First Downs Allowed – Linebackers

[michael89156]

Signature Stats: First Downs Allowed – Linebackers

Khaled Elsayed | 2013/01/29
ProFootballFocus






Yesterday we unveiled one of our brand spanking new signature stats — First Downs Allowed. However, we looked at only cornerbacks.
 
How rude of us.
 
Tomorrow we’re going to make up for teasing you with a part of the data by handing you the numbers for safeties. Today? Well, today we’re going to look at linebackers and how they fare in pass coverage. But this stat goes beyond the numbers in isolation. By looking at how often a player is in coverage you get an extra level of detail you simply can’t find anywhere else.
 
First Downs Allowed in Coverage
 
Where better to start than seeing which linebacker gave up the most combined first downs and touchdowns in coverage — and if you’re a Redskin fan you may want to look away.
 
Two of the ‘Top 3′ — it’s not an honor many would want — played their football for Washington, with London Fletcher leading the way by allowing 33 first downs and five touchdowns. I know it’s not the done thing to speak ill of Fletcher, but this is part of the reason why the end-of-season accolades he earned were little more than lifetime achievement awards, and less reflective of his actual performance on the field. His combined total of 38 was six more than Perry Riley, and one more than the man he dumped to second place, Rey Maualuga.
 
The Cincinnati Bengal middle linebacker didn’t help his chances of earning a big deal as he approaches free agency for the first time in his career. The former second-round pick was beaten for a linebacker-leading 35 first downs, though his two touchdowns surrendered ensured he wasn’t the worst offender.
 
 
 
Most First Downs and Touchdowns Allowed

Name                       Team

London Fletcher       WAS

Rey Maualuga          CIN

Perry Riley               WAS

K.J. Wright                SEA

Lavonte David          TB

Karlos Dansby         MIA

Chad Greenway      MIN

Jasper Brinkley       MIN

JoLonn Dunbar        SL

Craig Robertson     CLV

 
 
Beaten with Regularity
 
However, it would be wrong to just punish those 10 for the total amounts of combined first downs and touchdowns they gave up. I mean, all bar two of them are every-down linebackers and so are inherently more likely to get beaten.
 
No, the First Down Allowed signature stat includes how many snaps a player was in coverage to truly paint a picture of those beaten most often in the passing game. Now Fletcher (third-worst) and Maualuga (fifth) aren’t spared much when looking at this, but they can at least watch as Craig Robertson is left propping up the 65 linebackers who spent at least 200 snaps in coverage. The Cleveland Brown nickel linebacker saw the chains moved (or 6 points picked up) on him on 7.38% of his coverage snaps.
 
That number ensured that rookie Miles Burris (7.03%) had the second-worst figure, while the equal third spot belonged to Akeem Ayers. The second-year linebacker is an interesting case, clearly misused by the Titans who failed to get him into situations in the passing game (rushing the passer) where he would excel, he was a walking target on his 316 snaps in coverage.
 
 
 
Bottom 10 First Downs and Touchdowns Allowed
 

Name                    Team



Craig Robertson     CLV

Miles Burris           OAK

Akeem Ayers         TEN

London Fletcher   WAS

Rey Maualuga     CIN

Jasper Brinkley    MIN

K.J. Wright           SEA

Bryan Scott          BUF

Dont'a Hightower  NE

Russell Allen       JAX


 
 
Out of Sight
 
Of course there are also those linebackers who didn’t give up much in coverage. Take Mason Foster, for example. The Tampa Bay Buccaneer hasn’t quite lived up to expectations, but you can’t fault how many first downs and touchdowns he gave up. His total number was just seven, or 2.13% of his snaps in coverage.
 
Meanwhile, the Colts had two guys in the Top 5. Nickel linebacker Moise Fokou and every-down defensive stalwart Jerrell Freeman both coped extremely well in this regard, representing one of the two teams that had multiple players in the top 10 (the other being the Chicago Bears).
 
 
 
Top 10 First Downs and Touchdowns Allowed
 

Name                      Team



Mason Foster           TB

Moise Fokou            IND

Nick Roach              CHI

Jerrell Freeman      IND

James Laurinaitis     SL

Brian Urlacher        CHI

Takeo Spikes          SD

Stephen Tulloch    DET

D'Qwell Jackson   CLV

David Harris         NYJ

 
 
Sometimes it’s not just about the yards you give up, but the impact of those yards. Do they move the chains or don’t they? There’s a big difference between allowing a 9-yard completion on 3rd-and-10, or giving up a 3-yard completion on 4th-and-2. So looking into who’s giving up touchdowns and first downs is a real indicator of which linebackers really contribute in the passing game.
 
 
 
Follow Khaled on Twitter: @PFF_Khaled




https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2013/01/29/signature-stats-first-downs-allowed-linebackers/

[lyronmewis]

It's definitely the scheme. If you look to make the big play in the run game on every down, then you're going to give up catches.

I would rather they just go for a stop on a 1-2 yard gain instead of the TFL, and still be in a good position to cover their guys.

[The Anti-Java]

It's definitely the scheme. If you look to make the big play in the run game on every down, then you're going to give up catches.

I would rather they just go for a stop on a 1-2 yard gain instead of the TFL, and still be in a good position to cover their guys.

Well, if your correct, how would that explain Mason being the top guy against the pass, but Lavonte being one of the worst.  Same scheme.

[lyronmewis]

It's definitely the scheme. If you look to make the big play in the run game on every down, then you're going to give up catches.

I would rather they just go for a stop on a 1-2 yard gain instead of the TFL, and still be in a good position to cover their guys.

Well, if your correct, how would that explain Mason being the top guy against the pass, but Lavonte being one of the worst.  Same scheme.

He also had a lot less TFLs.

[BucNY]

Lavonte, much like Barron, were very strong against the run but over their heads against the pass. We got torched early and often and much of it was up the middle, no surprise. However our improvement in pass defense towards the end of the year was much because both of the guys continued to improve.

[Holy Facepalm]

Um, Lavonte wasn't in the top ten when corrected for opportunities...

[MUSCLE_HAMSTER]

Surprised by Mason's position here

[Biggs3535]

Surprised by Mason's position here

Me too, but it makes more sense when you consider Foster wasn't on the field for the majority of 3rd down/3 WR sets.

[NotDeadYet]

    Interesting, but how the opposing offense chooses to attack the defensive scheme is a HUGE factor. The perceived weakness may be more in the scheme than than the player...