They say an offense can win a game but a defense can win a championship.
There are plenty of ways a team in the NFL can make game-winning plays on defense.
And one of the best plays a defensive team can make on any given down is to perform a sack on an opponent.
What is a sack?
Most commonly, a sack is when a member of the defense tackles the quarterback of the team in possession while he is behind the line of scrimmage.
Technically a sack can occur on a non-quarterback but only if that player is intending to pass the football forwards, otherwise it is known as a tackle for loss.
A sack is also registered to the defense if the quarterback (or passer) is forced out of bounds behind the line of scrimmage due to pressure.
Sacks result in a loss of down for the offense and can force the line of scrimmage to move back several yards.
If the quarterback loses possession of the football in the process and fumbles the ball it is known as a strip sack.
Strip sacks can be recovered by the defense and potentially returned for a touchdown at the other end.
Bruce Smith leads the NFL for number of sacks with 200, which he recorded from 1985 to 2003.
What is the biggest sack ever?
The biggest yardage loss on a play due to a sack happened to the most unlikely of quarterbacks - Patrick Mahomes.
In 2020, Mahomes was sacked for a loss of 30 yards in their game against the Miami Dolphins by Jerome Baker.
Even the best in the business are not immune to getting sacked once in a while.