Tag: QB hits

Dan Campbell gives a great quote on why the Lions didn’t get sacks vs. Matthew Stafford

Dan Campbell gives a great quote on why the Lions didn’t get sacks vs. Matthew Stafford despite getting a ton of pressure on the Rams QB

It’s been a pretty common lament from Lions fans in the wake of Detroit’s Week 1 win over the Los Angeles Rams. For all the pressures the Lions got on Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, playing behind backup offensive tackles, Detroit’s defense managed just two sacks.

The Lions did indeed put tremendous pressure on Stafford. Between Aidan Hutchinson, Marcus Davenport and friends, the Lions hit Stafford 12 times–the third-most of any defense in the NFL in Week 1, per NextGen Stats. However, the Rams offensive scheme prevented those pressures from becoming sacks very effectively.

Between Matthew Stafford’s quick release and an offensive game plan that got the ball out very quickly, Stafford already had the ball out before the hit could become a sack. Or, as Dan Campbell said on Tuesday,

“You could put two high school tackles out there, and we weren’t going to get to the quarterback as fast as he was throwing this ball,” Campbell told the 97.1 The Ticket hosts during his weekly appearance.

Stafford had an average time to throw of 2.32 seconds in the first half, which would have led the NFL in quickness of getting the ball out in Week 1. In the second half, that number rose up to finish at 2.72, which ties for 13th. That was a function of the Lions changing the defense to limit more of the shorter throws and also the Rams looking to strike downfield more.

Raiders QB Derek Carr has not really been hit that many times this season

Derek Carr has not been hit nearly as many times this season as you might think

A fairly common thought is that Derek Carr is constantly under pressure. That if he only had more time to throw, think of what he could do with it.

Coming into this season, it looked like he’d be in for perhaps one of his roughest seasons in terms of pressure. But we are more than three-quarters the way through the season and the numbers say otherwise.

A good judge of how much pressure he’s receiving is QB hits. And in that category, he’s right about average in the league.

There are 11 quarterbacks who have been hit more than Carr this season. Five of them on fewer dropbacks than Carr has had.

Additionally, just behind Carr in terms of the number of hits — within three hits each — are Josh Allen, Tom Brady, and Joe Burrow. All of whom have significantly more dropbacks than Carr’s 467 this season.

What’s more is most of these quarterbacks who have been hit more than Carr or around the same amount included each of the league’s top seven passing leaders, all of whom are leading winning and/or division-leading teams including Kirk Cousins, Justin Herbert, Patrick Mahomes, Geno Smith, Allen, Brady, and Burrow. While Daniel Jones and Ryan Tannehill head up winning teams.

So, it seems not only can it be done, it pretty much goes with the territory.

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DE Maxx Crosby still leads NFL in QB pressures and hits and yet doesn’t lead Raiders in sacks

DE Maxx Crosby still leads the entire NFL in QB pressures and hits and yet doesn’t lead his own team in sacks

Another week in the books. And still, Maxx Crosby sits atop the NFL world in both pressures and QB hits. He had led the NFL in both categories after two weeks and that continues to be the case three weeks in.

Crosby’s totals after two weeks were 16 pressures and 10 QB hits. He added five pressures and two QB hits in week three against the Dolphins to maintain his league lead in both categories.

Last week his two sacks led the Raiders. But as of this week, the Raiders’ new sack leader is Solomon Thomas who put up a half-sack vs the Dolphins to bring his season total to 2.5 sacks.

Crosby not having the sack numbers to match his pressures and QB hits totals is not a knock on him in any way. In many cases, Thomas and other interior rushers like Quinton Jefferson being able to get their sacks had a lot to do with Crosby’s pressure from the outside.

Not to mention, the Raiders have played three slippery quarterbacks in Lamar Jackson, Ben Roethlisberger, and Jacoby Brissett. All three are very good at escaping pressure to either scramble or get a pass away and thus avoiding taking a loss on the play.

The Raiders will play the Chargers this week and QB Justin Herbert who has been sacked just five times this season.

 

Seahawks QB Russell Wilson speaks out, expressing his frustrations

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has been vocal lately, speaking out against the number of hits and sacks he took last season.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has certainly been outspoken over the last few days, first speaking out on “The Dan Patrick Show” and then to reporters Tuesday morning via Zoom regarding the current state of his affairs.

“The reality is that I think it’s frustrating being there and watching the game and sitting there,” Wilson said during an interview that was supposed to be focused on his winning the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.

“Part of it, like any player, you never want to get hit, that’s the reality of playing this position, ask any quarterback who wants to play this game,” Wilson acknowledged. “At the same time, it’s part of the job.”

Wilson took his fair share of hits throughout the 2020 season, sacked 47 times for a loss of 301 yards. Only two quarterbacks in the NFL suffered more sacks than Wilson last year.

“I’ve definitely been hit – I’ve been sacked almost 400 times (over his career),” Wilson continued. “We got to get better. I got to find ways to get better, too. Just continue to try and find that. As we continue to go along the process and I think about my career and what I want to be able to do, it always starts up front, offensively and defensively. It always does. I’m grateful for the time I’ve been able to put in every day to the process.

“I love this game. I came to play this game to win championships.”

Perhaps Wilson is just airing his grievances after watching a Super Bowl he wasn’t a part of. Perhaps he’s reacting to the QB carousel going on around the league. But perhaps . . . Seattle should listen to its franchise quarterback and do more to keep him upright next season.

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Seahawks QB Russell Wilson speaks out, expressing his frustrations

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has been vocal lately, speaking out against the number of hits and sacks he took last season.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has certainly been outspoken over the last few days, first speaking out on “The Dan Patrick Show” and then to reporters Tuesday morning via Zoom regarding the current state of his affairs.

“The reality is that I think it’s frustrating being there and watching the game and sitting there,” Wilson said during an interview that was supposed to be focused on his winning the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.

“Part of it, like any player, you never want to get hit, that’s the reality of playing this position, ask any quarterback who wants to play this game,” Wilson acknowledged. “At the same time, it’s part of the job.”

Wilson took his fair share of hits throughout the 2020 season, sacked 47 times for a loss of 301 yards. Only two quarterbacks in the NFL suffered more sacks than Wilson last year.

“I’ve definitely been hit – I’ve been sacked almost 400 times (over his career),” Wilson continued. “We got to get better. I got to find ways to get better, too. Just continue to try and find that. As we continue to go along the process and I think about my career and what I want to be able to do, it always starts up front, offensively and defensively. It always does. I’m grateful for the time I’ve been able to put in every day to the process.

“I love this game. I came to play this game to win championships.”

Perhaps Wilson is just airing his grievances after watching a Super Bowl he wasn’t a part of. Perhaps he’s reacting to the QB carousel going on around the league. But perhaps . . . Seattle should listen to its franchise quarterback and do more to keep him upright next season.

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Seahawks DE Jadeveon Clowney named NFC Defensive Player of Week 10

Seattle Seahawks defensive end Jadeveon Clowney has been named the NFC’s Defensive Player of Week 10 for his play against the 49ers.

Seahawks defensive end Jadeveon Clowney was a huge part of Seattle’s win over the 49ers Monday night. Against San Francisco, Clowney logged five hits on the quarterback, a sack, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery that resulted in a defensive touchdown.

Clowney’s performance was exactly what coaches and fans had been waiting for this season.

“It was a breakout game,” coach Pete Carroll said in his postgame press conference. “I thought he was so impressive all night long. I don’t know how, I thought they were tackling him, he was just penetrating so fast and so furiously. And what a fantastic game.”

For his efforts Monday night, Clowney has been named the NFC’s Defensive Player of the Week. This marks the second time in Clowney’s career he has earned the award, the first time being last year when he was still a member of the Texans.

It’s no surprise Clowney was also named Seahawks Wire’s Player of the Game.

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