Inside The Bills

Whitner on top 10 list

The Football Outsiders are constantly crunching numbers and coming up with innovative statistics. Bills safety Donte Whitner appeared on one of their top 10 lists.

In developing new stats, the Football Outsiders determined which safeties in the NFL in 2009 had the most successful tackles after completed passes. Even the FO people admit there are a lot of variables taken into account with these stats like coverage scheme, missed tackles and just good coverage by a defensive back.

In any event Whitner ranked 8th in the league among safeties with the highest percentage of successful tackles after completed passes.

Top 10 SAF Stop Rate on Complete Passes, 2009
(min. 20 tackles after receptions) 
Rank  Player  Team  Plays  Stops  Stop Rate 
1.           Q. Mikell  PHI       43        14          33% 
2.          C. Crocker  CIN    26         8            31% 
3.          A. Afalava  CHI    23         7            30% 
4.          M. Adams  CLE    33         10          30% 
5.          J. Leonhard NYJ 34        10          29% 
6.         Y. Bell        MIA      49        14          29% 
7.         E. Reed      BAL      29        8            28% 
8.         D. Whitner BUF   26    7          27% 
9.         V. Harris  PHI       23         6             26% 
10.      R. Doughty  WAS 27         7             26% 

Knowing there are a lot of variables affecting these numbers it’s hard to truly determine what these numbers say exactly about these safeties, other than when given the opportunity they wrap up well. They were interesting so I thought it was worth mentioning.