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View Full Version : Who To Blame for All The Steelers Sacks?



stillers4me
02-27-2011, 09:53 AM
Another 40+ sack season, puts the Steelers (http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/pittsburgh-steelers) at 5 straight seasons of surpassing that mark. Who should we blame for all these sacks? Do we blame the Offensive Line for not being able to block long enough for the QB to get the ball out? Or do we blame Ben Roethlisberger (http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/players/1630/ben-roethlisberger) holding on to the ball past 3 seconds and making the OL's job nearly impossible? It is a difficult question to answer, because no one has really given us any in depth break down of league wide sack data. Fortunately for us, NFL Fanhouse just filled that void (http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2011/02/23/when-it-comes-to-holding-the-ball-joe-flacco-tops-ben-roethlisb/), at least partially.

My assumption was that 3.5 seconds was the time you should expect an offensive lineman to hold his block. That time should give the QB enough time to make at least 3-4 reads. When it is up, the QB's internal alarm should go off and he should flee or throw the ball away. If he gets sacked holding on to the ball the sack becomes his own fault. Fanhouse decided to go with 3 seconds, which probably is based off stronger analysis than my perceived assumption. They found that the mean sack time was 2.7 seconds, which apparently was exactly the same in 2009. Also, they note that dependent variables like the amount of rushers were ignored, believing those factors average out.

Anyway, they went and reviewed every single sack in the 2010 season armed with a stop watch. They tallied up the sacks in two columns: "Over 3 seconds" and "3 Seconds or Less". Joe Flacco (http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/players/34919/joe-flacco) tops the list of "slow sacks" with 25, followed by Ben (20), Cutler (19), Vick (19), and (Campbell 16). A great analysis, however something important is not acknowledged. Not every QB played 16 games and not every QB drops back as frequently. Our very own QB missed the first quarter of the year, which probably puts his "slow sacks" per game at 1.67 compared to Flacco's 1.56................

Read more @ http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2011/2/26/2012517/who-should-the-pittsburgh-steelers-blame-for-all-these-sacks

steelreserve
02-27-2011, 02:01 PM
I still blame Parker.

stillers4me
02-27-2011, 02:14 PM
Ben gets sacked. Ben wins games. :noidea:

The Duke
02-27-2011, 02:57 PM
um, Arians of course

HometownGal
02-27-2011, 04:34 PM
um, Arians of course

Yep. I'm shocked fans haven't seen the Evil Doer playing out there on that line and missing blocks. :doh:

Personally - I am not interested in stats. Hopefully next season with a healthy OL, the number of sacks will decrease and as long as they do, I'll be a happy yappy! :thumbsup:

El-Gonzo Jackson
02-27-2011, 04:39 PM
um, Arians of course

Silly, we all know that he was busy furthering global warming and causing an increase in national unemployment.

It was the absence of Willie Colon and all those holding penalties he normally takes. More holding calls equals less sacks.

zulater
02-27-2011, 05:46 PM
Ben gets sacked. Ben wins games. :noidea:

It's more than that, though that can't be overstated. Basically the Steelers employ more of a vertical passing game than most teams, as evidenced by their yards per completion and yards per attempt. Therefore it only stands to reason that the qb will have to hold the ball longer in order to let the play develop down the field. Higher risk, no doubt, but also greater reward.

Don't get me wrong, I know the Steelers, Ben, Arians et al.. all have some things they could get better at. But I also know that if we can get a little more continuity on the offensive line, and the young receivers and Ben have another year to mesh, this could be an elite unit next season. ( assuming there is a next season)

GBMelBlount
02-27-2011, 08:27 PM
Another 40+ sack season, puts the Steelers at 5 straight seasons of surpassing that mark. Who should we blame for all these sacks?

If it gets us to another 3 superbowls in 5 years then please, whoever it is, keep up the bad work!

Count Steeler
02-27-2011, 08:31 PM
If it gets us to another 3 superbowls in 5 years then please,whoever it is, keep up the bad work!

Scary, er pleasant, to think where we would be if we had an above average offensive line. There would be no stopping us. Imagine a line with drastically reduced holding calls, cut the sacks in half, no injuries to Ben, and stayed together for a full season. Hmm, imagine.

steelerdude15
02-27-2011, 09:27 PM
It's both the offensive line and Ben himself.

steelreserve
03-01-2011, 12:27 AM
Scary, er pleasant, to think where we would be if we had an above average offensive line. There would be no stopping us. Imagine a line with drastically reduced holding calls, cut the sacks in half, no injuries to Ben, and stayed together for a full season. Hmm, imagine.

I can imagine that ... and I can also imagine us with no Harrison and no Heath Miller in that case. Is that a tradeoff you'd be willing to make? Because that's what happens under the salary cap; you can't have everything.

They design it that way. Only way to plug your holes without losing other key players is to get really really really lucky in the draft for about three years in a row so you have a bunch of guys at below-market value. Otherwise it's like one of those Bugs Bunny cartoons where water is leaking out of the wall and he covers it with his hand, then another leak springs up and he covers it with his foot, then another leak springs up and he covers it with his nose, then water starts shooting out of his ears.

Psycho Ward 86
03-01-2011, 05:06 PM
If it gets us to another 3 superbowls in 5 years then please, whoever it is, keep up the bad work!

That's the spirit! Let's not give a shit if Ben gets whaled on more than any QB in the league this entire decade. After all, protecting Ben hasn't been a factor in our efficiency at all :rolleyes:

Count Steeler
03-01-2011, 06:14 PM
I can imagine that ... and I can also imagine us with no Harrison and no Heath Miller in that case. Is that a tradeoff you'd be willing to make? Because that's what happens under the salary cap; you can't have everything.



All I'm asking for is a couple of years where the O line does not get ravaged with injuries. As the unit proves, if it can play together for an extended period of time, it produces. You don't need stars on the O line, just consistently healthy players, a luxury we have not had for a while.