Sacks Stats Have Changed
December 16th, 2013
The Bucs’ increase in sacks doesn’t mean much
The Bucs have 33 sacks with two games to play! Hip, hip hooray!
That’s a big number around these parts, one that hasn’t been seen in years, but dig into the numbers and you can see it’s not so impressive in a league that throws the football like never before.
Consider the Bucs had the NFL’s No. 2 ranked defense in 2007.
They had 33 sacks that entire year, which was tied for 16 in the NFL. The Bucs’ 33 sacks this season has them tied for 20th with two games to play.
Look at the Bucs’ No. 1 ranked defense in 2005 — yep, best in the NFL — they had 36 sacks, which was tied for 19th in the league. However, this season, teams have already attempted 20 more passes against the Bucs than they did that entire ’05 season.
One more numbers example: in 2008, the Bucs had the same 33 sacks they have now for that entire season. It was good for 13th best in the NFL, whereas the Bucs are 20th this season with 33 and still two games to play.
The point is the Bucs need to find more sacks, and the ideal way is to not do it by making your defense vulnerable through blitzes. Greg Schiano talked last week about how he longs to use more four-man rushes but can’t with his current personnel.
After watching yesterday’s home finale, Joe convinced the Bucs lead the NFL in almost-sacks that resulted in big plays. That stuff absolutely has to stop.
Joe loves the progress of guys like Akeem Spence, Gerald McCoy and Will Gholston, but the Bucs have to get more production. The NFL –and the NFC South — is not about to cut down on throwing the football anytime soon.
December 16th, 2013 at 12:30 pm
We have played a lot of mobile QBs…..Newton twice, Wilson, Kaepernick, Smith…
Sacks are somewhat overrated….I would rather see us contain these QBs and force them to throw……resulting in more picks, intentional grounding & incompletions.
Our lack of containment has really cost us.
AC & Bowers are absolutely not performing. And….yes, we let Bennett go..yada, yada, yada!!!
December 16th, 2013 at 12:32 pm
I like gholston, and I haven’t yet given up on clayborn or bowers. Bowers has one more year and clayborn has two. I really think bowers can start producing next year now that he knows what to expect in training camp. Clayborn seems like he’s almost back to rookie season form. One thing I notice however is that all our ends seem to be big and strong but lack that elite speed edge rush to consistently bring the qb down. I’d love Clowney, Watkins, or Matthews in the draft. But if we can get Clowney it would really make the defense special IMO.
December 16th, 2013 at 12:49 pm
Play Gholston more! So we are sacking the QB more, lead the league in INT’s and playing better overall defense than a year ago. It actually feels like the best defense unit we’ve had in years, really since 2005. Problem was the defense seemed to be on the field the entire game.
December 16th, 2013 at 12:53 pm
That is a stat that is warped since 7 of them came in one game against the worse oline in the nfl.
December 16th, 2013 at 1:12 pm
@ Bonzai, I am certain clubs that put up good sacks numbers have games that inflate the numbers. The chiefs did it early this year. You can’t just pull a stat and use it against a team, then turn around and want more sacks.
December 16th, 2013 at 1:24 pm
I think there’s going to be a DE available when the Bucs draft in the 1st round from South Carolina.
I forget his name, but I hear he is pretty good.
If only Atlanta can win one more game.
December 16th, 2013 at 1:47 pm
Last year we had 27 sacks for 29th place in the NFL.
This year we are 20th place with 33 sacks.
I definitely agree it needs to get better, but so far into the season, they cut their sack ranking almost in third. The arrow is in the right direction. It just needs to be a little steeper.
Just think what it could be if they reduced the stunts 10 weeks earlier, like everyone hollered about for a year and half.
December 16th, 2013 at 2:26 pm
Joe can find a cloud in any silver lining!!
December 16th, 2013 at 6:13 pm
If this was our defense last year I think we would have had a great shot at going to the playoffs. Now our offense is so anemic it’s hard to even tell. It’s almost impossible to keep a high powered offense under 17-20 points a game.
December 16th, 2013 at 6:18 pm
While Im pleased that McCoy is coming on, it seems a lot of our sacks are coming from non lineman. Especially linebackers. But I think our defense is the one thing we can at least be hopeful about for next year.