Behind the Steel Curtain: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Pro Quality. Fan Perspective.
Around SBN: Headlines: BC Beats BU 4-3 in 58th Beanpot Championship

a four year snapshot of ben being sacked

OK, nothing too groundbreaking here, just trying to step back and allow us to speculate on what could be the cause(s) of the uptick in sacks since 2004:

Based on sacks per regular games started

2004--2.3 per game

2005--1.9 per game

2006--3.1 per game

2007--3.1 per game

2008--4 per game thus far (eagles game obviously skews this)

I know that the coach is fond of the "it takes 11 guys to protect the qb (and he is including the qb in this number, so we don't get an extra protector)".  But there must be some explanation:

Ben got slower after accident on motorcycle in June 2006

Super Bowl hangover means everyone is still slower

O-line coaching (but 2007 same as 2006 numbers)

O-line changes (rt and rg different in 2005, center different in 2006 and 2007, rt different in 2007, lg different in 2008)--not counting fill ins like starks' time at lt for part of last season

Ben getting more control of the play calling and protections in 06(?) 

I can't pinpoint one or two causes, so I'd love to hear opinions.  I just don't want our franchise qb having to be scraped up off of the turf this season or in the future

0 recs  |  Comment 11 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Display:

The OL and running game may be a little worse, but the main thing is he’s been passing more, so that’s skewing the numbers. Here are the sacks per attempt numbers, which show a similar, but less severe trend:

Year sacks/attempt
2008 .169
2007 .104
2006 .089
2005 .079
2004 .092

charity standing orders

by BadMaafala on Sep 24, 2008 3:05 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

that's interesting

But the biggest uptick in pass attempts was from 05 to 06 when he attempted 200 more passes than the previous season, yet the sack per attempt was lower than in 04. Maybe this is getting isolated down to the switch to Mahan and more control to Ben?

by nerves of steel on Sep 24, 2008 3:29 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

A number of things have contributed, including Ben passing more, Starks taking a big step back in 2006, the decline and retirement of Hartings after 2005, the OC switch to Arians, and the OL being a little overrated in 2004 and 2005. I’m sure all that happened to Ben in 2006 affected the sacks that year (the OAK & JAX games come to mind), but I doubt there are any lingering effects.

charity standing orders

by BadMaafala on Sep 24, 2008 3:42 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

um

Grimm was still the coach in 06, when we averaged 3.1

by steelerark on Sep 25, 2008 3:43 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

nfl.com has an article up

about Ben getting hit this season, and had an interesting stat:
“Roethlisberger has taken a shot once every 2.3 pass plays.”

That’s craziness. What the sacks don’t account for is the sacks where Ben hauls himself back to the line of scrimmage and negates the sack (6 so far). Those aren’t statistical sacks, but they have the same effect of killing the play and potential for injury.
Without even accounting the hits, hurries and pressures which is happening under every 2.0 pass plays.

by vherub on Sep 25, 2008 9:53 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

not sure what you

can point to this. In 2006, we had Hartings, Faneca, and Smith on the line, and averaged 3.1 sacks per and gave up a ton of sacks.

by steelerark on Sep 25, 2008 3:48 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

How about this way

2004 – One sack every 9.83 attempts (9.2)
2005 – One sack every 11.65 attrmpts (7.9)
2006 – One sack every 10.19 attempts (8.9)
2007 – One sack every 8.59 attempts (10.4)

As you can see it is a common mis belief that our OLine was good in 2004. Not counting this year yet, 2004 was the 2nd worse year (after 2006).

Our Run blocking I do remember was very dominant in 2004 though. But pass blocking was probably bottom 5. Some of that could be contributed to Ben being a rookie and not making quick decisions though, more so then now.

And this year Ben is being sacked every 4.91 attempts (16.9%)

by jason97673 on Sep 26, 2008 11:06 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Correction
(after 2006).

Should be after 2007.

by jason97673 on Sep 26, 2008 11:06 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

It’s too bad David Carr set the bar so high. We would have a chance at an historic season, otherwise.

charity standing orders

by BadMaafala on Sep 26, 2008 11:52 AM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

Welcome to BTSC, a blog dedicated to the SIX-time world champion Steelers.

"Thoughtful discussion with a sense of history."

Art Rooney Jr.

"Level-headed thinking." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Start posting about the Steelers »

Join SB Nation and dive into communities focused on all your favorite teams.

Comcast NFL RedZone Moments from SB Nation

Music City Miracles
Tennessee Titans Red Zone Report
Bleeding Green Nation
Comcast NFL Red Zone stat of the week - Something doesn't have to give
Niners Nation
49ers Red Zone numbers: How effective are they?

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recommended FanPosts

Small
BTSC 2010 NFL Mock Drafts : Updated 02/06 (4 round edition)
Steelers_brushback_l_small
Football-related Pet Peeves
Franco72_small
The Chief
Small
A View from the SteelCage…State of the Union Part 2 - Free Agency and the Draft
Mike-tomlin_small
The get to know one another thread

Recent FanPosts

Gildon002_small
Lame ass Fans ..
Small
What is your Mock Draft look like?
Small
Four Things I Learned From the Super Bowl
Bobby_ray_small
NFL Opinions - wanted or not
051211_bettis_hmed_130p
Non-Footyball related Movies! (Martial arts/Kung Fu)
Disney_s_not_so_scary_small
NFL Draft Predict the Pick
Small
Steeler Fantasy Camp Question
Franco72_small
Ain't That Great!
Small
Big Ben vs. "The Best Ever"
Belicheat_small
2010 Season Opener

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >

Latest NFL Headlines from SB Nation

SPONSORS


Site Founder & Editor

Me2_small Blitzburgh

Steelers Historian

Steeler_small maryrose

Bringing You Your Daily Six Pack

Plainview_small drinkyourmilkshake