When you think of what makes a great defender, you’re probably going to think of sacks, interceptions and tackles before anything else, and understandably so, but those aren’t the be-all and end-all; there are plenty of other important ways to measure a great defender, and one of the more underrated is the batted pass.
In fact, for a long time, people didn’t even count the batted pass as its own entity; it was simply counted as a “pass defended,” which is a stat best suited for measuring cornerbacks and safeties. When it comes to defensive linemen and linebackers, though, the “batted pass” is about as disruptive as a defender can get.
Just think, how infuriating is it when your quarterback drops back to pass on third-and-4, he sees a wide open receiver streaking across the middle of the field and as soon as he lets the ball go, smack!, some big, giant mitt knocks it out of the air. It’s debilitating! Suddenly, through little fault of the quarterback, receiver or even linemen, a first down turns into a punt with the blink of an eye.
And it wasn’t really until 2012, when J.J. Watt set an unofficial record of 16 batted passes in a season, that people really started to take notice of the technique and strategy that go into a batted pass; there’s a reason why Watt has made it an integral part of his repertoire, and it has nothing to do with luck.
For these defensive lineman, it’s all about timing, positioning and coordination; they need to be able to follow the quarterback’s eyes, know when he’s going to unload the ball and then get their hand up in the air just as it’s passing over their head.
It’s not easy, but Denver Broncos defensive end Malik Jackson is quickly becoming one of the best.
Denver defensive end Malik Jackson had 2 batted passes in Week 14, taking him to 7 for the season, the most in the NFL
— PFF (@PFF) December 16, 2015
Jackson leads Watt by two batted passes this season, but what’s more impressive is that he’s doing it on just 79 percent of the snaps. Unlike Watt, who plays nearly every single snap for the Houston Texans defense, Jackson is only one cog on the Broncos’ stacked front seven. And still, he’s leading the league it batted passes.
Malik Jackson hardly gets the attention he deserves from around the league, but the former fifth-round pick is quickly turning into one of the best defensive ends in the NFL.
