During the 2023 season, the Pittsburgh Steelers and their fans were frustrated when star player TJ Watt led the NFL with 19 sacks, but did not win the AP Defensive Player of the Year Award. Instead, Cleveland Browns' Myles Garrett won the award, despite Watt's significantly better production. Steelers fans were particularly annoyed because Garrett's win was supported by newer, less traditional stats, such as pass rush win rate percentage and pressures.
Steelers star Cam Heyward engaged in several social media debates, arguing that sacks are the most important statistic for a pass rusher. While some new analytical sites are pushing for pressures to be considered more impactful, Heyward remains steadfast in his belief. He elaborated on why sacks are still the most crucial stat for a pass rusher on his podcast, Not Just Football.
"If you can get a guy on the ground, you take it. If you have a pressure, yeah, good job, kudos, but he still completed the ball. I think sometimes we rely on these made-up stats that nobody cares about. I think we've gotten to the baseball era where it is no longer about ERA and it is about on-base percentage. There's so many things that we're trying to add to it, and we're forgetting the definite thing of, can you swing a bat? Can you get a sack? Those are the most definite things that you've got to rely on."
Heyward drew a comparison to Major League Baseball, where a variety of hypothetical stats are often used to judge players. However, he believes there is no place for such approaches when evaluating NFL statistics.
Heyward's co-host, Hayden Walsh, asked him if their coaches value pressures over sacks. Seeking to grasp the coaches' perspective on the ongoing debate, Walsh inquired on what the Steelers value and are told by the coaches.
“That is the thing you get a pressure off of a sack, so obviously they are still weighing sacks heavier than a pressure. We talk about pressuring a quarterback, but the main thing you got to do is get the sack because you are creating a negative play.”
Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger Would Welcome Pressures
Heyward has encountered numerous instances illustrating why pressures aren't as valuable as certain analytical sites suggest. He pointed to examples such as Patrick Mahomes, one of the league's top quarterbacks, who can handle pressure and still execute great plays.
Heyward also emphasized the case of the Steelers' former star quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, who thrived when a defense brought the pressure.
“Too many times I have seen Pat Mahomes. He takes a 10-step drop and he is able to roll out. You may have gotten pressure on him, but he is still completing the ball. Ben thrived on that. Ben would kill for someone just to pressure him over a sack. I think we have gotten to a point to highlight certain players and say, ‘Oh they are able to get pressure.’ Sometimes you get pressure because the offensive line does not set the right way.”
The debate appears straightforward: if a defensive player forces the offense into a negative play, it holds more value than a positive outcome. To Heyward, this is basic math. He contends that the recent trend toward fabricated statistics overvalues pressures, a stance informed by his extensive experience.
As a decorated player who has excelled in the NFL since being drafted by Pittsburgh in 2011, Heyward's perspective carries weight. The ongoing discussion will persist as advanced metrics gain traction. Ultimately, Heyward believes that sacks, as significant momentum shifts for a defense, should be prioritized over pressures.
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