Some 2009 Panther Defensive Stats to Mull Over

The good folks over at Pro Football Focus published the offensive and defensive results of every play of every game last year.  They included where the players lined up, who did what, and whether or not they blitzed.  Here are some fun defensive stats to help pass the time between now and kickoff.

• The Panthers had 1046 defensive snaps last year.  They averaged 65 per game.
• Jon Beason was the defense's iron man, appearing in every single defensive play.  Close behind him were Richard Marshall (98%) and Chris Gamble (97%).  In the games in which he played, Chris Harris made 99% of the defensive snaps.
• The Panthers blitzed on 22% of their defensive plays.
• Of those blitzes, a whopping 195 came from the Linebacker position
• 19 blitzes came from the Safety position, and 15 from the cornerbacks
• As expected, Jon Beason was the most prolific blitzer, he was sent 69 times.  James Anderson was next at 47.
• When he was active, Thomas Davis blitzed as often as Beason.
• The Panthers played in a 3-4 alignment 12 times, with Dan Connor lining up as the Right Inside Linebacker and Beason on the inside left.  They used a variety of Outside Linebackers, including Julius Peppers.  He got to blitz twice from that position.
• 27 players took the field for the defensive side.  With their number of plays, they were Hilee Taylor  (DL ), 15 snaps; Ra'Shon Harris   (DL  ), 23 snaps; Antwon Burton  (DL ), 34 snaps; C.J. Wilson  (DB ), 68 snaps; Dan Connor  (LB ), 78 snaps; Louis Leonard  (DL ), 86 snaps; Dante Wesley  (DB ), 103 snaps; Tank Tyler  (DL ), 135 snaps; Landon Johnson  (LB ), 174 snaps; Quinton Teal  (DB ), 221 snaps; Nick Hayden  (DL ), 272 snaps; Sherrod Martin  (DB ), 300 snaps; Everette Brown  (DL ), 401 snaps; Na'il Diggs  (LB ), 411 snaps; Hollis Thomas   (DL  ), 411 snaps; Thomas Davis  (LB ), 417 snaps; Captain Munnerlyn  (DB ), 438 snaps; Charles Johnson  (DL ), 450 snaps; James Anderson  (LB ), 531 snaps; Charles Godfrey  (DB ), 716 snaps; Tyler Brayton  (DL ), 718 snaps; Damione Lewis  (DL ), 777 snaps; Julius Peppers   (DL  ), 808 snaps; Chris Harris  (DB ), 827 snaps; Chris Gamble  (DB ), 1016 snaps; Richard Marshall  (DB ), 1029 snaps; and Jon Beason  (LB ), 1046 snaps

Make of all that what you will, and Go Panthers!