Bobby Wagner’s 20-tackle day: Very good and very bad

It’s frankly ridiculous that there are still more things Bobby Wagner can do that builds his Hall of Fame resume.

At the end of the day, the box score read Bobby Wagner, 20 tackles. At the time it didn’t feel like that many, with what felt like 24 consecutive 5-yard gains to fret over.

20 tackles is a bigger deal than you might think. It’s a new franchise record, which was previously held by...

Bobby Wagner.

It’s the most tackles in a single NFL game since September of 2019, which was achieved by...

Bobby Wagner.

What surprised me, though, was that 20 tackles is the fourth-highest mark in NFL History. With a decent tie at 21, there are only nine players who have ever had more tackles in a game.

It turns out, this is not a good thing.

As one might expect when one linebacker is out there making 20+ tackles in a game — 8 of his tackles came on plays that gained first-down yardage — that means the opposing team had the ball in the middle of the field a bunch. It does not result in more winning for the multitudinous tackler’s team.

In fact, of the nine games ahead of Wagner’s 20-tackle Sunday, there was only one winner. Luke Kuechly, who holds the NFL’s all-time highest mark at 24, won over the New Orleans Saints in 2013. Every other team lost. Here’s the full list.

Congratulations on the team record Bobby, may you enjoy the plaque, but I truly, sincerely, hope you never do it again. For the wins.