Sacks, sacks, sacks.
Is that all that matters when discussing a pass rushing performance? If you’ve ever read PFF before, you know our team doesn’t subscribe to that belief. In our eyes, disruption equals production; we have developed our formula to showcase the most productive pass-rushers in the game.
The stat: pass-rushing productivity (PRP, if you like).
This metric looks at all the sacks, hits, and hurries a defender picks up, as well as in how many pass rushing snaps they did it in. After all, it’s a lot easier to rack up quarterback disruptions if you’re rushing the passer 50 times in a game, as opposed to 15.
That being said, let’s take a look at the top 10 defenders from Week 1 (minimum 30 snaps rushing the passer).
J.J. Watt, DE, Texans
- Rushes: 37
- Sacks: 2
- Hits: 1
- Hurries: 4
- PRP: 15.5
Robert Quinn, DE, Rams
- Rushes: 34
- Sacks: 2
- Hits: 0
- Hurries: 4
- PRP: 14.7
Carlos Dunlap, DE, Bengals
- Rushes: 34
- Sacks: 1
- Hits: 1
- Hurries: 4
- PRP: 14.0
Muhammad Wilkerson, DE, Jets
- Rushes: 32
- Sacks: 1
- Hits: 2
- Hurries: 2
- PRP: 12.5
Aaron Donald, DT, Rams
- Rushes: 35
- Sacks: 2
- Hits: 1
- Hurries: 2
- PRP: 12.1
Justin Houston, OLB, Chiefs
- Rushes: 43
- Sacks: 1
- Hits: 0
- Hurries: 5
- PRP: 11.0
Quinton Coples, OLB, Jets
- Rushes: 30
- Sacks: 0
- Hits: 2
- Hurries: 2
- PRP: 10.0
Robert Ayers, DE, Giants
- Rushes: 33
- Sacks: 0
- Hits: 1
- Hurries: 5
- PRP: 13.6
Jabaal Sheard, DE, Patriots
- Rushes: 32
- Sacks: 1
- Hits: 0
- Hurries: 4
- PRP: 12.5
Geno Atkins, DT, Bengals
- Rushes: 41
- Sacks: 1
- Hits: 1
- Hurries: 3
- PRP: 9.8
Please keep in mind: Broncos OLB DeMarcus Ware didn’t qualify for this study because he only rushed the passer 24 times against the Ravens. His rate on those snaps was a ridiculous 35.4. Future opponents, you have been warned.