We all know that a good pass rush is important, but just how important is it?

ProFootballFocus.com published an eye popping stat today, that shows just how stunningly a good pass rush effects a QB. This stat is based upon all 35 QB's, who took 200 or more snaps in 2011. Here are those stats.

QB's With or Without Pressure - Attempts - Completions - Completion Percentage - Yards - Yards Per Attempt - TD's - Ints - TD's Per Ints

Without Pressure - 11152 - 7324 - 65.70% - 86440 - 7.75 - 541 - 273 - 1.98

With Pressure - 3895 - 1791 - 46.00% - 23306 - 5.98 - 133 - 147 - 0.90

This is a stunning difference, when under pressure QB's complete almost 20% less passes (65.70% to 46.00%), averaging almost 2 yards less per attempt (7.75 yards to 5.98 yards), and more ints than TD's (0.90), vs. almost twice (1.98) as many TD's to ints when not pressured. I doubt any other stat could show just how important to a teams defense a top quality pass rush is.

This is why the Panthers traded their 2013 3rd round pick to draft DE Frank Alexander, with that #103 pick they received. Will that be enough? Maybe, maybe not, we'll just have to see how things go in the 2012 season. Alexander was a bargain, because at the Combine they detected a hole in his heart, which has now been corrected, but it dropped Alexander's draft stock by around a round or a round and a half in the draft. Alexander enters the NFL with simular measurements and workout numbers to Panthers DE Charles Johnson, but who knows if he will develop into a player like CJ. Also, remember that CJ did almost nothing in his rookie year, so the Panthers may need to draft a pass rusher again next year.