What happens when the league's most sack- and turnover-prone offense squares off with its least sack- and takeaway-inclined defense? We'll find out on Sunday when the Colts travel to Las Vegas to try their luck against the Raiders.
The Colts are the most sack- and turnover-prone offense in the league (tied with 17 turnovers, leading by taking 35 sacks). Most of that was Matt Ryan, but Sam Ehlinger took 9 sacks and threw a Pick Six at New England last week.
Table sorted by sacks allowed this season.
| OFFENSES (TURNOVERS AND SACKS) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | TO | FL | Int | Sk |
| Indianapolis Colts | 17 | 7 | 10 | 35 |
| Chicago Bears | 12 | 6 | 6 | 33 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 10 | 4 | 6 | 32 |
| Washington Commanders | 11 | 2 | 9 | 29 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 13 | 5 | 8 | 28 |
| Arizona Cardinals | 9 | 3 | 6 | 25 |
| New York Giants | 8 | 5 | 3 | 25 |
| Denver Broncos | 9 | 4 | 5 | 24 |
| New England Patriots | 17 | 7 | 10 | 22 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 3 | 1 | 2 | 22 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 12 | 6 | 6 | 21 |
| Carolina Panthers | 12 | 4 | 8 | 21 |
| New York Jets | 13 | 5 | 8 | 21 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 14 | 4 | 10 | 21 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 12 | 7 | 5 | 21 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 9 | 3 | 6 | 20 |
| Tennessee Titans | 9 | 5 | 4 | 20 |
| Houston Texans | 9 | 1 | 8 | 19 |
| Las Vegas Raiders | 7 | 2 | 5 | 19 |
| New Orleans Saints | 17 | 7 | 10 | 19 |
| Green Bay Packers | 13 | 6 | 7 | 18 |
| Miami Dolphins | 10 | 3 | 7 | 17 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 12 | 6 | 6 | 17 |
| Buffalo Bills | 14 | 6 | 8 | 16 |
| Cleveland Browns | 12 | 6 | 6 | 16 |
| Kansas City | 9 | 3 | 6 | 16 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 8 | 2 | 6 | 16 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 7 | 6 | 1 | 14 |
| Detroit Lions | 12 | 5 | 7 | 13 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 7 | 2 | 5 | 12 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 13 | 7 | 6 | 12 |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 9 | 4 | 5 | 10 |
The Raiders, meanwhile, have only 9 sacks, 3 fewer than any other team. They also have just 5 takeaways, 2 fewer than any other team. Pretty remarkable, really (especially when you consider that Raider Maxx Crosby, pictured, has 6 sacks on his own, ranking 14th in the league in that category).
| DEFENSES (TAKEAWAYS AND SACKS) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | TO | FR | Int | Sk |
| Dallas Cowboys | 13 | 6 | 7 | 33 |
| New England Patriots | 17 | 6 | 11 | 32 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 9 | 3 | 6 | 29 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 16 | 7 | 9 | 27 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 15 | 10 | 5 | 27 |
| New York Jets | 14 | 3 | 11 | 26 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 18 | 6 | 12 | 26 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 9 | 3 | 6 | 26 |
| Denver Broncos | 9 | 3 | 6 | 24 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 14 | 6 | 8 | 24 |
| Buffalo Bills | 15 | 4 | 11 | 23 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 9 | 5 | 4 | 23 |
| Tennessee Titans | 12 | 4 | 8 | 23 |
| Washington Commanders | 7 | 4 | 3 | 23 |
| Kansas City | 8 | 5 | 3 | 22 |
| New Orleans Saints | 7 | 5 | 2 | 22 |
| Cleveland Browns | 8 | 5 | 3 | 19 |
| Houston Texans | 11 | 4 | 7 | 19 |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 11 | 4 | 7 | 19 |
| Green Bay Packers | 8 | 3 | 5 | 17 |
| Miami Dolphins | 7 | 3 | 4 | 17 |
| Arizona Cardinals | 12 | 6 | 6 | 16 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 11 | 3 | 8 | 16 |
| Los Angeles Rams | 8 | 3 | 5 | 16 |
| New York Giants | 10 | 9 | 1 | 16 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 10 | 2 | 8 | 15 |
| Carolina Panthers | 8 | 2 | 6 | 14 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 13 | 5 | 8 | 14 |
| Chicago Bears | 13 | 4 | 9 | 13 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 13 | 5 | 8 | 12 |
| Detroit Lions | 9 | 4 | 5 | 12 |
| Las Vegas Raiders | 5 | 2 | 3 | 9 |
So, is a great matchup enough to make a bad defense, good? There will be some ammunition one way or another for the argument this weekend.
--Andy Richardson