In the last 10 years we’ve seen Khalil Mack, J.J. Watt (three times), Terrell Suggs and James Harrison all win Defensive Player of the Year. Why? Well because they have special seasons rushing the passer. It’s why the Cleveland Browns invested the first pick of the draft in Myles Garrett and why Von Miller is paid so handsomely. The ability to cause disruption to an opponent’s passing game is as important now as it has ever been.
So with a quarter of the season gone, what have been the most impressive pass-rushing displays? We turned to the grades that look deeper than the stats (among the factors considered how quick pressure happened and whether they beat someone for the disruption) to bring you the top 10 pass rushing displays of the 2017 season to date.
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(Note: pass-rush wins include clean victories over linemen and include plays nullified by penalty, but ignore unblocked or clean up pressures that do not come as a result of beating a man)
1. Von Miller: WK02, DAL @ DEN (95.0)
Pass-Rushes: 47
Pass-Rushing Productivity Score: 22.6
In total, we tallied 16 wins for Miller in a virtuoso display that highlighted everything good about the Broncos pass-rusher. He went to work on La’el Collins as he made life tough for Dak Prescott.
2. Calais Campbell: WK01, JAX @ HST (94.8)
Pass-Rushes: 48
Pass-Rushing Productivity Score: 23.0
Not a bad way to show you’re worth the big free agent contract you got. Campbell had plenty of success against most members of the Texans line, but it was Breno Giacomini who had the roughest day out with him picking up a penalty, sack, hit and two pressures on the former Seahawk and Jet tackle.
3. Aaron Donald: WK04, LAR @ DAL (94.1)
Pass-Rushes: 40
Pass-Rushing Productivity Score: 19.9
Donald ended the day with three quarterback hits and nine more pressures (three of which were called back on penalties elsewhere). What made it impressive is that while it was Jonathan Cooper who took the brunt of the beating, perennial Pro Bowler Zack Martin also got worked over.
4. Yannick Ngakoue: WK01, JAX @ HST (93.8)
Pass-Rushes: 38
Pass-Rushing Productivity Score: 18.5
One of the more underrated edge rushers in the league, Ngakoue has largely outplayed Dante Fowler and Week 1 of the season was no different. Eight pass-rush wins were good but it was his ability to dislodge the ball that propelled this performance up the list (two forced fumbles).
5. Demarcus Lawrence: WK02, DAL @ DEN (92.9)
Pass-Rushes: 25
Pass-Rushing Productivity Score: 21.7
Winning on over a quarter of your pass-rushes is never a bad thing, yet it was the speed of the wins Lawrence enjoyed over Menelik Watson (chiefly) that sees him on this list. It didn’t hurt that he was able to force a fumble as well as Lawrence ending up with two sacks, one hit and three hurries.
6. Brandon Graham: WK01, PHI @ WAS (92.3)
Pass-Rushes: 36
Pass-Rushing Productivity Score: 14.7
Morgan Moses is no slouch and one of the better right tackles in the league. But Graham cared not for that, picking up two sacks and two hurries on the Redskin in a feverish display. The only thing that stopped it looking statistically better was Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins getting rid of the ball quickly, with his time to throw of 2.26 per attempt sixth lowest of the week.
7. Demarcus Lawrence: WK03, DAL @ ARZ (92.0)
Pass-Rushes: 45
Pass-Rushing Productivity Score: 25.0
The only man to make two appearances on this list and if that doesn’t highlight the career-year Lawrence is on his way to, we don’t know what else can. The Cowboy defensive end ended up with a stunning 16 pass-rush wins as Jared Veldheer struggled to contain him.
8. Geno Atkins: WK02, HST @ CIN (91.4)
Pass-Rushes: 27
Pass-Rushing Productivity Score: 20.8
Atkins walked away with two unblocked sacks but we were more impressed watching him beat up on Xavier Su’a-Filo, with his trademark quick pressure not to be missed.
9. Melvin Ingram: WK01, LAC @ DEN (90.8)
Pass-Rushes: 29
Pass-Rushing Productivity Score: 22.4
Ingram may not get the press of his partner-in-crime Joey Bosa, but he got off to the hot start. It was Menelik Watson who suffered most at his hands while rookie Garett Bolles also got a rough introduction to life at the NFL level as Ingram ended the day with two sacks, one hit and five hurries.
10. Khalil Mack: WK01, OAK @ TEN (90.5)
Pass-Rushes: 44
Pass-Rushing Productivity Score: 8.7
The lowest pass-rushing productivity score, but the speed of Mack when he did get pressure and forcing a fumble helped push him up on the list (even if the fumble occurred on a play negated by penalty). He finished with nine pass-rush wins as sophomore tackle Jack Conklin failed to slow him.
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