For four decades, NFL fumble rates have been progressively falling. There has been just 2.59 fumbles per game this season entering Week 12, the third-lowest rate in history, after only 2011 (2.54) and 2013. (2.56). The all-time high was 4.53 per game in 1976. The decline can be attributed to several factors. First, coaches are taking away the opportunity by not allowing their players to touch the ball outside of the pocket or on passes. Second, athletes are becoming better at protecting the ball. In fact, there have been fewer than three fumbles per game since 2008. And finally, more sophisticated rules have been put into place that try to eliminate unnecessary roughness while still allowing for exciting football. When you look at the record-setting games over the last 40 years, you will see that there were generally more than two fumbles per game. For example, in 2007 Tom Brady and New England beat Dallas with a total of six fumbles. Three of them were lost by the Cowboys and three were recovered by the Patriots. In 2001 Marshall Faulk had two fumbles and one touchdown return for a total of three fumbles in San Diego's 48-37 win over Atlanta. In 1999 Todd Collins had two fumble returns for touchdowns in Baltimore's 34-31 win over Washington. And so on and so forth.