One of the biggest metrics we use to analyze defenses, offensive lines, and quarterbacks is sacks. How many sacks did a defense (or player) record? How many sacks did an offensive line allow? How many sacks did a quarterback take? We use this because sacks have such a profound impact on the game. Sacks impact more than field position; sacks affect every player’s ability to focus on the game rather than the potential mistake they made.
However, determining who is at fault for sacks taken by the quarterback is difficult. Often it’s the result of a defender bursting through the line too fast, but there are times when the quarterback holds the ball too long, or he tries to scramble and fails, or any other number of things. Credit is always given to the opposing defender, but who takes the blame? A new graphic released today shows how each quarterback fared in 2024.
Forget how many sacks each quarterback took and take a closer look at which ones were deemed the fault of the quarterback versus the ones that are not their fault. Caleb Williams took the most sacks in 2024, but less than 45% of them were his fault. By contrast, Matt Stafford took among the fewest sacks in 2024, yet almost 72% of them were his fault.
Now, let’s look at Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels. Daniels took the sixth-most sacks in the NFL in 2024, but only 40.4% of those sacks were his fault. That number is consistent with the likes of Jalen Hurts, Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Brock Purdy, and Jared Goff.
Adam Peters made some additions and adjustments to the offensive line and the offense through free agency and the draft. With Daniels entering his second season and having a better idea and understanding of how the game works and what to expect, plus the changes made by Peters, Daniels should suffer fewer sacks in 2025, which will help the offense keep the ball on the field and open more opportunities to score points.