Who Deserves To Be A Pro Bowler? Part V: AFC, Defense

Posted by Adam Kaplan on Thursday, December 16, 2010
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You can read my NFC version here

DEFENSIVE END

Sacks
1) Jason Babin (TEN)
2) Mario Williams (HOU)
3) Robert Mathis (IND)
4) Dave Ball (TEN)

WPA
1) Mario Williams (HOU)
2) Dave Ball (TEN)
3) Jason Babin (TEN)
4) Dwan Edwards (BUF)

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

Sacks
1) Haloti Ngata (BAL)
1) Tommy Kelly (OAK)
3) Kyle Williams (BUF)
3) Richard Seymour (OAK)

WPA
1) Kyle Williams (BUF)
2) Haloti Ngata (BAL)
3) Sione Pouha (NYJ)
4) Richard Seymour (OAK)

LINEBACKERS

Sacks
1) Cam Wake (MIA)
2) Tamba Hali (KC)
3) Terrell Suggs (BAL)
4) James Harrison (PIT)
4) Shaun Phillips (SD)

Tackles
1) Jerrod Mayo (NE)
2) Stephen Tulloch (TEN)
3) Ray Lewis (BAL)
4) Paul Posluszny (BUF)

Tackles For Loss
1) Cam Wake (MIA)
2) Terrell Suggs (BAL)
3) Shaun Phillips (SD)
4) James Harrison (PIT)

WPA
1) Lawrence Timmons (PIT)
2) Lamaar Woodley (PIT)
3) Cam Wake (MIA)
4) James Harrison (PIT)

SAFETIES

Interceptions
1) Troy Polamalu (PIT)
2) Ed Reed (BAL)
2) Michael Griffin (TEN)
3) James Sanders (NE)
3) Eric Berry (KC)
3) Brandon Meriweather (NE)


WPA
1) Troy Polamalu (PIT)
2) Michael Huff (OAK)
3) Michael Griffin (TEN)
4) Tyvon Branch (OAK)

CORNERBACKS

Interceptions
1) Devin McCourty (NE)
2) Joe Haden (CLE)
3) Antonie Cason (SD)
3) Leon Hall (CIN)

DVOA Against Opposing #1 WR
1) San Diego Chargers
2) Indianapolis Colts
3) Pittsburgh Steelers
4) Kansas City Chiefs

DVOA Against Opposing #2 WR
1) Pittsburgh Steelers
2) San Diego Chargers
3) Indianapolis Colts
4) Tennessee Titans

WPA
1) William Gay (PIT)
2) Joe Haden (CLE)
3) Antonio Cromartie (NYJ)
4) Sheldon Brown (CLE)

2 comments:

The 'Bright' One said...

the linebacker sack totals are kinda skewed in both leagues, cause the leaders play in 3-4 defenses and are basically D-ends.

December 16, 2010 at 12:29 PM
Adam Kaplan said...

That's an extremely valid point and very true, but here's what I have to say about it:

1) These are just categories setting up the basis for future posts when I pick actual players
2) I think WPA is the best stat to judge linebackers because it takes into account the rushing tackles and tackles on the QB as well as tackles made on receivers and how they impact the specific game
3) Defenders in football more than any other sport is one in which you just have to watch with your eyes. When I see Julies Peppers play, I see him attack the quarterback and break offensive lineman off like a Kit Kat bar. This pressure often causes either the quarterback to make a bad decision/ throw it away or can force a holding penalty- both of which can not be measured by statistics. A QB constantly throwing on a CB like DeAngelo Hall or throwing away from a corner like Darelle Revis goes into a decision making process of a QB but can't really be measured. And how a LB like Brian Urlacher makes tackles in open space and forces an offense to be uncomfortable is an extremely valuable skill which is hard to measure. So when I make my final picks, I'll take stats into account, but also what I have seen out of these players
4) I think there are essentially two different types of LB's. There's the Brian Urlacher/ London Fletcher type and the DeMarcus Ware/ Clay Matthews type. Both are asked to do different things and show up in different stats. Absolutely a guy like Ware is asked to be like a defensive end, and he does it extremely well. The DE/LB type guys shouldn't be punished for stuff they do well and well as the pure LB guys shouldn't be punished because they don't get sacks
5) If you asked me what's the single most important skill set a defense should have #1 would be to not allow points to be scored. But if you asked me to be more specific I would say it's getting pressure on the QB. It's a great skill set that a defense needs and teams like Dallas and GB need guys like like Ware and Matthews to accomplish that goal

December 16, 2010 at 2:13 PM

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