Packers statistical breakdown: Tackles

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Mark Eckel

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By BOB McGINN

Note: One of a series wrapping up the Green Bay Packers’ season from a statistical standpoint. Tackling totals were provided by the Packers based on coaches’ film review. Tackles for loss and missed tackles were recorded and tabulated by me. Playoff games included in previous season totals.

Eight games into the season the Packers had 41 tackles for loss, their highest mid-year total in the last 10 years. They finished with 63 after recording just 22 in the last eight games.

The same pattern was prevalent in 2016 when the Packers posted 33 TFLs in the first eight games and 23 after that.

Still, the team’s average of 3.94 tackles for loss per game this year surpassed 2009 (3.77) as the best in the last 26 seasons.

Defensive backs amassed 19 TFLs at mid-season and then only two in the last eight games for a total of 21. The first- and second-half totals for the defensive line and linebackers held steady.

The linebackers led the way with 27, one fewer than a year ago. Blake Martinez had nine, followed by Clay Matthews, 5 ½; Ahmad Brooks, 3 ½; Jake Ryan, 2 ½; Kyler Fackrell, two; Vince Biegel, 1 ½, and Nick Perry, Chris Odom and Joe Thomas, one.

Matthews improved from a career-low total of two in 2016. Perry’s total of one was down from 5 ½ in 2016 and 4 ½ in ’15. Martinez had just 3 ½ last year. Ryan posted 7 ½ in 2016.

The defensive backs came through with 21, 13 more than a year ago. Damarious Randall led with five, followed by Morgan Burnett, 3 ½ (all in the first half of the season); Davon House and Josh Jones, three; Quinten Rollins, Lenzy Pipkins and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, 1 ½; Kevin King, one, and Josh Hawkins and Kentrell Brice, one-half. Randall didn’t have any last year.

The defensive line finished with 14, a decrease from 19 in 2016 and 22 in ’15. Kenny Clark and Mike Daniels each had five followed by Dean Lowry (3 ½) and Quinton Dial (one-half).

One tackle for loss was credited to the team, not an individual.

In terms of total tackles, Martinez led the team with 158. Rounding out the top 10 were Ryan (89), Clinton-Dix (86), Clark (78), Daniels (72), Jones (71), Burnett (65), Randall (60), Matthews (52) and House (49).

Daniels led the defensive line in tackles per snap with one every 8.75. It was the first time in his six seasons that he paced the unit. He was followed by Clark (one every 8.82), Dial (one every 9.7), Montravius Adams (one every 13) and Lowry (one every 14.6).

In the past 10 seasons the best tackle rate for the unit was by Ryan Pickett in 2010 (one every 6.97).

Ryan led the inside linebackers in tackles per snap with one every 5.7. Martinez had one every 6.22 and Thomas had one every 7.6.

Among outside linebackers, Perry led with one every 12.4 snaps followed by Matthews, one every 12.7; Fackrell, one every 13.2, and Brooks, one every 19.2. Among players with fewer than 125 snaps, Odom had one every 6.6, Biegel had one every 9.4 and Reggie Gilbert had one every 28.7.

At cornerback, Pipkins led in tackles per snap with one every 7.2. He was followed by Rollins, one every 7.7; Hawkins, one every 8.5; Randall, one every 12; King, one every 12.3, and House, one every 13.5.

Jones led the safeties with one every 10.4 snaps. He was followed by Marwin Evans, one every 10.5; Burnett, one every 11.2; Brice, one every 12; Clinton-Dix, one every 12.2, and Jermaine Whitehead, one every 17.4.

The defense missed 131 tackles, well above its total of 103 last year. The unit missed 133 in 2015 and 145 in ’14.

The leader in missed tackles was Martinez with 22. The last Packer to miss more than 22 was linebacker Nate Wayne with 24 in 2000.

Martinez was followed by Clinton-Dix, 13; Randall and Ryan, nine; Rollins, eight; Matthews and Jones, seven; Clark, King, House, Hawkins and Brice, six; Dial and Fackrell, four; Daniels and Burnett, three; Thomas, Evans and Whitehead, two, and Lowry, Perry, Brooks, Biegel, Gilbert and Pipkins, one.

The special teams missed 22 tackles, two fewer than in 2016 and ’15. Evans, the leader in tackles with 14, also was the leader in misses with five.

Others with two or more misses were Jeff Janis, four, and Aaron Ripkowski, Jones and Fackrell, two.

Tied for second place in tackles made with six were Biegel, Janis, Jones and Whitehead.

Green Bay ranked 16th in overall special-teams effectiveness based on annual statistical breakdowns produced by Rick Gosselin. In coordinator Ron Zook’s first two seasons the Packers ranked 17th in 2015 and 29th in 2016.

The post Packers statistical breakdown: Tackles appeared first on Bob McGinn Football.

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Nothing defines a Ted Thompson/Mike McCarthy team quite like missed tackles. Ted drafted his share of soft players and was afraid to have them hit and tackle in practice and camp, MM would have you believe he's the Mozart of tackling - he knows everything there is to know about it, he always knows exactly what you're doing wrong, why, he's a damned genius at tackling... but he just can't teach anyone else how to actually do it.
 
Some of these stats are a bit misleading. Martinez missed 22 tackles, but he made more than anyone else on the team. It should also be understood that some of those missed were actually "reaches," where he missed it, but wasn't able to get decent position to make it, because of the guy's speed, or open field situation.

It is telling though that we have so many. That's in the range of 8 per game?
 
At least he's in a position to miss tackles, unlike a fairly recent LB who made more tackles than anyone else but watched a lot of ball-carriers from afar. :)

some of those missed were actually "reaches," where he missed it, but wasn't able to get decent position to make it, because of the guy's speed, or open field situation.

This is where POV and subjectivity make sports forums so much fun. Did he miss with his reaches because somebody else screwed up and his was a heroic last-ditch effort, or was his lack of decent position his own fault due to ability, coaching, recognition, et. al.?
 
It's very deceptive. Here's a link to just one year of info from the past, about missed tackles. I didn't look into their archives, but I do know that when you read who is missing tackles, and who isn't, it's not a numbers game, it's a percentage game, and this does show things a little differently.

It might surprise people at just how good and bad some players are, and how even though they may have larger numbers of misses, their percentage of misses isn't that bad. I chose this one because this is one of the years people talked about Hawk having a horrible year with missed tackles. The stats? A little different picture.

Missed Tackles
 
Some of these stats are a bit misleading. Martinez missed 22 tackles, but he made more than anyone else on the team.

Martinez was successful on 87.7% of his tackle attempts (158/180). HHCD was right behind at 86.8 % (86/99).
 
Martinez was successful on 87.7% of his tackle attempts (158/180). HHCD was right behind at 86.8 % (86/99).

Those are high figures. If they cut that number in half, they'd be among the better tacklers.

I wonder how much of that can be attributed to fatigue. Too much time on the field, your arms get weary, tackling suffers. So many variables.
 
To me there is a difference between broken tackles and missed tackles. I have no problem if you get juked by a great play and miss a tackle. These things happen. I get pissed if you get your hands on a guy squared up with him and he runs through you. This can't happen.
 
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