What Team Leads The NFL In Sacks In 2021?

The 2021 NFL season is just around the corner, and fans are already wondering which team will lead the league in sacks. The answer may surprise you.

The NFL’s Top Sacking Teams

The 2021 NFL season is underway, and there are already a few teams that are leading the pack when it comes to sacks. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers currently lead the NFL with 19 sacks, followed closely by the Los Angeles Rams with 18.5 sacks. Here’s a look at the rest of the top 10.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers have had a long history of success on the defensive side of the ball, and that tradition has continued in recent years. In 2020, the Steelers led the NFL in sacks, with 54.0 sacks on the season. That total was good for a sack rate of 7.06%, which was also the best in the NFL.

The Steelers’ sack total was boosted by a strong performance from their edge rushers, as they had four players with at least seven sacks on the season. T.J. Watt led the way with 15.0 sacks, while Bud Dupree (8.5 sacks), Stephon Tuitt (7.5 sacks), and Cameron Heyward (7.0 sacks) all made significant contributions.

Pittsburgh’s 54.0 sacks were just ahead of second-place Green Bay, who had 53.0 sacks on the season. The Packers’ sack rate of 6.96% was also second-best in the NFL behind only the Steelers.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

As of 2021, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lead the NFL in sacks with 55. This is thanks in large part to their defensive line, which is considered one of the best in the league. The Buccaneers’ defensive line is anchored by veteran defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, who has recorded 8.5 sacks so far this season. Other key members of the Buccaneers’ defensive line include Shaquil Barrett (6.5 sacks) and Vita Vea (3.5 sacks).

Los Angeles Rams

The Los Angeles Rams are currently leading the NFL in sacks with 55. The Rams have had a strong defense all season long, and their pass rush has been a big part of that. With two games left to play, the Rams are on pace to finish with 60 sacks, which would be tied for the fourth-most in a single season in NFL history.

Why These Teams Lead The League In Sacks

For a number of reasons, these teams find themselves atop the NFL in sacks. Their schemes and personnel fit together perfectly to create a pass rush that is the envy of the league. These teams also have the benefit of playing against some of the weaker offensive lines in the NFL. Let’s take a closer look at why these teams lead the NFL in sacks.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers are leading the NFL in sacks this season with 46 sacks. They have been dominant on defense all season, and their pass rush has been a big part of that.

Pittsburgh has a deep and talented defensive line, with players like Stephon Tuitt, T.J. Watt, and Cameron Heyward wreaking havoc in the backfield. The Steelers also have a talented group of linebackers, led by Bud Dupree, who has been one of the best edge rushers in the league this season.

The Steelers defense is one of the best in the league, and their pass rush is a big reason why. If they can keep up this level of play, they will be tough to stop in the playoffs.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

As of Week 8 of the 2021 NFL season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lead the league in sacks with 32. The team is on pace to break the record for sacks in a season, which is currently held by the Pittsburgh Steelers (64).

The Bucs are led by defensive end Shaquil Barrett, who has 14.5 sacks on the season. Barrett is followed by defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (4.5 sacks), outside linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul (4 sacks), and defensive end Carl Nassib (3.5 sacks).

The Buccaneers’ pass rush has been a key part of their success this season, as they’ve helped the team to a 7-2 record. With their mix of veteran experience and young talent, Tampa Bay looks like they could be a force to be reckoned with in the playoffs.

Los Angeles Rams

The Los Angeles Rams are currently leading the NFL in sacks with 37 so far this season. They are on pace to break the single-season sack record, which is currently held by the Pittsburgh Steelers with 56 sacks in 2008. The Rams have a strong pass rush led by Aaron Donald, who is one of the best defensive players in the NFL. The Rams also have a good secondary, which helps to make their pass rush even more effective.

How These Teams Can Improve Their Sacks Numbers

Here are the teams that currently lead the NFL in sacks, and what they can do to improve their numbers. The Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers are currently tied for the lead with 9 sacks each. The Packers have a great pass rush, but they could improve their run defense. The Steelers have a good pass rush, but they need to improve their secondary.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers haven’t been too far behind in the sacks department in recent years, but they could definitely improve upon their numbers from 2020. The team finished with just 38 sacks, which was tied for 21st in the NFL.

There are a few ways that the team can help increase their sack total for 2021. First, they need to continue to develop young edge rusher T.J. Watt. Watt had a breakout year in 2020, leading the team with eight sacks. However, he still has room to grow and develop as a pass rusher. If he can take another step forward in 2021, it will go a long way towards increasing the Steelers’ sack total.

Secondly, the team needs to add some more talent to their defensive line. They lost some key contributors from last season ( Cameron Heyward and Stephon Tuitt), and will need to replace them with impactful players if they want to improve their sack numbers. The good news is that they have some young talent on the defensive line (such as second-year player Isaiah Buggs), so they have the potential to improve in this area.

Lastly, the team needs to make sure that they are generating pressure on opposing quarterbacks with their blitzes. They were one of the best teams in the NFL at doing this in 2020 (they racked up 50 sacks when blitzing), but they will need to maintain (or even improve) this level of production if they want to lead the league in sacks next season.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa Bay led the NFL in sacks in 2020 with 48, but they could still use some help in that department. The Buccaneers got most of their sacks from their defensive line, which accounted for 38 of their 48 sacks. Tampa Bay’s edge rushers, Shaquil Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul, combined for 15 sacks.

There are a few things Tampa Bay can do to improve their sack numbers in 2021. They could use more production from their edge rushers. They could also use more production from their linebackers. And they could use more production from their defensive backs.

Tampa Bay’s front seven is very good, but they could use some help from their back four. Their safeties, Antoine Winfield Jr. and Jordan Whitehead, combined for just 1.5 sacks in 2020. And their cornerbacks, Carlton Davis and Sean Murphy-Bunting, combined for just two sacks.

The Buccaneers have some good young players in the secondary, but they need them to step up and make more plays in 2021.

Los Angeles Rams

Leading the league in sacks is an en vogue concept in the modern NFL. In order to put pressure on the quarterback, teams are dedicating more resources than ever before to creating a cohesive pass rush. The Los Angeles Rams are no exception, as they currently boast one of the most talented defensive lines in football. However, despite their individual success, the Rams have failed to generate consistent pressure as a unit. In 2021, they will need to find a way to close out games and put pressure on the quarterback if they want to take their defense to the next level.

One potential solution for the Rams is to increase their use of twists and stunts. Twists and stunts are designed to create confusion along the offensive line, freeing up defenders to get into the backfield and sack the quarterback. The Rams have used these concepts sporadically in the past, but they have not made them a staple of their defensive playbook. If they can find a way to implement twists and stunts on a regular basis, it will go a long way towards increasing their sack totals.

Another possibility for the Rams is to simply put more emphasis on getting after the quarterback. In recent years, they have tended to focus on stopping the run first and foremost, only bringing extra defenders into the backfield when they deemed it necessary. This approach has yielded mixed results, as the Rams have been susceptible to giving up big plays while failing to generate consistent pressure. If they can commit themselves to getting after the quarterback on every play, it will make it much harder for opposing offenses to sustain drives against them.

The Rams have all the individual talent they need to lead the league in sacks in 2021. It is up to them whether or not they can put it all together and turn that talent into results.