Is Akiem Hicks Better Than Chris Long? NFL Stats Decide

This is as close as it gets. Akiem Hicks and Chris Long split the statistical categories evenly — 2 apiece — making this one of the most genuinely contested DE comparisons in NFL history. When the numbers are this balanced, the debate comes down to which statistics matter most to you.

Chris Long's Sacks of 70 compared to Akiem Hicks's 41.5 represents a 68.7% advantage — dramatically better than their counterpart in this critical category. Akiem Hicks falls 7.8% below the career average of 45 in this category while Chris Long exceeds it. It is the single most decisive number in this comparison and the clearest statistical argument for Chris Long's edge.

The most competitive category in this matchup is Games Played, where Akiem Hicks posts 149 against Chris Long's 162 — a gap of just 8.7%. Chris Long can point to this as evidence that the overall comparison is closer than the final 2-2 tally suggests. In any debate, Games Played is the statistical ammunition for the Chris Long side.

Defensive impact in the NFL is notoriously difficult to quantify. Sacks and tackles capture individual production, but disruption, coverage grades and run-stopping ability paint the complete picture of defensive excellence.

With categories split evenly, this comparison ultimately comes down to which statistics matter most to you. Chris Long claims the tiebreaker through Sacks advantage — a 68.7% edge — but reasonable people can, and do, argue both sides of this NFL debate.