A pressured QB performs worse than a QB from a clean pocket. All other things equal there is no debate in this. Pressure is good for a pass defense. However, some teams rely more or less on this pressure to perform. Thanks to our friends at SIS and their datahub, here is how the 2020 NFL shaped up, and what defenses looked the most/least different when they got to the QB:
Team | non-Pressure EPA/pl | RK | Pressure EPA/pl | RK | EPA/pl Diff | RK Diff |
Bengals | 0.11 | 25 | -0.16 | 11 | -0.27 | 14 |
Browns | 0.07 | 23 | -0.16 | 10 | -0.23 | 13 |
Jaguars | 0.16 | 30 | -0.06 | 20 | -0.22 | 10 |
Titans | 0.15 | 28 | -0.06 | 19 | -0.21 | 9 |
Packers | 0.01 | 12 | -0.27 | 4 | -0.28 | 8 |
Chargers | 0.06 | 22 | -0.13 | 14 | -0.19 | 8 |
Seahawks | 0.06 | 21 | -0.08 | 16 | -0.14 | 5 |
Cardinals | 0.02 | 13 | -0.16 | 9 | -0.18 | 4 |
Cowboys | 0.03 | 15 | -0.15 | 12 | -0.18 | 3 |
Patriots | 0.04 | 18 | -0.1 | 15 | -0.14 | 3 |
Football Team | -0.14 | 3 | -0.43 | 1 | -0.29 | 2 |
Panthers | 0.06 | 20 | -0.06 | 18 | -0.12 | 2 |
Falcons | 0.12 | 26 | -0.03 | 24 | -0.15 | 2 |
Raiders | 0.16 | 29 | 0.01 | 27 | -0.15 | 2 |
Lions | 0.23 | 32 | 0.11 | 31 | -0.12 | 1 |
Rams | -0.17 | 2 | -0.37 | 2 | -0.2 | 0 |
Giants | 0.04 | 17 | -0.07 | 17 | -0.11 | 0 |
Dolphins | -0.09 | 4 | -0.21 | 5 | -0.12 | -1 |
Ravens | -0.06 | 5 | -0.2 | 6 | -0.14 | -1 |
Saints | -0.05 | 6 | -0.2 | 7 | -0.15 | -1 |
49ers | -0.03 | 7 | -0.19 | 8 | -0.16 | -1 |
Jets | 0.15 | 27 | 0.02 | 28 | -0.13 | -1 |
Texans | 0.19 | 31 | 0.14 | 32 | -0.05 | -1 |
Steelers | -0.18 | 1 | -0.29 | 3 | -0.11 | -2 |
Chiefs | 0.01 | 11 | -0.13 | 13 | -0.14 | -2 |
Vikings | 0.1 | 24 | -0.01 | 26 | -0.11 | -2 |
Eagles | 0.03 | 14 | -0.03 | 23 | -0.06 | -9 |
Bears | 0.05 | 19 | 0.06 | 29 | 0.01 | -10 |
Bills | -0.02 | 9 | -0.05 | 21 | -0.03 | -12 |
Colts | -0.02 | 10 | -0.05 | 22 | -0.03 | -12 |
Broncos | 0.04 | 16 | 0.07 | 30 | 0.03 | -14 |
Buccaneers | -0.02 | 8 | -0.02 | 25 | 0 | -17 |
Note that the Bengals and Browns both became top 12 defenses when they got to the QB. Whereas, on the flip side, the Bucs and Broncos somehow faired the same/worse when they brought pressure.