
7 or Fewer125 of 25648.8%
3 or Fewer50 of 25619.5%

 

NFL Games Within One Score At Any Point in 4th Quarter

Points Games Percent
Source: NFL
8 or Fewer171 of 25666.8%
7 or Fewer166 of 25664.8%
3 or Fewer110 of 25643.0%

 

Seven of eight divisions were won by new teams in 2011 -- Baltimore, Denver, Green Bay, Houston, New Orleans, the New York Giants and San Francisco -- the most such clubs since realignment in 2002.

Comebacks were another 2011 theme, with teams erasing large deficits seemingly every week.

There were 18 games in which a team overcame a deficit of at least 14 points to win, the most of any season in NFL history. The previous high was 17 (1979, 1983, 1987 and 1996).

There were six games in which a team trailing by at least 20 points rallied to win, the most such games in any season in NFL history.

With comeback wins of 20 points in Week 3 and 24 points in Week 4, the Detroit Lions became the first team in NFL history to win consecutive games in which it trailed by at least 20 points in each contest.

Tight Games: The NFL Was So Unpredictable in 2011