Top 10 pass-rushers from NFL Week 1

Sacks, sacks, sacks.

Is that all that matters when discussing a pass rushing performance? If you’ve ever read PFF before, you know our team doesn’t subscribe to that belief. In our eyes, disruption equals production; we have developed our formula to showcase the most productive pass-rushers in the game.

The stat: pass-rushing productivity (PRP, if you like).

This metric looks at all the sacks, hits, and hurries a defender picks up, as well as in how many pass rushing snaps they did it in. After all, it’s a lot easier to rack up quarterback disruptions if you’re rushing the passer 50 times in a game, as opposed to 15.

That being said, let’s take a look at the top 10 defenders from Week 1 (minimum 30 snaps rushing the passer).

J.J. Watt, DE, Texans

• Rushes: 37
• Sacks: 2
• Hits: 1
• Hurries: 4
• PRP: 15.5

Robert Quinn, DE, Rams

• Rushes: 34
• Sacks: 2
• Hits: 0
• Hurries: 4
• PRP: 14.7

Carlos Dunlap, DE, Bengals

• Rushes: 34
• Sacks: 1
• Hits: 1
• Hurries: 4
• PRP: 14.0

Muhammad Wilkerson, DE, Jets

• Rushes: 32
• Sacks: 1
• Hits: 2
• Hurries: 2
• PRP: 12.5

Aaron Donald, DT, Rams

• Rushes: 35
• Sacks: 2
• Hits: 1
• Hurries: 2
• PRP: 12.1

Justin Houston, OLB, Chiefs

• Rushes: 43
• Sacks: 1
• Hits: 0
• Hurries: 5
• PRP: 11.0

Quinton Coples, OLB, Jets

• Rushes: 30
• Sacks: 0
• Hits: 2
• Hurries: 2
• PRP: 10.0

Robert Ayers, DE, Giants

• Rushes: 33
• Sacks: 0
• Hits: 1
• Hurries: 5
• PRP: 13.6

Jabaal Sheard, DE, Patriots

• Rushes: 32
• Sacks: 1
• Hits: 0
• Hurries: 4
• PRP: 12.5

Geno Atkins, DT, Bengals

• Rushes: 41
• Sacks: 1
• Hits: 1
• Hurries: 3
• PRP: 9.8

Please keep in mind: Broncos OLB DeMarcus Ware didn’t qualify for this study because he only rushed the passer 24 times against the Ravens. His rate on those snaps was a ridiculous 35.4. Future opponents, you have been warned.