Yakuza Rich: Wade's One of the Best in the Sacks Game

[Yakuza Rich]

Wade's One of the Best in the Sacks Game
by Yakuza Rich
http://yakuzarich.blogspot.com


You’ll hear me often say that Wade may be the best defensive mind in the NFL when it comes to getting his teams to sack the QB. Here’s a look at the sack totals for Wade’s defenses over the past 22 seasons. He’s spent 21 of them either as a D-Coordinator or Head Coach:

YEAR……………..TEAM………..POSITION……….SACKS
1986……………….PHI…………….DC……………….53
1987……………….PHI…………….DC……………….47
1988……………….PHI…………….DC……………….42
1989……………….DEN…………...DC……………….46
1990……………….DEN…………...DC……………….33
1991……………….DEN…………...DC……………….52
1992……………….DEN…………...DC……………….49
1993……………….DEN…………...HC……………….46
1994……………….DEN…………...HC……………….23
1995……………….BUF…………....DC………………49
1996……………….BUF…………....DC………………48
1997……………….BUF…………....DC………………46
1998……………….BUF…………....HC………………43
1999……………….BUF…………....HC………………37
2000……………….BUF……………..HC………….….42
2002……………….ATL…………..…DC………………47
2003……………….ATL…………..…DC………………37
2004……………….SD……………...DC………………29
2005……………….SD……………...DC………………47
2006……………….SD……………...DC………………61
2007……………….DAL…………….HC……………….46

Overall single season average is 44.4 (36 is about average, 40 is good).

Average as a Head Coach is 40.0.

Average as a D-Coordinator is 46.1

Average in second season with defense is 44.2

Average in first season with defense is 44.8.

Best back to back seasons sack total is 1986 & ’87 (110 total sacks)

Lowest back to back seasons sack total is ’03 & ’04 (66 total sacks)

Recorded 107 total sacks in ’05 & ’06 as well as ’06 & ‘07

Only 5 of the 21 seasons Wade had less than 40 sacks.

Only 3 of the 21 seasons Wade had less than 36 sacks.






YAKUZA

 

[BlueBlazer]

Great post.

Improvements to the defensive unit and being in the second year of the scheme should combine to enable Dallas to achieve the same kind of jump in sacks in year two as Wade's San Diego defense achieved.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

that is pretty impressive, however, it leads me to believe that sacks are NOT the important entity in winning playoffs games.

 

[djtavo]

He has some really good numbers, Thanks for the post.

 

[burmafrd]

This last SB could be argued to be the only time that a team won one on its pass rush. All the other SB's won by great D's had more to them then the Giants did. Now the 85 bears DID win the SB mostly because the D had a huge pass rush. BUT the offense was pretty good as well and did its share.
Only the 2000 Ravens win can be said to have been completely due to its D.
And that D had a lot of top players all over its D- not just the D Line.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

The last 12 super bowl winners have had an average of 42.8 sacks in the regular season.

3 of the 12 super bowl winners finished with less than 40 sacks in the regular season.

1 of the last 12 super bowl winners finished with less than 35 sacks in the regular season.

The last 12 Super Bowl losers finished with an average 43.8 sacks in the regular season.

Only 2 of the last 12 Super Bowl losers finished with less than 40 sacks in the regular season.

Only 1 of the last 12 Super Bowl losers finished with less than 35 sacks in the regular season.

On average, the last 24 teams that went to the Super Bowl finished with 42.9 sacks in the regular season.


So yeah, sacks are important. Not only do the correlate to regular season wins, but playoffs as well. My guess is that when you get in the postseason it becomes a game of turnovers. So you're likely to see at least one team in a game that is good at forcing turnovers. And if you cannot sack the QB, you're at a disadvantage.




YAKUZA

 

[burmafrd]

BUT its noticeable that the super sack teams RARELY make it to the SB.

 

[YosemiteSam]

60 or bust in '08! :laugh2:

 

[YosemiteSam]

that is pretty impressive, however, it leads me to believe that sacks are NOT the important entity in winning playoffs games.

A sack in itself isn't the important thing. It's defensive pressure. Defensive pressure can lead to sacks, but it can also lead to INTs, drop passes, fumbles, tackles for a loss, and a whole host of other things.

 

[shnagy]

Wade's One of the Best in the Sacks Game
by Yakuza Rich
http://yakuzarich.blogspot.com


You’ll hear me often say that Wade may be the best defensive mind in the NFL when it comes to getting his teams to sack the QB. Here’s a look at the sack totals for Wade’s defenses over the past 22 seasons. He’s spent 21 of them either as a D-Coordinator or Head Coach:

YEAR……………..TEAM………..POSITION……….SACKS
1986……………….PHI…………….DC……………….53
1987……………….PHI…………….DC……………….47
1988……………….PHI…………….DC……………….42
1989……………….DEN…………...DC……………….46
1990……………….DEN…………...DC……………….33
1991……………….DEN…………...DC……………….52
1992……………….DEN…………...DC……………….49
1993……………….DEN…………...HC……………….46
1994……………….DEN…………...HC……………….23
1995……………….BUF…………....DC………………49
1996……………….BUF…………....DC………………48
1997……………….BUF…………....DC………………46
1998……………….BUF…………....HC………………43
1999……………….BUF…………....HC………………37
2000……………….BUF……………..HC………….….42
2002……………….ATL…………..…DC………………47
2003……………….ATL…………..…DC………………37
2004……………….SD……………...DC………………29
2005……………….SD……………...DC………………47
2006……………….SD……………...DC………………61
2007……………….DAL…………….HC……………….46

Best back to back seasons sack total is 1986 & ’87 (110 total sacks)

YAKUZA

Not trying to sandbag you, but if those numbers are correct, then they had 100 sacks combined in the '86 and 87' seasons.

 

[big dog cowboy]

2007……………….DAL…………….HC……………….46

I expect more than 46 this year. With our CB corp, I want QB pressure on every snap.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

BUT its noticeable that the super sack teams RARELY make it to the SB.

I guess. Most teams that go to the Super Bowl are usually in the top 10 in sacks. I don't have the actual sack rankings since 1996 and nor do I have the time or willingness to do so.

Obviously, a "super sack team" who doesn't have an offense probably isn't going to the Super Bowl. But in general, getting sacks is an important thing.





YAKUZA

 

[Yakuza Rich]

I expect more than 46 this year. With our CB corp, I want QB pressure on every snap.

I'm not expecting much more if any at all. Sacks are going down over the years in the NFL. Plus, if Dallas' pass rush improves, teams may be forced to pass less or take extra precaution to counter the pass rush (3 step drops, max protect, etc). I'd say 44 to 48 sacks is the projection for me.





YAKUZA

 

[theogt]

Here are correlation coefficients of defensive stats to winning percentage based on 2006 stats:


Win %................1.000
Rush Att.............0.649
QB Rating............0.570
Total Scoring........0.570
Sacks................0.551
Pass Yds / Att.......0.506
Score / Play.........0.503
INTs.................0.489
Total Takeaways......0.484
Pass FDs / Att.......0.463
Sacks / Att..........0.449
Total Plays..........0.447
INTs / Pass Att......0.404
Pass TDs.............0.399
Comp %...............0.386
Total Yds............0.371
Pass Att.............0.314
Rush FDs.............0.300
Rush Yds.............0.282
Rush TDs.............0.267
Fumbles / Play.......0.234
Yds / Play...........0.195
Pass Def.............0.185
Fumbles..............0.177
Pass FDs.............0.143
Pass Yds.............0.141
Pass Def / Att.......0.076
Rush FDs / Att.......0.052
Pass Comp............0.037
Rush Yds / Att.......0.035

 

[YosemiteSam]

I'm not expecting much more if any at all. Sacks are going down over the years in the NFL. Plus, if Dallas' pass rush improves, teams may be forced to pass less or take extra precaution to counter the pass rush (3 step drops, max protect, etc). I'd say 44 to 48 sacks is the projection for me.





YAKUZA

No increase in coverage sacks with the possibility of having Newman, Jones, Hamlin, and Henry on the field at the same time? Tie that with Spencer having another year of experience and Tank supposedly being in far better playing shape along with him having another year in the system.

Baring injuries, I think the Cowboys will have sack totals in the 50s this year with an outside chance at 60.

 

[WarDaddy]

Not trying to sandbag you, but if those numbers are correct, then they had 100 sacks combined in the '86 and 87' seasons.

In 91 and 92 DEN had 101 sacks. Those were the best back to back seasons Wade has enjoyed in the same place. Last year (DAL) and the year before (SD) were his best back to back season totals. (based on those numbers)

 

[Future]

that is pretty impressive, however, it leads me to believe that sacks are NOT the important entity in winning playoffs games.

I think the New York Giants would probably disagree with you

 

[CATCH17]

Wade is best in the sack?

Little to much info for me.

 

[sago1]

Usually a team with the most sacks in a game or the most consistent pressure wins games. Our sack totals were awful during the losing years and weren't that good during the Parcells years--although we finally got into the mid 30s in 2006. The jump to 46 in 07 was a factor in our winning so many games (a top offense was also a huge factor) but we still unable to generate consistent pressure on opposing QBs. Too often those QBs were able to convert 3rd down passes & continue the drive. Our secondary sure didn't help as much as we wanted either. Hopefully the speedy Newman along with recent addition of the speedy AJ (former known as Pacman Jones), Jenkins, Scandrick & Ball will force opposing QBs to hold the ball just that 1/2 sec or 1 step Ware/Ellis/Spencer need to get to them. Any inside pressure we bring from Ratliff/Johnson/Thomas or even Roy or Newman also helps. Even if opposing QBs go to the 3 step drop, it still effects/shortens their passing game.

Obviously our ability to stop the run remains a huge factor cause teams will try to go that route if our pressure is just too good particularly in close games. OTOH, if our offense remains the jungernault it was most of last year (or even better with the speedy Felix or Austin/Stanbach), opposing teams still got to put the ball up to remain in the game. We lost the playoff game cause the Giants defense able to overwhelm our OL (too many dumb penalties) cause TO wasn't fully healthy nor was Glenn so Romo wasn't free to move around in the pocket or outside the pocket when necessary to buy time for slower WRs like Crayton & Hurd to get open. Dropped passes didn't help either.

 

[Doomsday101]

Getting pressure on the QB and getting the sacks are important I don't care if it is the reg. season or playoffs. It is not the only important element in winning but it ranks up there. Dallas biggest problem was shooting themselves in the foot with mental mistakes. I think if this team can get out of its own way they will go far but you are not going to commit 12 penalties in a playoff game against good teams and win very often.