10-20-2018, 02:33 AM
(10-17-2018, 05:43 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Fewer passes but a lot more sacks.
The passing game was completely different when Reggie came into the league. Most throws were down the field so QBs sat in the pocket longer and were sacked more often. In Reggie's 1985 rookie season the average sacks per team was 46.6. In Watt's rookie season (2011) it was only 37.1.
The Chicago Bears famous "46 defense" from 1985 would not work in todays NFL. It would get picked to pieces with short passes.
1. I can see why you cherry picked rookie years. The NFL average of 46.6 sacks per team in 1985 was easily the highest rate of any of Reggie's first 7 seasons.
1985: 46.6
1986: 42.8 (40.5 if you don't include Reggie's Eagles 104 sacks)
1987: 39.5 (38.3 if you don't include Eagles league leading 72 sacks)
1988: 37.0
1989: 39.5
1990: 38.1
1991: 35.4
Compare that to Watt's first 7 seasons:
2011: 37.1
2012: 36.5
2013: 40.5
2014: 37.9
2015: 37.1
2016: 34.9
2017: 37.3
Not that big of a difference, outside of that cherry picked rookie season. Btw, Reggie's own team gave up the most sacks during this time frame, and he obviously didn't benefit from it.
2. AFC south teams (not counting the Texans) have given up 7.2 sacks more than the league average during Watt's career.
(10-17-2018, 05:48 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Watt played in every game in 5 of his first seven years.
White played in every game in 5 of his first seven years
Your point?
The point of my post was not to bash Watt for his injuries, it was to show that even if you average out their sacks per game, White smokes Watt.
And even if your post is defending Watt missing games, you're doing a poor job of it.
The training, nutrition, medicine, fitness, playbooks and rules evolve. The athlete does not.
