"If Your Offense Has a Sack Problem, You Probably Have a QB Problem"

[NorthCoast]

Sacks are at a 25 year high in the NFL. Why?
There was a study done (can't find it now) that said sack rates are QB dependent and tend to remain consistent regardless of the OL the quarterback plays behind.

The sack rate was 6.88% in 2001, and it never finished above that mark until potentially this season. Things hit an all-time low in 2016 at 5.76%, which is a little odd since that was the season after Peyton Manning (3.13% sack rate is lowest in NFL history) retired in Denver.

But even with the rise of mobile quarterbacks in recent years such as Lamar Jackson, Jalen Hurts, and Justin Fields, the league?s sack rate has averaged out to 6.46% from 2018-2022. It did bottom out again in 2020 (5.93%), but that was because of the crowd-less games played during the pandemic. All offensive numbers were off the charts in 2020, so sacks going down was no surprise either without crowd noise.

But after the sack rate increased by 0.31 percentage points in 2021 and by 0.46 percentage points in 2022, any finish above 7.0% in 2023 would mark three straight years of sack rate going by up 0.3 percentage points ? something that has never happened since 1982.

Guess what, the Steelers have two QBs with the highest sack rates in the NFL. Fields makes the list as one of the 'sack merchants'.

Moble QBs?

"A second misconception about sacks is that mobile quarterbacks are better at avoiding sacks. The truth is mobile passers may be the best at avoiding sacks as far as literally dodging a defender in the backfield, but in terms of keeping the number of sacks low, mobile quarterbacks have always been some of the easiest quarterbacks to sack in the NFL."

Full read here:

https://www.365scores.com/news/why-are-nfl-quarterback-sacks-at-a-25-year-high

With Wilson and Fields in the room, I suggest you brace yourselves for a lot of sacks this year. Roethlisberger's worst year as a starter hit 10% sack rate. Wilson hit this mark for the second time in his career in his first year in Denver but he's always been on the plus side of the NFL average. Fields? Uh, he is definitely a 'sack merchant' as he has not been below a 10% sack rate thus far.

[WindyCitySteel]

Mobile QBs are generally QBs who are one read QBs, then it's time to improvise. This is the new NFL as nobody wants to wait for a QB to learn how to read NFL defenses anymore. There's a reason Flacco was successful coming off his couch last year, he's old school and can read a D.

You either adapt and teach a lot of scramble drills or watch your QB get sacked as his run lanes are taken away.

[Eich]

Not sure why Tomlin has been on record saying he wants a mobile QB, unless he just means someone who's not a statue. It's not like our own defense has been destroyed by running QBs. It's generally the QBs that can pass that have their way with our D.

I don't see us winning another championship until we have a QB who's primary strength is passing. If Wilson has anything left in his tank, he was a pretty good passer. But I've yet to see anything about Fields that shows he's a good passer. I'm not sure what good it is to talk about "arm talent" when you're not putting good passing skills on film.

Former Bears coach says Fields was "Hard to watch":

https://sports.yahoo.com/former-bears-coach-says-steelers-025737179.html

Watch his eyes. He tries to see the whole thing and doesn’t see anything. His eyes are all over the place and it’s just really hard to watch. It’s just bad football.

[feltdizz]

Mobile QBs are generally QBs who are one read QBs, then it's time to improvise. This is the new NFL as nobody wants to wait for a QB to learn how to read NFL defenses anymore. There's a reason Flacco was successful coming off his couch last year, he's old school and can read a D.

You either adapt and teach a lot of scramble drills or watch your QB get sacked as his run lanes are taken away.

yet I remember Flacco taking some horrible game changing sacks against us. He used to hold the ball a looooong time.

Overall, Flacco had a great comeback but besides the Texans he didn’t face many good teams during that run. Jax was sliding.

Joe was sacked 8 times in 5 games
Then he was sacked 4 more times in the playoff loss.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

Mobile QBs are generally QBs who are one read QBs, then it's time to improvise. This is the new NFL as nobody wants to wait for a QB to learn how to read NFL defenses anymore. There's a reason Flacco was successful coming off his couch last year, he's old school and can read a D.

You either adapt and teach a lot of scramble drills or watch your QB get sacked as his run lanes are taken away.

I think that most mobile QBs always believe that the play is never dead, even when there is nowhere to throw it. If he can just make one more guy miss, then there will be plenty of daylight to run to. Pocket QBs are more systematic - first read covered, second read covered, third read covered, throw it away and take my chances with the next play.

[feltdizz]

I think that most mobile QBs always believe that the play is never dead, even when there is nowhere to throw it. If he can just make one more guy miss, then there will be plenty of daylight to run to. Pocket QBs are more systematic - first read covered, second read covered, third read covered, throw it away and take my chances with the next play.

yeah.. throwing it away is a hard thing for some QB’s to do.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

yeah.. throwing it away is a hard thing for some QB’s to do.

It's a tough call. Ben was awful at this, especially early in his career. How many times did he evade the rush and turn it into a huge play? How many times did he hold onto it and take a drive crushing sack? Was it worth it? We'd have to crunch those numbers to see.

[feltdizz]

It's a tough call. Ben was awful at this, especially early in his career. How many times did he evade the rush and turn it into a huge play? How many times did he hold onto it and take a drive crushing sack? Was it worth it? We'd have to crunch those numbers to see.

I would take Ben playing his way for 5 more years with another SB or 2 instead of playing 11 more years with no SB appearances.

Once you ask someone to stop doing what makes them special its over.

Lamar Jackson should’ve ran all over KC but they wanted to show he was a pocket passer. Even if it shortens his career. Gotta let a baller play the best way he knows how to play.

["BuzzNuter"]

It's a tough call. Ben was awful at this, especially early in his career. How many times did he evade the rush and turn it into a huge play? How many times did he hold onto it and take a drive crushing sack? Was it worth it? We'd have to crunch those numbers to see.

Two out of Ben's first 5 years we won Super Bowls. There was a statistic about passer rating after contact. They used to talk about it all the time. Ben had the best after contact passer rating of any QB.

I wouldn't have wanted him to play any other way. Those were exciting times to be a Steeler fan. Ben was much more exciting then the Mannings or Brady . Ben was a reason we were always on in Primetime because of his "Never give up on the play" attitude.

[feltdizz]

Two out of Ben's first 5 years we won Super Bowls. There was a statistic about passer rating after contact. They used to talk about it all the time. Ben had the best after contact passer rating of any QB.

I wouldn't have wanted him to play any other way. Those were exciting times to be a Steeler fan. Ben was much more exciting then the Mannings or Brady . Ben was a reason we were always on in Primetime because of his "Never give up on the play" attitude.

4 AFCCG’s and 3 SB appearances in his first 7 years.

Then 1 AFCCG in the next 10 years and only 3 playoff wins total after BA left.

[Northern_Blitz]

Not sure why Tomlin has been on record saying he wants a mobile QB, unless he just means someone who's not a statue. It's not like our own defense has been destroyed by running QBs. It's generally the QBs that can pass that have their way with our D.

I don't see us winning another championship until we have a QB who's primary strength is passing. If Wilson has anything left in his tank, he was a pretty good passer. But I've yet to see anything about Fields that shows he's a good passer. I'm not sure what good it is to talk about "arm talent" when you're not putting good passing skills on film.

Former Bears coach says Fields was "Hard to watch":

https://sports.yahoo.com/former-bear...025737179.html

I think the idea here is that you want someone who is good at passing AND has the mobility to extend plays.

If you have to pick only one, passing is clearly the way to go.

But you want both IMO.

[Eich]

I think the idea here is that you want someone who is good at passing AND has the mobility to extend plays.

If you have to pick only one, passing is clearly the way to go.

But you want both IMO.

Agreed. Ben was a version of that. Great as a passer. Great toughness/size to escape & just mobile enough to extend plays. But not a runner at all.

I think Fields may be the opposite. Great at running and extending plays. Lots of arm. Weak as a passer.

Wilson used to be a great combo of both. Hope he still has enough left in the tank until we find the next guy because I don't think Fields is it.

My worst QB nightmare as a fan of the Steelers was to have another "running QB" because those don't bring post-season success.

[NorthCoast]

Agreed. Ben was a version of that. Great as a passer. Great toughness/size to escape & just mobile enough to extend plays. But not a runner at all.

I think Fields may be the opposite. Great at running and extending plays. Lots of arm. Weak as a passer.

Wilson used to be a great combo of both. Hope he still has enough left in the tank until we find the next guy because I don't think Fields is it.

My worst QB nightmare as a fan of the Steelers was to have another "running QB" because those don't bring post-season success.

Plays like this are why Roethlisberger's sack rates are artificially low. Ordinary QBs would be sacked.

[NorthCoast]

[QUOTE=NorthCoast;1009283]Plays like this are why Roethlisberger's sack rates are artificially low. Ordinary QBs would be sacked.

The rookie vs the 21 game win streak.......Enjoy!