Who Is Leading The NFL In Sacks?
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The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league consisting of 32 teams, divided equally between the National Football Conference (NFC) and the American Football Conference (AFC). The NFL is one of the four major professional sports leagues in North America, and the highest professional level of American football in the world.
In the NFL, sacks are an important stat for defensive players. A sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a
NFL Basics
Leading the NFL in sacks can be a great way to get to the playoffs. The more sacks a team has, the more likely they are to win. But what is a sack? In football, a sack is when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage. This can happen when the quarterback is trying to pass the ball or when he is running with the ball.
What is a sack?
In football, a sack occurs when the quarterback (QB) is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the “pocket” and his intent to throw a forward pass is clearly evident, or when a rushing quarterback’s forward progress is stopped behind the line of scrimmage due to the defense forcing him to go backward. A sack counts as a loss of yards for the offense, and it gives the defense an opportunity to take over the ball.
Who keeps track of sacks?
The National Football League (NFL) tracks the sack statistics for its players. The NFL defines a sack as when “the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass.” The NFL began tracking sacks in 1982.
Who is leading the NFL in sacks? currently, that would be Pittsburgh Steelers’ outside linebacker T.J. Watt, with 15 sacks on the season. Houston Texans’ defensive end J.J. Watt (T.J.’s brother) is second with 14 sacks, followed by Arizona Cardinals’ linebacker Chandler Jones with 13.5 sacks.
The Leaders
The NFL regular season is now halfway done and there have been some impressive sack totals through nine weeks. Here is a look at the five leaders and how they got to the top of the sack list.
Who are the current leaders?
As of September 24th, DeMarcus Lawrence is leading the NFL in sacks with 9.5. Along with Chase Young, who has 4.0 sacks, they are the only players in the NFL with more than 4.0 sacks. Young is followed by T.J. Watt with 3.5 sacks and Myles Garrett with 3.0 sacks.
What teams are they on?
As of September 23, 2019, these are the NFL sack leaders and their team:
1. Shaquil Barrett, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7.5 sacks)
2. Chandler Jones, Arizona Cardinals (7 sacks)
3. Nick Bosa, San Francisco 49ers (6 sacks)
4. T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers (6 sacks)
5. Josh Allen, Jacksonville Jaguars (5.5 sacks)
How many sacks do they have?
The race for the sack title is heating up as we near the end of the season. A few players have separated themselves from the pack, but there are still a few weeks left for someone to make a move. Here are the current leaders:
1. Shaquil Barrett, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 19.5 sacks
2. T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers – 18 sacks
3. Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns – 17 sacks
4. Danielle Hunter, Minnesota Vikings – 16.5 sacks
5. Za’Darius Smith, Green Bay Packers – 16 sacks
The Future
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are currently leading the NFL in sacks. With 33 sacks on the season, they are on pace to break the single-season record. The Buccaneers have a young, dynamic defense that is only going to get better.
Who are the up-and-coming sack leaders?
The NFL has seen a recent surge in young, dominant edge rushers. Players like Khalil Mack, Brian Burns, and Josh Allen have taken the league by storm and are rewriting the record books. Who are the up-and-coming sack leaders?
Khalil Mack is one of the most dominant edge rushers in the NFL. In his six seasons, he has racked up 74.5 sacks and forced 16 fumbles. He was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2016 and is a five-time Pro Bowler. At just 28 years old, Mack has plenty of time to add to his already impressive sack total.
Brian Burns was drafted by the Carolina Panthers with the 16th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. In his rookie season, Burns recorded 7.5 sacks and forced two fumbles. At just 22 years old, Burns has a bright future ahead of him. He is explosive off the edge and has a knack for getting to the quarterback.
Josh Allen was drafted by the Buffalo Bills with the 7th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. In his two seasons, Allen has recorded 25 sacks and forced four fumbles. At just 24 years old, Allen is already one of the best pass rushers in the NFL. He is athletic, strong, and fast off the edge.
What teams are they on?
The top five teams in the NFL in sacks are the Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs, and Jacksonville Jaguars.
How many sacks do they have?
The top five NFL sack leaders through Week 6 are:
T.J. Watt – Pittsburgh Steelers (9.0 sacks)
Myles Garrett – Cleveland Browns (8.5 sacks)
Aldon Smith – Dallas Cowboys (7.0 sacks)
Za’Darius Smith – Green Bay Packers (7.0 sacks)
Khalil Mack – Chicago Bears (6.5 sacks)