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Factoid

Sacks vs. Interceptions

Which defenses are the best to target?

When selecting a defense, is it better to go after sacks or interceptions? And by “go after” I’m talking stats. Let’s forget about who’s on which team and the system and who’s coaching and which starter just got hurt and whatnot. Looking just at how the team fared last year, are you better targeting a team that had a bunch of sacks? Or a team that had a bunch of interceptions?

I’m leaving fumbles out, because that’s seems to be largely a volatile, luck-driven category.

I looked at the last 10 years, so that’s about 320 teams.

Of that group of teams, 44 had at least 22 interceptions. That group in their next season averaged 16.5 interceptions and 36 sacks.

With sacks, on the other hand, 43 defenses have had at least 45 sacks in the last. That group in their next season averaged 15.9 interceptions and 40 sacks.

So for this quick glance, sacks win. If you pick out of that group (relative to picking for interceptions) you tend to come out about 4 sacks ahead while only a half interception behind.

This trend isn’t super meaningful for this year because there are too many crossover defenses. Carolina, Buffalo, Kansas City, Arizona and Seattle all had at least 44 sacks and 20 interceptions last year.

In the charts below, cross-over teams (ones appearing on both lists) are tagged with dots. Teams from last year are in bold.

DEFENSES WITH 45-PLUS SACKS
....NextNext
YearTeamIntSackIntSack
2006San Diego Chargers16613042
2006• Baltimore Ravens28601732
2013Carolina Panthers2060??
2008Dallas Cowboys8591142
2013• Buffalo Bills2357??
2007New York Giants15531742
2013St. Louis Rams1453??
2012St. Louis Rams17521453
2012Denver Broncos16521741
2008Pittsburgh Steelers20511247
2012Cincinnati Bengals14512043
2011Minnesota Vikings8501044
2005Seattle Seahawks16501241
2011Philadelphia Eagles1550830
2005Miami Dolphins1449847
2013New Orleans Saints1249??
2008Philadelphia Eagles15482544
2004Atlanta Falcons19481637
2011Baltimore Ravens15481337
2010Pittsburgh Steelers21481135
2011New York Giants20482133
2009Minnesota Vikings11481531
2013New England Patriots1748??
2009Pittsburgh Steelers12472148
2012Green Bay Packers18471144
2003• Baltimore Ravens24472139
2005Pittsburgh Steelers15472039
2010Oakland Raiders12471839
2005Jacksonville Jaguars19472035
2010San Diego Chargers16471732
2007New England Patriots19471431
2006Miami Dolphins8471430
2010• Green Bay Packers24473129
2004Philadelphia Eagles17471729
2013Kansas City 2147??
2013Arizona Cardinals2047??
2005San Diego Chargers10461661
2007Dallas Cowboys1946859
2010New York Giants16462048
2006• Green Bay Packers23461936
2005Indianapolis Colts18461525
2011Cincinnati Bengals10451451
2008Minnesota Vikings12451148
2004Indianapolis Colts19451846
2005• Carolina Panthers23451441
2003New York Giants10451440
2004• Buffalo Bills24451738
2004Tampa Bay Buccaneers16451736
2007Seattle Seahawks2045935
2004New England Patriots20451033
DEFENSES WITH 22-PLUS INTERCEPTIONS
....NextNext
YearTeamIntSackIntSack
2011Green Bay Packers31291847
2005Cincinnati Bengals31281935
2007San Diego Chargers30421528
2009Green Bay Packers30372447
2003New England Patriots29412045
2006• Baltimore Ravens28601732
2013Seattle Seahawks2844??
2003Minnesota Vikings28371139
2009Buffalo Bills28321127
2009New Orleans Saints2635933
2004Carolina Panthers26342345
2008Baltimore Ravens26342232
2009Philadelphia Eagles25442339
2003Kansas City 25361341
2010New England Patriots25362340
2003• Baltimore Ravens24472139
2010• Green Bay Packers24473129
2004• Buffalo Bills24451738
2003St. Louis Rams2442634
2005Chicago Bears24412440
2012Chicago Bears24411931
2006Chicago Bears24401641
2005Minnesota Vikings24342130
2013• Buffalo Bills2357??
2006• Green Bay Packers23461936
2005• Carolina Panthers23451441
2011San Francisco 49ers23421438
2003San Francisco 49ers2342929
2011New England Patriots23402037
2010Philadelphia Eagles23391550
2004Seattle Seahawks23361650
2004San Diego Chargers23291046
2008Cleveland Browns23171040
2006New England Patriots22441947
2003Miami Dolphins22441536
2007Tennessee Titans22402044
2012Arizona Cardinals22382047
2011Seattle Seahawks22331836
2009Baltimore Ravens22321927
2010Atlanta Falcons22311933
2009Carolina Panthers22311731
2008Tampa Bay Buccaneers22291928
2008Chicago Bears22281335
2007Indianapolis Colts22281530
2008Green Bay Packers22273037
2004Houston Texans2224737

—Ian Allan

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