NFL Futures Feature – Sacks Leader

Jared Allen was a surprising NFL sacks leader last season; he only totaled 7.5 sacks in the previous year. Now NFL betting fans need to decide if Allen is the real deal, or just a one-year wonder.



Last season Allen led the league with 15.5 sacks despite playing in only 14 games for the Kansas City Chiefs. Allen’s career season earned him a ticket out of town, as he was traded to the Minnesota Vikings in the offseason. Will the new surroundings and new team keep Allen from repeating as the sack master, or will it help him get to the quarterback more often? The NFL odds on Allen seem to like his situation, as he is the favorite at +350.

There are definitely some positives to Allen joining the Vikings for online sports betting faithful. Minnesota boasted the No. 1 rushing defense last season, and by the end of the year some teams had practically abandoned the run altogether when they faced the Vikings. If Minnesota remains a stone wall against the run this would give Allen plenty of opportunities to get to the quarterback versus pass-happy opponents. He’ll also be flanked by two of the best and biggest tackles in the league in Kevin Williams and Pat Williams, so there definitely isn’t a drop in talent going from Kansas City to Minnesota.

The one major thing that is against Allen repeating as sack master this season is history. Since the NFL started counting sacks in 1982 only two players have led the league in back-to-back seasons. They would be Reggie White in 1987-1988, and Mark Gastineau in 1983-1984.

As well, other than White and Gastineau only two other players in NFL history have led the league in sacks in more than a single season; the other two were Michael Strahan in 2001 and 2003, and Kevin Greene in 1994 and 1996. And don’t forget the fall Shawne Merriman took last year. In 2006 Merriman recorded 17 sacks in only 12 games, but in 2007 he could only muster 12.5 sacks in 15 games. To remain on top of the sack mountain Allen will need to turn in another career season and likely get a little luck to go his way as well.

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