So impacting the game early is not as good as late while the offense is supposed to take advantage of early defensive success, I'm lost on this one, sacks only matter in the 4th quarter?
I think it's more of a clutch factor than anything else. They don't ONLY count in the 4th quarter, but they absolutely can have more of an impact if it means stopping an offense from a game winning drive, or preventing a first down and preserving clock for the offense to attempt to take a lead.
My point wasn't originally to downplay Kerrigan, just more of an overall observation.