Tag: Defense

Broncos’ sack leaders from 2024 season (Nik Bonitto led the way)

The Broncos led the NFL with 63 sacks as Nik Bonitto (13.5) led the way. Here are the team’s individual sack leaders from the 2024 season.

The Denver Broncos‘ impressive defense led the NFL with 63 sacks during the 2024 season, setting a new franchise record.

Broncos outside linebackers Nik Bonitto (13.5 sacks) and Jonathon Cooper (10.5 sacks) became the team’s first double-digit sack duo since Von Miller (14.5) and Bradley Chubb (12.0) in 2018.

Not far behind were defensive linemen Zach Allen (8.5) and John Franklin-Myers (7.0). Denver also got solid productive from backup rotational pass rushers Jonah Elliss (5.0) and Dondrea Tillman (5.0).

The Broncos had 16 different players record at least a half-sack in 2024, which helps explain how they ended up leading the league with 63. Here’s a look at all of Denver’s individual sack totals from the 2024 season.

Broncos 2024 sack leaders

  1. Nik Bonitto: 13.5
  2. Jonathon Cooper: 10.5
  3. Zach Allen: 8.5
  4. John Franklin-Myers: 7.0
  5. Jonah Elliss: 5.0
  6. Dondrea Tillman: 5.0
  7. Justin Strnad: 3.0
  8. Malcolm Roach: 2.5
  9. Cody Barton: 1.5
  10. D.J. Jones: 1.0
  11. P.J. Locke: 1.0
  12. Ja’Quan McMillian: 1.0
  13. Devon Key: 1.0
  14. Jordan Jackson: 1.0
  15. Drew Sanders: 1.0
  16. Eyioma Uwazurike: 0.5

Bonitto, Cooper, Allen, JFM and Ellis are all under contract for 2025, so the Broncos should be able to continue appling heavy pressure next season.

[vertical-gallery id=620142]

Chiefs S Justin Reid reveals extra motivation for Super Bowl LIX: ‘We gotta win’

Kansas City #Chiefs safety Justin Reid reveals extra motivation for Super Bowl LIX: ‘We gotta win’ | @EdEastonJr

The build-up for Super Bowl LIX is well underway, with the Kansas City Chiefs pursuing history against the Philadelphia Eagles. The players are gearing up to enhance their legacies in the biggest game of the year, with more than the Lombardi trophy on the line.

Chiefs safety Justin Reid has known nothing but success with the Chiefs throughout his tenure, and this year’s Super Bowl has extra meaning for the new father and Louisiana native. Reid spoke with reporters about the many tickets he purchased for friends and family before the Super Bowl in New Orleans.

“Those ticket prices are running up, man, said Reid. “Like, I got 30 of them. We’re excited to play, and we’re chasing glory, but we gotta win just for me to break even.”

Reid’s revealing comments at the press conference were met with plenty of laughter as the veteran defensive back continued to produce on the field this season. The veteran defensive back has been among the team leaders in tackles during the postseason. Reid remains one of the pass rushers out of the secondary during special Steve Spagnuolo blitz schemes.

PFF: Chris Jones was Chiefs’ highest-graded player in AFC Championship Game

According to the experts at Pro Football Focus, #Chiefs DL Chris Jones was Kansas City’s highest-graded player in the AFC Championship Game.

The Kansas City Chiefs are now one win away from making history after defeating the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship game.

Though star quarterback Patrick Mahomes put together a marvelous performance in the Chiefs’ win over Buffalo, the efforts of Kansas City’s defense in Sunday’s matchup shouldn’t go unnoticed.

The Chiefs’ defense has been ranked among the best in the league this season and routinely makes game-changing plays in the biggest moments when Kansas City needs the unit the most.

Between its air-tight secondary and powerful front seven, Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has assembled a near-perfect cast of stars.

The experts at Pro Football Focus took notice of Kansas City’s dominant defensive line on Sunday, and awarded star pass rusher Chris Jones a grade of 90.6, which led all Chiefs players in the team’s winning effort against the Bills:

Jones is one of the fiercest pass-rushers in the game since joining the league in 2016 and has proven himself to be one of Kansas City’s best assets.

The former Mississippi State Bulldog will have another chance to prove himself when the Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX in February.

Chiefs HC Andy Reid targets an area of improvement before the AFC Championship game

Kansas City #Chiefs head coach Andy Reid targets an area of improvement before the #AFC Championship game | @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs are again preparing for a crucial postseason matchup with the Buffalo Bills. During the regular season, the Chiefs, a nemesis of the franchise over the past few seasons, were in close contention for the top seed in the conference.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid spoke to the media on Monday for his weekly Zoom press conference. He shared his thoughts on a weakness in Kansas City’s recent battles with Buffalo, which focused on the defense forcing third-down stops.

“One of the things we’ll keep working on is you’ve got to be able to get off the field on third downs. We keep stressing that Steve (Spagnuolo) does, and so we’ve got to, you know, you’ve got to be able to take care of those third downs,” said Reid. “Especially when you’ve worked so hard and put yourself in a good position. Bills do a heck of a job with that. They’re a really good football team offensively.”

The Chiefs’ defense collected eight sacks in their divisional-round victory over the Houston Texans. After suffering their lone genuine loss of the regular season in Buffalo, they know the Bills’ capabilities.

REPORT: Rising DB will return to Chiefs’ starting lineup vs. Texans

The #Chiefs’ defense will see a key starter return to the field for Kansas City’s AFC divisional round playoff matchup against the Texans.

According to a report by The Athletic’s Nate Taylor, Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Jaylen Watson is set to return to his starting role in the defending Super Bowl champions’ AFC divisional round playoff game against the Houston Texans on Saturday.

Watson has been sidelined since Week 7 of the regular season due to an ankle injury and was initially not expected to return this season.

The former Washington State Cougar made significant progress during his injury recovery period and had his practice window opened during the Chiefs’ first-round playoff bye last week.

Head coach Andy Reid hinted at Watson’s possible return in a press conference earlier this week, but would not commit to activating the second-year defensive back.

Kansas City’s secondary has exceeded the high expectations placed on it without Watson’s help, but the veteran defensive back’s return will provide a major boost to the unit.

Look for Watson’s return to have an early impact in the Chiefs’ matchup against Houston on Saturday.

Report: Wisconsin football hires new defensive assistant

Report: Wisconsin football hires new defensive assistant

Wisconsin football is reportedly hiring Western Michigan defensive coordinator Scott Power as a defensive assistant, according to a report from FootballScoop’s John Brice.

Power spent the 2024 season leading the Broncos’ defense after several years as defensive coordinator at Louisiana Tech. That followed stints as DC at Stephen F. Austin, Texas A&M Commerce, Central Washington and Marian.

The experienced defensive coach is one of several new hires joining Wisconsin’s defensive staff. Since the conclusion of the 2024 season, Luke Fickell tabbed Jack Cooper as the program’s new safeties coach, plus hired former Ohio State standout Tuf Borland as assistant linebackers coach.

Power is the second Western Michigan assistant to leave for the Badgers this offseason, following wide receivers coach Jordan Reid.

Fickell’s offseason changes to the offensive staff include the hire of Jeff Grimes as offensive coordinator, the promotion of Kenny Guiton to quarterbacks coach, the hire of Reid, and the hire of assistants Joe Ludwig (tight ends) and Blake Rolan (wide receivers).

Wisconsin will enter 2025 with that revamped staff after the program finished the 2024 season at 5-7, missing a bowl game for the first time since 2001. Many of Fickell’s changes were made to reverse a trajectory currently pointed in the wrong direction.

Power will work with a defensive unit that finished that 2024 campaign allowing 23.1 points per game (46th in the nation). The unit struggled during the team’s five-game losing streak to close the season, allowing point totals of 28 to Penn State, 42 to Iowa, 16 to Oregon, 44 to Nebraska and 24 to Minnesota. The depth chart is set to look different in 2025 after a busy winter transfer window.

The Badgers open their 2025 schedule at home against Miami (OH). They then face Middle Tennessee and travel to Alabama before beginning a gauntlet conference schedule.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion

Packers enjoyed ‘incredible growth’ on defense during Jeff Hafley’s first year

Sunday’s playoff loss was disappointing but helped legitimize all the growth made on the defensive side in Jeff Hafley’s first season as defensive coordinator.

Sunday’s playoff loss in Philadelphia was disappointing, but the performance from Jeff Hafley’s defense helped legitimize what was an important season of growth for the Green Bay Packers on the defensive side of the ball.

The Eagles scored 22 points, but seven came off the fumble on the opening kickoff and three more after a turnover on downs in Green Bay territory, and Philadelphia finished with only two third down conversions, one red-zone touchdown on four trips and under 300 total yards. The Packers didn’t get a takeaway but were excellent down to down, allowing the Eagles to average just 5.1 yards per play. And Philadelphia didn’t score after any of Jordan Love’s three interceptions.

Even in a loss, the performance was a fitting end for a defense that improved significantly in 2024.

“I thought there was a tremendous amount of growth, to be honest with you,” LaFleur said Tuesday. “I thought Hafley did an outstanding job. And not just Hafley, our entire defensive staff did a really good job.

LaFleur said the Packers had a “vision” of what the defense would look like going into the season, but a lack of consistent pass-rush forced an adjustment, and Hafley and the Packers were able to adjust in-season and stay competitive. The defense had to employ more simulated pressures to help the pass-rush and adjust coverage, playing more Cover-2 overall.

Even if the season didn’t play out as expected, the improvement from the Packers defense can be seen in both the traditional statistics and analytics:

Points per game: Packers improved from 10th to 6th
Yards per play: Packers improved from 20th to 5th
DVOA: Packers improved from 27th to 7th
EPA/play: Packers improved from 24th to 4th
Yards per play: Packers improved from 17th to 5th
Takeaways: Packers improved from 23rd to 4th
Turnover percentage: Packers improved from 23rd to 3rd
EPA/dropback: Packers improved from 23rd to 3rd
EPA/carry: Packers improved from 23rd to 8th
Yards per carry: Packers improved from 22nd to 3rd
Passer rating: Packers improved from 25th to 9th
Tackles for loss: Packers improved from 22nd to 5th
Scoring percentage: Packers improved from 8th to 5th
Average net yards/attempt: Packers improved from 25th to 6th
Yards/completion: Packers improved from 19th to 7th
Third down%: Packers improved from 25th to 12th

LaFleur wanted to “rush four” and play “three deep, four under” behind the pass rush in Hafley’s scheme. But the defensive front wasn’t consistent enough to allow seven-man coverage schemes behind it.

“I thought we were playing some pretty good football at the end,” LaFleur said.

The next step appears to be making an outside addition along the defensive front four and supercharging the pass-rush. The Packers could become a dominant defense in 2025 if Hafley can play more four-man fronts with coverage behind it and still generate disruptive pressure on the quarterback.

Who was the Steelers’ true defensive MVP in 2024?

DeShon Elliott’s stellar 2024 season highlighted his versatility and dominance, cementing his importance in the Steelers’ defense.

The 2024 Pittsburgh Steelers boasted one of the strongest defensive rosters the team had in decades—on paper. While the Steelers struggled to contain offenses in the latter half of the season, a few defensive players consistently excelled—especially strong safety DeShon Elliott.

Elliott’s signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers was one of the most underrated moves of the offseason but a welcome addition, as the safety served as a Swiss Army knife for the defense.

Elliott was at his best when stopping the run and flying around the field making tackles, but he also proved himself as a capable pass rusher and excelled in man coverage.

His three fumble recoveries and 73 solo tackles led all Steelers defenders in 2024—despite playing in two fewer games.

While many may argue that Steelers DT Cam Heyward was just as dominant and important to the defense, Elliott consistently made opposing offenses feel his presence.

Elliott’s 2024 performance proves why he should be labeled the MVP of the Steelers defense this season, and fans have every reason to be excited about what the safety has in store for 2025.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Statistical Breakdown: How the Chargers and Texans stack up before wild-card playoff game

The Texans have struggled at keeping their quarterback clean, but they’ve also generated a lot of pressure on opposing quarterbacks

The Chargers and Texans are set to square off this Saturday, with both teams looking to advance to the divisional round.

Here’s how Los Angeles and Houston stack up statistically on both sides of the ball ahead of the wild-card matchup:

Offense

Category Chargers Texans
Points per game 23.6 ppg (11th) 21.9 ppg (19th)
Passing offense 213.5 ypg (19th) 207.4 ypg (21st)
Rushing offense 110.7 ypg (17th) 112.3 ypg (15th)
Total offense 324.2 ypg (20th) 319.7 ypg (22nd)
3rd down conversions 40.27% (11th) 37.66% (20th)
Red zone scoring 56.00% (18th) 49.12% (26th)
Sacks allowed 44 (19th) 54 (29th)
Turnovers 9 (2nd) 19 (12th)

Defense

Category Chargers Texans
Points allowed 17.7 ppg (1st) 21.9 ppg (14th)
Passing defense 206.9 ypg (7th) 201.0 ypg (6th)
Rushing defense 117.5 ypg (14th) 114.0 ypg (11th)
Total defense 324.4 ypg (11th) 315.0 ypg (6th)
3rd down conversions 35.71% (5th) 35.91% (7th)
Red zone defense 45.00% (1st) 63.64% (27th)
Sacks 46 (6th) 49 (4th)
Takeaways 21 (13th) 29 (5th)

 

Wisconsin promotes former Ohio State standout to assistant linebackers coach

Wisconsin promotes former Ohio State standout to assistant linebackers coach

Wisconsin promoted former Ohio State standout linebacker Tuf Borland to assistant linebackers coach on Thursday.

Borland’s promotion was part of a trio of moves, accompanied by the program hiring Joe Ludwig and Blake Rolan to assistant tight ends and assistant wide receivers coach, respectively.

Borland has been on the Badgers staff as a graduate assistant since 2023. He entered the coaching profession after a five-year career with the Buckeyes (2016-20) that included 49 appearances, 31 starts, 229 total tackles, 20 tackles for loss, 6 1/2 sacks and two interceptions. According to the program, he is one of two players in Ohio State history to be named a three-time team captain.

Luke Fickell played at Ohio State, then coached for the program from 2002-16. He and Borland overlapped in one season (2016), Borland as a true freshman linebacker and Fickell as the Buckeyes’ co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.

Borland will work under Wisconsin defensive coordinator/inside linebackers coach Mike Tressel. Since Tressel runs the entire defense, the first-year assistant coach could grow into a significant role with the position group.

Wisconsin enters 2024 with Christian Alliegro and Tackett Curtis as its starting inside linebackers. Western Carolina transfer Antarron Turner also figures to compete for snaps. The position is one to watch as Tressel works to improve his defensive unit after the 2024 unit finished with averages of 342.7 yards allowed (No. 41 in the nation), 23.08 points allowed (No. 47), 1.42 sacks (No. 120) and one turnover forced (No. 110) — all far below Wisconsin’s typical standing.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion.