Offensive Line - Sacks, stats and Team results

We have all noted the continued struggles of our Offensive Line.  I was interested in seeing how the statistic of Sacks compared to offensive success, specifically scoring TDs and ultimately winning games.  Comparing total sacks can't be used since some teams throw a lot more than others.  The more you throw, the more you are sacked right?  As illustrated by the Steelers, the answer is not exactly. 

Irregardless, Attempts per Sack Allowed gives a fair comparison of how well each team protects their QB relative to how often they pass.  I computed this, then looked at TDs scored and INTs allowed to get an idea of how efficient each team was versus how many times they passed the ball.  The number of teams and stats available is huge, so I just compared our guy Ben to a couple QBs who have had statitical success as well as a lot of wins and a few championships.  I chose to compare the Pats to the Colts to the Steelers since they have all had continued success but have done it by different means.  While the Steelers were known as a run-first team up until about 2005-2006, the Colts and Pats have been pass happy that whole period of time.  

Here are some of the numbers from 2005 - 2009 week 15:

Peyton Manning / Colts
Year    Attempts/Sack     TDs   INTs   Scoring Defense Rating    Wins/Playoff result

2005    26.6                       28     10                       2                            14 / Div Rd Loss
2006    39.8                       31       9                      23                           12 / SB 41 Win
2007    24.5                       31     14                       1                            13 / Div Rd Loss
2008    39.6                       27     12                       7                            12 / WC Rd Loss
2009    55.3                       33     15                       7                            14 / ?

Ben Roethlisberger/ Steelers
Year    Attempts/Sack     TDs   INTs   Scoring Defense Rating    Wins/Playoff result
2005   11.6                        17     9                        3                             11 / SB 40 Win
2006   10.2                        18     23                     11                            8 /  none
2007   12.6                        32    11                       2                             10 / WC Rd Loss
2008   10.2                        17    15                       1                             12 / SB 43 Win
2009   10.2                        23    12                       12                            8  / ???

Tom Brady (except 2008) / Patriots
Year    Attempts/Sack     TDs   INTs   Scoring Defense Rating    Wins/Playoff  result
2005   20.4                        26     14                     26                            10 / Div Rd Loss
2006   19.9                        18      24                     6                              12 /  AFCCG Loss

2007   27.5                        50       8                      4                              16 / SB 42 Loss
2008   11.0                        21      11                     8                              11 / none !
2009   35.9                        28      12                     4                              10  / ???

The most striking thing is the huge number of sacks which the Steelers have allowed as compared to these two successful teams.  The ratio of Attempts per Sack are at least twice as bad for the Steelers on average, in some years that ratio is 3 times larger !!  I think one thing these numbers show is that Sacks are a significantly telling stat for how the offense is doing.  Even though both of these guys attempt as many or more passes per year than the Steelers, neither one of them has been sacked like Ben.  Part of this is no doubt due to Ben's holding of the ball.  But let's be honest here, even that can't account for the huge number of sacks given up and all the downs and yards sacrificed.  Sacks can be overcome by two basic things - a high scoring offense but more importantly a dominant defense.

If you are giving up sacks by the dozen, how can a team keep winning?  Well, the team with the most points always wins.  As a head coach and defensive coordinator, I have always been more concerned about how many points we give up, not yards or first downs.  Defense Wins Championships, Offense May Help is how I think of it.  Many games are lost as compared to won.  The offense's mistakes are the casualties which lead to the team's demise more often than not.

In 2007, Big Ben had his best sacks versus attempts ratio ( though it palls in comparison) in this 5 year span.  This would lead one to believe that year would have resulted in better overall results.  But in the playoffs versus Jacksonville he threw 3 INTs, but maybe more interestingly - he was sacked 6 times.  These sacks combined with no Willie Parker led to a loss against a Jaguar team which was a run the ball and play defense squad.  The Steelers outgained the Jags 340 - 239 and led Time of Possession 33 minutes to 27 for Jacksonville.  No matter, the Steelers offense lost the game for them even with their brilliant comeback in the 4th quarter.  In the 2005 playoffs, Manning was sacked 5 times by the Steelers en route to their 5th title.

Sacks can lead to a lot of other problems - loss of yardage and field position, injuries to your QB and more long yardage downs following the sack.  Those long yardage downs lead to more incompletions, more sacks and more interceptions in an attempt to gain back what you have lost.  Peyton has thrown 150 TDs compared to being sacked 76 times in these nearly 5 complete seasons.  Ben has been sacked 209 times over the same timeframe and delivered 107 TDs.  Ben's TD to INT ratio these 5 seasons is a combined 1.5 ratio - in other words, he throws 1.5 TDs for every 1 INT.  Manning's ratio is 2.5 TDs/INT.  TDs per Sack gives the most telling story - Peyton's ratio is 1.97 compared to Ben's .51,  In other words, the Colts score a TD almost exactly 4 times as often as they are sacked.  Can you imagine how successful this offense would be if the sack totals were anything close to Manning's or Brady's?   Here's hoping the FO gets moving in the off season toward fixing two big personnel issues - Offensive Line and of course Defensive Backs.