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Sacks on Pro Football Reference

Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2021 3:22 pm
by Oszuscik
Pretty exciting development on pro-football-reference.com, they now have posted individual sack totals dating back to 1960. Bob Lilly, Deacon Jones, Joe Greene, and so on, sacks are now included in their stats.

Re: Sacks on Pro Football Reference

Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2021 3:35 pm
by ChrisBabcock
Interesting. I noticed awhile ago they've had individual sack totals in box scores for playoff games dating back to the 1940s. I wonder who they would cite as sources if anyone asked.

Re: Sacks on Pro Football Reference

Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2021 3:48 pm
by TodMaher
It's great and everything, but I wish the numbers added up - i.e. 1981 Atlanta. 29 sacks but the individuals only add up to 28.5.

Re: Sacks on Pro Football Reference

Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2021 5:21 pm
by Ken Crippen
ChrisBabcock wrote:Interesting. I noticed awhile ago they've had individual sack totals in box scores for playoff games dating back to the 1940s. I wonder who they would cite as sources if anyone asked.
You can thank John Turney and Nick Webster for that information.

Re: Sacks on Pro Football Reference

Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2021 5:54 pm
by Brian wolf
Thanks guys for this information. If Jim Marshall had retired after 1971, he would be in the HOF now. Instead, he only has 30 sacks the next eight seasons, though he adds another nine in postseason. Hard to believe he only went to two Pro Bowls ?

Re: Sacks on Pro Football Reference

Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2021 6:31 pm
by Brian wolf
McGinest has the "official" postseason record of sacks but I think Harvey Martin has the most all-time ...

Re: Sacks on Pro Football Reference

Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2021 9:53 pm
by JuggernautJ
Ken Crippen wrote:
ChrisBabcock wrote:Interesting. I noticed awhile ago they've had individual sack totals in box scores for playoff games dating back to the 1940s. I wonder who they would cite as sources if anyone asked.
You can thank John Turney and Nick Webster for that information.
I do thank them, profusely even.
This is a lifetime's work in research and making it available to the public is an enormous gift.
It is truly appreciated.

I hope this is a serious step forward in getting the NFL to acknowledge you research as official.
The players of yester year deserve to have those stats recognized.

Races off to compare Bob Lilly and Jethro Pugh and finds...

Edited to add: https://www.sports-reference.com/blog/2 ... reference/
Official explanation from PFR with new single season and career leaders charts. Mentions the PFRA, John and Nick.
Again, many sincere thanks, guys!!

Re: Sacks on Pro Football Reference

Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2021 8:56 am
by sluggermatt15
Thanks to John and Nick. This is outstanding info!

I'm by no means a statistician. Retroactively crediting players with stats, such as a sack, from way back, do they effectively "count" the same as 1982 and going forward? What is the weight of unofficial versus official?

Re: Sacks on Pro Football Reference

Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2021 2:05 pm
by Brian wolf
Its amazing to me that Merlin Olsen doesnt have more sacks in the 60s ? Everytime I saw him on film, he was exploding interior lines. I bet he has many hurries where he flushed the QB out the pocket, right into Deacon Jones but only Turney, Willis, Webster and Troup can confirm ...

Re: Sacks on Pro Football Reference

Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2021 4:23 pm
by Ronfitch
Ken Crippen wrote:
ChrisBabcock wrote:Interesting. I noticed awhile ago they've had individual sack totals in box scores for playoff games dating back to the 1940s. I wonder who they would cite as sources if anyone asked.
You can thank John Turney and Nick Webster for that information.
From Yahoo Sports today:
"Updated research crowns Lions DE Bubba Baker as the single-season sack king"
https://sports.yahoo.com/updated-resear ... 01210.html