Who is the best pass rusher in the game?

[Dustin]

I was having a debate today with a friend of mine on who the best pass rusher in the league is. 

 

The obvious answer would be to say the league's reigning DPOY who just came off of a 20.5 sack season.

 

But if you dig a little deeper the answer isn't as clear as it seems.

 

On 261 pass rushes this year Von Miller registered 51 total pressure and had the highest Pass Rush productivity out of any linebackers in 2012. Miller registered a pressure every 4.7 pass rushes. Far and away the league leader. But he also played a unique position that allowed him to run free to QBs on 4 man fronts. While this doesn't take away from Miller's success it still a point that should be made. He wasn't a 34 OLB, but a pass rushing 43 OLB. A position that is rare in the NFL.

 

Next we move to who I think is the best player in the league, JJ Watt. A once in a generation player that has both the speed to beat tackles and the strength to beat guards, the reigning DPOY managed to put 37 pressures on the QB on 309 pass rushes. Or a pressure every 8.35 pass rushes. While his numbers aren't comparable to those of Miller, it's to be remembered that Watt is a penetrating 34 DE who is constantly double-teamed.

 

Now the guy who gets my vote for best pass rusher in the league is a player a lot of people probably don't know, Geno Atkins. The Bengals DT finished the season with 12.5 sacks, the all time record for sacks by a DT. Atkins put 37 pressures on QBs this year while being constantly double and tripled-teamed. But the crazy thing is that he matched Watt's amount of pressure on 37 less pass rushes (272). So in essence Atkins was putting up a pressure every 7.35 pass rushes!

 

Atkins gets my vote.

 

Who get's your vote?

[coltsfanatic24]

I would go with JJ Watt as the best pass rusher in the game. He over power guards with his bull rush and also great at swatting passes. I think Watt is one of the top 10 players in the league because he's putting up great stats  while being double teamed and he doesn't have the talent around him like some of the other pass rushers. Geno Atkins is a great player as well but he's also playing alongside Michael Johnson and Carlos Dunlap who are great young players which leaves Atkins with more one on ones.

[Nobody]

I would go with JJ Watt as the best pass rusher in the game. He over power guards with his bull rush and also great at swatting passes. I think Watt is one of the top 10 players in the league because he's putting up great stats while being double teamed and he doesn't have the talent around him like some of the other pass rushers. Geno Atkins is a great player as well but he's also playing alongside Michael Johnson and Carlos Dunlap who are great young players which leaves Atkins with more one on ones.

You have it backwards. Atkins is the reason Johnson and Dunlap look good, because he takes on so many blockers for them.

Von for me.

[BlueCollarColts]

Bjoern Werner         A guy can dream can't he?!?!?!?

[Qwiz]

S.W.A.T.T.

[southwest1]

S.W.A.T.T.

Did you on a ride along or did they hit your front door with a battering ram? Just Kidding Brother! I couldn't resist that joke man!   Knock, Knock. Who's there? Not the Girl Scouts with thin mint cookies...

 

 

[southwest1]

S.W.A.T.T.

Yes, I know there is only 1 T in the word S.W.A.T. or the elite police force unit anyway. In all seriousness, JJ Watt is the golden boy pass rusher right now. Von Miller is great too, but JJ just swarms NFL QBs like angry killer bees with his motor, long arms, gap control, bull rush, & rapid ability to breakdown any play on the fly & SWATTs it dead before an offensive play even unfolds or has time to develop into something meaningful. 

[southwest1]

Actually, a SWATT NFL TV commercial would be so AWESOME!

 

Have JJ break down a door in a SWAT uniform in full gear & chase down a criminal. "This is just my weekend gig like Military Reserves. My real passion is hunting down pretty boy quarterbacks & making them whimper like babies cryin' for their mommas."

 

Then, have JJ do his trademark sack move.     

[southwest1]

For those that prefer Von Miller, that's fine. There's really no wrong answer here. But, JJ excelled this past season even with LB Brian Cushing out of the Texans lineup & Von Miller always had Elvis Dumervil to take heat off of him. Let's see how well Miller performs without Dumervil there in Denver anymore.

 

That's the real test: can Von carry the load with less defensive help? Let's find out in 2013 shall we...

[Qwiz]

Actually, a SWATT NFL TV commercial would be so AWESOME!

 

Have JJ break down a door in a SWAT uniform in full gear & chase down a criminal. "This is just my weekend gig like Military Reserves. My real passion is hunting down pretty boy quarterbacks & making them whimper like babies cryin' for their mommas."

 

Then, have JJ do his trademark sack move.     

yeah I would love to see an ESPN commercial having fun with it. Kind of like the ones they used to do with Clay Matthews or Suh.