Tag: quarterback hits

LOOK: In terms of pressure rate this season, it’s the Raiders and then everyone else

LOOK: In terms of pressure rate this season, it’s the Raiders and then everyone else

It’s hard to comprehend just how quickly the Raiders went from several years of being one of the worst pass-rushing teams in the NFL to being far and away the best pass-rushing team in the league.

It’s easy to see the night-and-day improvement by the Raiders’ defensive line. But even as good as it is, some folks who have followed the Raiders exclusively for years may find themselves wondering if the improvement is drastic merely compared to how bad it was or compared to the rest of the league.

It’s both, actually. And this graph from Next Gen Stats offers the best illustration of this I’ve seen yet.

Most NFL teams are that oval cluster in the middle. Then look in the upper lefthand corner, separated from everyone else. It’s the Raiders.

That’s exactly where you want to be because it means the Raiders blitz less than any other team in the league and yet still have the third-highest pressure rate (38.7). It makes them an extreme outlier as the rest of the NFL shows.

The NFL’s Next-Gen Stats added that the Raiders have gotten pressure on 30% of their snaps in every game this season. Which explains why they have six different players with multiple sacks, led by Maxx Crosby (5.0) who also leads the entire NFL QB hits (19) and is second in pressures (36) only to teammate Yannick Ngakoue (38).

Ngakoue is the reigning AFC Defensive Player of the Week.

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Raiders DE Maxx Crosby leads NFL in pressures, QB hits after two games

Raiders DE Maxx Crosby leads NFL in pressures, QB hits after two games

Week 1 saw Maxx Crosby living in the Ravens’ backfield and putting up what looked to be three sacks, though he was only credited with two.

His performance earned him AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors. Well, he kept it going Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers with numerous pressures along with 5 QB hits.

If you’re wondering how his number compares to the rest of the league, it’s simple — he’s number one in both pressures (16) and QB hits (10).

Crosby had no sacks in week two, but had he been credited with three sacks in the opener, he would be tied for third in the league behind Chandler Jones (5) and Danielle Hunter (4).

Crosby’s two sacks are tied for ninth. But neither Jones nor Hunter are in the top three in pressures and Jones has two fewer QB hits (8) than Crosby.

Against Pittsburgh, it was Solomon Thomas who put up a couple sacks, in large part because of the pressure Crosby and company were putting on the outside.

There is plenty of season ahead for Crosby to catch up in terms of sacks. He’s made it clear that he’s a force to be reckoned with on the edge, so the sacks should keep coming.

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Texans TE Jordan Akins takes QB Deshaun Watson getting hit ‘very personal’

Houston Texans tight end Jordan Akins he takes it very personally when quarterback Deshaun Watson gets hit by the defense.

Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson has taken 20 hits through the first two weeks of the NFL season.

The 34-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs netted seven hits, and the 33-16 loss to the Baltimore Ravens at an empty NRG Stadium produced 13. Every one of the hits did not sit well with third-year tight end Jordan Akins.

“I take it very personal,” Akins said. “That’s why when I get the ball in my hands, I try to run through anything I can.”

The Texans drafted Akins in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft. At 6-3, 243 pounds, Akins has the build to be a pass-catching tight end. However, the former minor league baseball player seeks to be a more complete tight end, and blocking is part of the game at that position.

“As a tight end standpoint, just getting a block, helping out in the passing protection, anything that we can do to protect Deshaun,” Akins said. “I feel like everyone has to do [better].”

Some criticism for the hits Watson has taken could be attributed to the two-time Pro Bowler, who has a predilection for extending plays to find better options for chunk plays downfield. However, Akins doesn’t believe it abrogates responsibility of the offensive line or other components of the blocking unit from protecting Watson.

“It’s just not on Deshaun,” Akins said. “It’s the entire offense as a whole. We’re working on it and we’re looking forward to how we progress in the future.”

Akins has caught nine passes for 94 yards and a touchdown through the first two weeks of the season. The former UCF Knight also averages 5.7 yards after the catch per reception. In addition to his receiving skills, Houston will need Akins’ blocking prowess as they seek to earn their first win against the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday at Heinz Field.

Jamal Adams already a leader on and off the field for Seahawks

Seattle Seahawks safety Jamal Adams isn’t afraid to tell it like it is, especially after the team’s nail-biter win over the Patriots Week 2.

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Seattle Seahawks safety Jamal Adams shines on the field and at the podium during each and every press conference. Confident, appreciative and thoughtful, Adams is the first to compliment others. On Sunday, he gave the love to defensive end, L.J. Collier.

“I’ll tell you what, I’m so proud of L.J.,” Adams said after the win. “I just met him, but I have heard so much about him due to my boy back home who is really good friends with him. Obviously, he went to TCU, but I’m so proud of him because he has worked his tail off just to get to this moment, to have his moment. I thought we finished strong.”

Adams was beaten at times, but all in all, had himself a day as well, finishing the outing with 10 combined tackles, two quarterback hits and a sack.

“As a defense we like to be in those moments, but we don’t like to be in those moments,” Adams continued. “It’s just so fun and so exciting to get that win and pull it off like that.”

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Ziggy Ansah finally finds his footing in the Seahawks defense

With Jadeveon Clowney inactive, Seattle Seahawks defensive end Ziggy Ansah made the most of his opportunities in Philadelphia Week 12.

Defensive end Ziggy Ansah has been waiting for his breakout game with the Seattle Seahawks and he got it Week 12 against the Philadelphia Eagles.

With fellow defensive end Jadveon Clowney inactive with a hip injury, Ansah made the most of his opportunities on Sunday.

“You would have wondered, how are we going to have a pass rush without J.D. after what he did last week?” Carroll said during his post-game press conference. “And we did. We did. So we have taken a new step forward and we’re getting better. And this is really, really important for this stretch run, that the defense can start playing like this. The last two weeks have been really good days for our defense and that’s really important. It ain’t how you start. We got a chance to finish with a really good performance from these guys and it’s going to be necessary.”

Against the Eagles in Philadelphia, Ansah posted an impressive stat line of four tackles, 1.5 sacks, two quarterback hits, two tackles for a loss, and a forced fumble.

“He’s the strongest he’s been, he’s the heaviest he’s been right now, he’s been working really hard alongside and beyond what the other guys are doing to make sure that he’s getting better as the season comes down to the stretch here,” Carroll continued. “And I’m really proud of him for understanding that you can keep getting better during the season and he has and maybe that’s why we see him as active today.”

Although Carroll is optimistic Clowney should be available next week, if Ansah is able to continue this level of production, the Seahawks have a real chance of seeing the playoffs again this season.

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Seahawks defensive end Jadeveon Clowney shines in breakout game

Against the 49er, Seahawks defensive end Jadeveon Clowney logged five hits on the QB, a sack and a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown.

Seattle Seahawks defensive end Jadeveon Clowney finally had the breakout game everyone had been waiting for. Against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 10, Clowney finished the day with five tackles, five hits on the quarterback, a sack and a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown – his second defensive score of the year.

Clowney was all over the field Monday night and his recorded statistics don’t accurately reflect all the pressure he put on San Francisco’s offense throughout the contest.

“Golly, what a fantastic football game he played,” coach Pete Carroll said Tuesday afternoon. “He just was unblockable. He just continued to weave his way into the backfield and make plays, the run and the pass. Any plays that he wouldn’t get credit for that he affected were many and all across the board. Pass defense was good last night. Made a lot of plays, had hands on a lot of balls.”

The Seahawks had been short on sacks this season – only recording 15 heading into the Week 10 matchup. With Clowney’s assistance, Seattle was able to log five more against the 49ers as well as 10 total hits on quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

Clowney and his teammates have the week off to enjoy the bye before resuming practice next Monday ahead of the Eagles matchup Week 12.

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