Who’s Leading the NFL in Sacks?

Cameron Wake is currently leading the NFL in sacks, with nine so far this season. The next closest player is Von Miller, with eight.

NFL Sack Leaders

The NFL sack leaders are a varied group, with edge rushers, interior defensive lineman, and even a linebacker or two among the players at the top of the list. After a week of NFL action, here are the sack leaders through Week 8.

Houston Texans

The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) South division. The team plays its home games at NRG Stadium.

The Texans were founded in 2002, making them the youngest franchise in the NFL currently. The team’s majority owner is Bob McNair. The team president is Jamey Rootes, and the head coach is Bill O’Brien.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The club was established in 1976 as an expansion team, along with the Seattle Seahawks. They played their home games at Tampa Stadium from 1976 to 1997 before moving to Raymond James Stadium in 1998.
defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul led the team with 12.5 sacks, linebacker Shaquil Barrett had 10.5 sacks, defensive tackle Vita Vea had 6.0 sacks, and defensive end Carl Nassib had 5.5 sacks

New England Patriots

The New England Patriots are currently leading the NFL in sacks, with a total of 35 so far this season. The team is on pace to shatter the single-season record for sacks, which is currently held by the 1984 San Diego Chargers (66).

The Patriots’ pass rush has been spearheaded by defensive end Trey Flowers, who has a team-leading 7.5 sacks. Flowers is joined by fellow defensive ends Deatrich Wise (6.0 sacks) and Adrian Clayborn (5.5 sacks).

The Patriots’ secondary has also been a big part of the team’s success against opposing quarterbacks, as they have combined for 14 interceptions (led by Stephon Gilmore’s 6).

How Sacks are Measured

A sack is defined as a quarterback takedown that occurs behind the line of scrimmage, resulting in a loss of yards. In order for a sack to be awarded, the quarterback must be the player who is tackled. There are a few ways to measure sacks.

Tackles for a Loss

Tackles for a loss (TFL) is a stat usually associated with defensive players. But for the purposes of this article, we’ll use it as a way to measure sack production. Simply put, one TFL is equal to one sack.

The player with the most TFLs in a season is DeMarcus Ware, who had 20 in 2008. The most in a career is held by Jason Taylor, who has 139.5.

So, while J.J. Watt may not be leading the league in sacks this season, he’s certainly up there in terms of tackles for a loss.

Quarterback Hurries

Quarterback hurries are a type of pass rush defense statistic that measures how often a quarterback is pressured while attempting to throw a pass. This can be done by sacks, tackles for loss, hits, or even just knocking the quarterback down. Hurries are different from sacks in that they do not necessarily result in an incompletion or sack; they just pressure the quarterback into getting rid of the ball early.

The Different Types of Sacks

There are many ways to sack the quarterback in football. There are the classic blind-side hits, the strip sack, and the safety sack. Let’s take a look at the different types of sacks and see who’s leading the NFL in each category.

Strip Sacks

A strip sack is when the defensive player knocks the ball out of the quarterback’s hand while he’s attempting to throw a pass. This usually happens when the defensive player gets their hands on the ball and twists, which causes the quarterback to lose grip of the ball. The ball then falls to the ground and is considered a live ball, meaning that either team can pick it up and run with it.

Strip sacks are different from regular sacks because regular sacks occur when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage while he still has control of the ball. This means that the play is dead as soon as the quarterback hits the ground with control of the ball.

Blind Side Sacks

There are generally two types of sacks in football: the “blind side” sack and the “coverage” sack. A blind side sack is when the quarterback is sacked from behind, on his non-throwing arm side. This usually happens when the quarterback is scrambling to the right and a left defensive end comes around the edge to take him down. Because the quarterback can’t see this coming, it’s considered a blind side sack.

A coverage sack is when a quarterback is sacked while he’s still in the pocket and looking to throw the ball. This can happen when a receiver isn’t open, or when the offensive line doesn’t give him enough time to find an open receiver. If a defensive player beats his man one-on-one, it’s also considered a coverage sack.

The Impact of Sacks

While a lot of focus is placed on the quarterback, the fact is that sacks play a big role in the game of football. A sack can change the momentum of a game and often leads to a team winning or losing. In the NFL, there are a few players who are leading the league in sacks.

Turnovers

In the NFL, there are a wide variety of ways to turnover the football. A fumble can be forced by either hitting the ball carrier while he’s holding the ball, or stripping the ball away from him. An interception can occur when a pass is either thrown too late or too high, tipped at the line of scrimmage, or simply thrown into the wrong coverage.

When it comes to sacks, there are a few different ways to look at them. First, there are sacks where the quarterback is hit behind the line of scrimmage and doesn’t have a chance to throw the ball away. These are called “clean” sacks and they result in a loss of yards for the offense. Second, there are sacks where the quarterback is able to get rid of the ball before he’s taken down but still loses yards on the play. These are called “scramble” sacks. Finally, there are sack-fumbles where the quarterback is tackled while holding onto the ball and fumbles it as a result.

So who’s leading the NFL in sacks? Below you’ll find a list of sack leaders for both clean and total sacks through Week 10 of the 2020 season:

Clean Sacks:
Player | Team | Sacks
1. T.J. Watt | Pittsburgh Steelers | 9.5
2. Myles Garrett | Cleveland Browns | 8.5
3. Khalil Mack | Chicago Bears | 8.0
4. Aaron Donald | Los Angeles Rams | 7.5
5 Carl Lawson| Cincinnati Bengals | 7

Field Position

Sacks are a big deal in football. They can change the momentum of a game and often decide who wins and loses. That’s why it’s important to know which players are leading the NFL in sacks.

There are many factors that go into sacks, but one of the most important is field position. The team that has the ball first is more likely to score, so the team that has the ball second is more likely to be behind and have to take risks to try to catch up. This often leads to players on the second team being more aggressive and trying to make big plays, which can lead to sacks.

So, which players are leading the NFL in sacks? Here are the top 10:
1. DeMarcus Lawrence, Dallas Cowboys – 15.5 sacks
2. Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams – 13.5 sacks
3. Chandler Jones, Arizona Cardinals – 13 sacks
4. Michael Bennett, Philadelphia Eagles – 9 sacks
5. Jabaal Sheard, Indianapolis Colts – 8.5 sacks
6. Danielle Hunter, Minnesota Vikings – 8.5 sacks
7. Cameron Jordan, New Orleans Saints – 8 sacks
8. Ryan Kerrigan, Washington Redskins – 8 sacks
9. Olivier Vernon, New York Giants – 7.5 sacks
10. Joey Bosa, Los Angeles Chargers – 7.5 Sack

The Future of Sacking

There’s a new generation of sack-masters in the NFL, and they’re only getting better. With the likes of Aaron Donald, Khalil Mack, and Von Miller leading the way, the future of sacking is looking very bright. These young players are redefining what it means to be a sack artist, and they’re only getting started.

Rule Changes

In recent years, the NFL has made a concerted effort to protect its quarterbacks. In part because of this, sack numbers have been on the decline league-wide since 2015. In 2019, there were 1,206 sacks registered across the NFL, down from 1,381 in 2015 – a drop of 12.6%. This past season saw just 6.6 sacks per game – also a low since Statista began tracking this data in 2006.

One reason for the decline in sack numbers is the rule changes implemented by the league to protect quarterbacks. In particular, the so-called “Brady Rule” instituted in 2013 outlaws hits on a quarterback’s knees or below when he is in a “defenseless posture.” This has had a significant impact on sack totals as Defenders are now hesitant to go low on a quarterback out of fear of being penalized or fined.

Another reason for fewer sacks is that quarterbacks are simply getting better at avoiding them. Thanks to improved offensive line play and schemes designed to get the ball out quickly (such as the West Coast Offense), quarterbacks are under pressure less often and are able to get rid of the ball before they can be sacked. This trend is likely to continue as quarterbacks become more mobile and athletic and coaches find new ways to keep them upright.

New Strategies

The NFL has seen a dramatic increase in the number of sacks over the past few years. In fact, there were more sacks in the 2018 season than in any other season in NFL history. This trend is likely to continue, as teams are now employing new strategies to get to the quarterback.

One of the most popular new strategies is the use of blitzes. Blitzes are when additional players are sent after the quarterback, in an attempt to sack him before he has a chance to throw the ball. This can be a very effective strategy, but it also comes with some risks. If the blitz is not executed properly, it can leave gaps in the defense that the quarterback can exploit.

Another new strategy that teams are using is known as the “edge rush.” The edge rush is when defensive linemen try to get around the offensive linemen to get to the quarterback. This can be a very effective way to sack the quarterback, but it requires a lot of speed and athleticism from the defensive linemen.

It will be interesting to see how these new strategies evolve over time. One thing is for sure: there will be no shortage of sacks in the NFL for years to come.