How many sacks will the defense get this year?

[Tatonka]

this is an unbiased poll.. just wondering how many sacks you think our defense will get.. you have to pick from the options.

[Mr. Miyagi]

How many did they have last season? How many did Tampa have last season?

[Tatonka]

i think we had 31.. tampa had 43.

[WG]

Yeah, but at least Tampa could pressure the QB.

Oh, sorry, I'm getting away from the point and too abstract now...


The Bills ranked 25th last year in sacks at 31. Teams below us were:

the Jets
Seattle
Cleveland
Minnesota
Cincy
Dallas
Arizona

http://www.nfl.com/stats/teamsort/NFL/DEF-PASSING/2002/regular?&sort_col_1=11&sort_col_2=11&_1:col_1=11

So T and Dozer are right! We have no issues w/ our pass rush! It's fine now! Heck, if we add 3 this season, we can beat Detroit's total for last year.

[Tatonka]

if we can add .75 sacks a game, we can match tampa's production.

[Tatonka]

carolina's sacks really got them far.

[WG]

Actually, when looking at that list, the only teams w/ any real chance of actually being in or winning the SB were in the top 8 of sacks. I'm gonna step out on another limb here and state that sacks are indicative of a pass rush in general. Call me crazy!

I'm just curious where these other 12 plus sacks are gonna come from for us to be in that range this year.

Oh, I forgot, McKenzie and Jones are each a shoe in for 3 on a 16 game season. Too bad they both can't play at once, eh. Then we'd only need another 9+.

Hey, maybe Posey will get 15!

[Tatonka]

posey will get 5

spikes will have 3

wire will get 3

pat williams will get 3

adams will get 2

schobel will get 12

kelsay will get 3

mckenzie/jones will have 5

irons will have 3

fletcher will have 2

clements/winfield will get 3

drew bledsoe will have 10

[WG]

BTW, we got 3.5 from Bannan and Edwards last year at DT. Since Adams figures to take most of their reps, and since Adams hasn't posted more than 2 over the past 5 seasons, our production in sacks from that DT position may actually decrease.

So where are our sacks gonna come from this season if we're gonna have a lot more than the 31 we had last season?

[Tatonka]

i just answered your question.

[Tatonka]

"hey baby, there aint no easy way out..

hey I will stand my ground.. and i wont back down.. "

tom and the heartbreakers.

[WG]

Originally posted by Tatonka
posey will get 5

spikes will have 3

wire will get 3

pat williams will get 3

adams will get 2

schobel will get 12

kelsay will get 3

mckenzie/jones will have 5

irons will have 3

fletcher will have 2

clements/winfield will get 3

drew bledsoe will have 10

Let's hope so T. But as you have it, Irons, Jones, and McKenzie who will all be splitting one position, will have 8? I think you'll see one of the players emerge as our leading DE and IMO he won't have 8. As well, if it happens that one doesn't emerge, that won't be good either and will put us right back where we were last year from that perspective. I'd rather have McKenzie and Jones be busts and have Irons emerge as the clearcut starter than to have no one be of starter caliber such that we have to platoon again.

Also, I think the most that you'd ever see Schobel get is a dozen. He's simply not that fast. He's good, but it's difficult for me to imagine him ever having more than 10 or so.

I'll say:

Schobel: 10
Spikes: 5
Other DE: 5
Fletcher: 5
Posey: 4
Wire: 3
Williams: 3
Winfield: 1
Adams: 1
Others: 3

Total: 40

Last year:

Schobel: 8.5
Ahanotu: 5
Fletcher: 3
Wire: 3
Newman: 3
Irons: 2.5
Edwards: 2.5
Bannan: 1
Prioleau: 1
Williams: .5

Total: 31 (ESPN-only adds to 30, but 31 total)
For

[Mr. Miyagi]

T I guess you started this thread as a joke. So I answered 5000 sacks.

Honestly, I think the number of sacks will go up dramatically from last year. I wouldn't be surprised if we have close to or even over 40 sacks. Our D speed has improved a lot and our run-stuffers are in place. QBs will have less time to throw, and if they hurry them our DBs will benefit from the pass rush. So then QBs will hesitate more often, ending up on the ground more.

I hope.

[WG]

I'm predicating Fletcher's 5 on the notion that having Adams and PW in the middle will open up some holes for Fletch to get thru. I see Schobel improving but only marginally. He was good last year.

IMO the big question will be how they use the LBs.

As well, Newman got 3 sacks in 10 games and is just entering his prime. So it'll be interesting to see how well Posey does in that respect given that he'll start all 16 and not get yanked for 2/3 of the plays when he does start. I.e., I think we could have done more w/ Newman last year and hope that this wasn't a "get rid of Butler's roster" move. Newman may very well be a better player than Posey.

[justasportsfan]

Originally posted by Tatonka

drew bledsoe will have 10

You're being way too pessimistic don't you think?