Tag: Pass Rush Win Rate

Seattle Seahawks rank second-to-last in ESPN’s pass rush win rate

Their toothless pass rush is an almost equally-problematic area.

The Seahawks’ porous run defense has taken up most of the oxygen this season when it comes to conversations about how to improve the team. That’s deservedly so, as they’ve gotten pounded by most of the rushing attacks they’ve faced this year. However, their toothless pass rush is an almost equally problematic area.

Uchenna Nwosu has been the lone consistent standout in this area, totaling a quarter of the team’s sacks and the unit’s highest pass rush grade by a healthy margin. The rest of the rotation has not produced, though and Seattle ranks very poorly in practically all advanced metrics. As a team they are No. 30 in PFF’s pass rush grade. In ESPN’s pass rush win rate they rank second-to-last at 33%. Here’s how all 32 teams stack up with two games left to play.

 

Browns three pass rushers have excelled at getting pressure

Through seven weeks, the Browns are getting their money’s worth from their top three pass rushers and there is a chart to prove it:

The Cleveland Browns have Myles Garrett to cause havoc for opposing offenses and he has done his job well. The former #1 overall pick leads the league with 9.5 sacks, two ahead of Harold Landry and two and a half ahead of TJ Watt.

This offseason, the Browns added Takk McKinley and then Jadeveon Clowney in an attempt to improve the rushers partnering with Garrett. McKinley has 1.5 sacks while Clowney has 3.5 with no other Cleveland defender have more than one sack.

Sacks are not the only way that pass rushers should be judged. The ability to get pressure on a quarterback is important as is their ability in run defense.

According to Seth Walder of ESPN, the Browns triumvirate stands out among the league with only Watt having a better pass rush win rate. Garrett and McKinley are below league average in run stop win rate while Clowney is right at that average (the vertical line that splits Clowney’s name):

While Cleveland may prefer all three of their edge guys to be further right on the chart, being better as pass rushers is their primary goal.

Having three defenders with such high pass rush win rates is one reason that Joe Woods has been comfortable only bringing four rushers. It also explains why a fifth rusher often gets home when sent.

It will be interesting to see how these rates track over the rest of the season but, early on, the Browns are getting their money’s worth from their three pass rushers.

Panthers DC Phil Snow makes a bold prediction for DE Brian Burns

Brian Burns has been the most effective player for the Carolina Panthers this year, hands down.

Brian Burns has been the most effective player for the Carolina Panthers this year, hands down. His ability to produce pressure consistently and disrupt both the run and the pass makes him an invaluable part of this young defense and one of the most exciting upcoming defensive ends in the NFL.

As well as Burns has played in 2020, his sack total is lagging behind a little. Heading into Week 11, Burns has posted four sacks and 12 quarterback hits, which seems low given how often he’s been inhabiting his opponents’ backfields. The numbers will come eventually, though. Burns’ pressure rate practically guarantees that. Defensive coordinator Phil Snow is expecting a breakout stat line for No. 53. Today during his Zoom call with the media Snow said Burns is going to have a three-sack game pretty soon.

Whether or not Burns winds up with double-digit sacks this year is irrelevant. He impacts the game a great deal even if the box score doesn’t always reflect it. Burns currently ranks No. 3 at his position in pass rush win rate.

In any case, if Burns getting a bunch of sacks really matters to Snow, he could help the cause by utilizing fewer three-man rushes, which has resulted in a fair amount of double and triple-teams directed at Burns.

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Panthers DE Brian Burns ranks in top-10 in pass rush win rate

Panthers defensive end Brian Burns ranks in top-10 in pass rush win rate through two games.

It’s been a putrid start to the season for the Panthers defensive line, which lost a ton of firepower this offseason. Through two games, the team has zero sacks, one quarterback hit and has been unable to defend the run again.

The one exception to the rule has been the play of second-year defensive end Brian Burns. While he doesn’t have any sacks yet he’s come close a couple of times and he ranks No. 7 in the NFL in pass rush win rate among edge defenders.

via ESPN

This is a better indicator of how much pressure a defender is getting than sacks, which can vary widely from week to week and season to season. Burns will get his, eventually.

Watch this spin move that almost landed him a hit on Tom Brady.

He’s also stood out against the run.

Burns has four tackles so far, two for a loss.

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