On Wednesday I posted a factoid noting how the top 9 teams in terms of sacks in 2015 all made the playoffs; 10 of the 12 playoff clubs were above-average in that regard. So do playoff teams always have strong pass rushes, or was it just one year.
Looking at the past 10 years, it can be said that playoff teams generally rank above-average in sacks, but it's seldom as definitive as 2015. Only once in those years did as many playoff teams finish above-average in sacks. Three times, just over half of the playoff clubs (7 of 12) ranked that high.
In total, 84 of 120 playoff teams over the past decade finished above-average in sacks (70%). A correlation between pass rush and playoffs, then, but not a guarantee.
For the study, I called above-average finishing among the top 15 of the league's 32 teams.
The breakdown was as follows:
| PLAYOFF TEAMS AND TOP-15 IN SACKS | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Top 15? | % |
| 2015 | 10 of 12 | 83% |
| 2014 | 7 of 12 | 58% |
| 2013 | 9 of 12 | 75% |
| 2012 | 8 of 12 | 67% |
| 2011 | 8 of 12 | 67% |
| 2010 | 7 of 12 | 58% |
| 2009 | 7 of 12 | 58% |
| 2008 | 10 of 12 | 83% |
| 2007 | 9 of 12 | 75% |
| 2006 | 9 of 12 | 75% |
| Total | 84 of 120 | 70% |
--Andy Richardson