How Important Was Cliff Avril's Extension?

[Hawks46]

I disagree that we will be "fine" with pass rush when we get Avril and Bennett back. In the regular season we were:

*20th in league at sacks
*18th (T) in INTs (often caused by pass rush... see Brady in SB XLIX. And all of last year for us)
*21st in team takeaways
*No Seattle players was Top 20 for QB hurries

Bennett and Avril would be a devastating combo IF we had someone in the middle who could consistently get penetration and disrupt RB and QB timing, at which point our ends can get to the QB or the RB.

As it is, we all watched our guys helpless to do anything as Rogers etc. took 6, 7 and 8 seconds in the pocket.

I read somewhere (I think it was before the NFCCG) that during the regular season, Bennett and Avril had a total combined 131 QB disruptions. That's doing anything from hitting him, hurrying him, sacking him, or making him pull the ball down and move around. Many analysts think that total disruptions is a much better stat than, say, sack or hits. That 131 was tops in the league for any two players on the same team.

It works. It works real well. Like someone said, it's nice to have at least one more guy.

 

[jammerhawk]

I appears reasonably likely that O'Brien Schofield will be lost to the team in FA as the team may be unable to fit a deal for him under the cap. A hard look at who's left at DE even if Marsh matures and becomes a solid DE points to need for another edge rusher. I believe adding a pass rushing DE by the draft or through FA will be a priority.

 

[HawkGA]

Should have pulled a New England and left him in after the concussion. Heck, leave him in on offense just to keep him away from the trainers. You know Bill would have done it.

 

[mikeak]

The numbers are a bit flawed in the sense that if Avril is in on obvious passing plays and 3rd and longs then it will skew his numbers to look better than if he was playing every down.

A 1st and 10 pass for 5 yards is going to have a higher succes ratio than a 3rd and 10pass when everyone knows you are passing.

Kind of lining up in a pass formation on the goalline and everyone realizes you are passing because the backfield is empty instead of running a play-action play which would have kept people guessin....@%#@%#(@!^%