Fans clamored to see the New Orleans Saints bring down the quarterback more frequently. And you got what you asked for to start the season. Carl Granderson is tied for the league lead in sacks, and the Saints find themselves in a three way tie for second place as a team.
It's hard to complain about eight sacks through two games. The problem is the Saints also have the fifth least quarterback pressures in the league, per Next Gen Stats. That's very easy to complain about. When watching the game, it can actually overshadow sacks from earlier in the game.
It's a complete 180 from a season ago. Last year, the Saints were a team that got a lot of pressure but couldn't bring down the quarterback. This year, through two games, they are a team that gets sacks but rarely pressures the quarterback.
You'd rather the Saints have this problem than last year's problem
This isn't necessarily a beggars can't be choosers situation. Fans should want the Saints should to constantly impact the quarterback and bring him down. That doesn't equate to every pressure becoming a sack, but an impactful pass rush means doing both.
The Week 2 matchup against the 49ers is a great example of why sacks but a low pressure rate can be a problem and misleading. Mac Jones was sacked three times, but he spent most of the day comfortable in the pocket. That allowed him to pick apart the defense.
If the Saints follow that recipe every week, they'll finish the season with 53 sacks (five in Week 1 and an average of three every other week.) That's an impressive number and many will say the Saints have a good pass rush. However, if those three sacks are accompanied by a lackluster rush, offenses will still have ample time pick apart the Saints secondary, and those sack totals will only look good on paper.
Chase Young's absence shouldn't be dismissed
The idea of increasing your pressure to sack percentage was discussed mostly around Chase Young. Though the same could be said about Granderson, Young was the recipient of that critique more often than not. Deservedly so because it's Young who received a new contract this offseason. It's Young who is the Saints top pass rusher, and most relevant to this conversation, It's Young who led the team in pressures a year ago.
New Orleans has now played two games without Young. That streak continues this weekend. Young being out of the game definitely plays a part in why the Saints have generated less pressures. Missing your top pass rusher will do that to you.
Young was one of the top players at generating pressures last year, and it feels like a safe bet that his presence will make those numbers jump.