Writers of Pro Football Prospectus 2008

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Innovative Statistics

Football Outsiders exclusive statistics



DEFENSIVE LINES 2001

Regular season totals, through Week 17

Revised as of 7/6/2009

Teams are ranked according to Adjusted Line Yards. Based on regression analysis, the Adjusted Line Yards formula takes all running back carries and assigns responsibility to the offensive line based on the following percentages:

  • Losses: 120% value
  • 0-4 Yards: 100% value
  • 5-10 Yards: 50% value
  • 11+ Yards: 0% value

These numbers are then adjusted based on down, distance, situation, opponent, and the difference in rushing average between shotgun compared to standard formations. Finally, we normalize the numbers so that the league average for Adjusted Line Yards per carry is the same as the league average for RB yards per carry. Defensive line stats (more accurately, defensive front seven stats) represent the performance of offensive lines against each defense, adjusted for the quality of offensive opponents. These stats are explained further here.

The following stats are not adjusted for opponent:

  • RB Yards: Yards per carry by running backs against this defense, according to standard NFL numbers.
  • 10+ Yards: Percentage of rushing yards against this team more than 10 yards past the line of scrimmage. Represents yardage not reflected in Adjusted Line Yards stat. Teams are ranked from smallest number of 10+ Yards (#1) to largest number of 10+ Yards (#32).
  • Power Success: Percentage of runs on third or fourth down, two yards or less to go, that achieved a first down or touchdown. Also includes runs on first-and-goal or second-and-goal from the two-yard line or closer. This is the only statistic on this page that includes quarterbacks. Teams are ranked from lowest power success percentage allowed (#1) to highest power success percentage allowed (#32).
  • Stuffed: Percentage of runs where the running back is tackled at or behind the line of scrimmage. Ranked from most stuffs (#1) to fewest stuffs (#32).

NFL averages for each stat given in red.

Why are these rankings different from the team defense DVOA ratings for rushing? Among other reasons, they don't include quarterbacks or fumbles, long runs are truncated, and a different set of adjustments is used, attempting to isolate line play rather than total team defense.

A team with a high ranking in Adjusted Line Yards but a low ranking in 10+ Yards has a strong defensive line but its linebackers and secondary have difficulty in pursuit and tackling. A team with a low ranking in Adjusted Line Yards but a high ranking in 10+ Yards generally allows runners to get past the defensive line but the linebackers and secondary are good at pursuit and tackling. A low ranking in Adjusted Line Yards with a high ranking in 10+ Yards is often an indicator of a 3-4 defensive scheme, though there are exceptions.

Stats in blue represent pass rush. Teams are ranked according to adjusted sack rate, which gives sacks (plus intentional grounding penalties) per pass attempt adjusted for down, distance, and opponent. Pass rush stats are explained further here. Our sack totals may differ slightly from official NFL totals depending on the league's retroactive statistical adjustments.

RUN BLOCKING PASS PROTECTION
TEAM Adj. Line
Yards		 RB
Yards		 Power
Success		 Power
Rank		 10+
Yards		 10+
Rank		 Stuffed Stuffed
Rank		 TEAM Sack
Rank		 Sacks Adj.
Sack Rate
1 PIT 3.08 3.44 68% 24 20% 21 36% 2 NO 1 53 10.7%
2 TEN 3.49 3.36 49% 2 16% 15 36% 1 PIT 2 55 8.9%
3 NYG 3.53 3.52 59% 10 17% 16 29% 8 PHI 3 45 8.7%
4 STL 3.54 3.58 61% 13 13% 8 30% 4 TB 4 42 8.3%
5 DEN 3.64 3.67 63% 17 15% 10 29% 10 BAL 5 45 8.2%
6 CHI 3.67 3.38 54% 3 9% 1 30% 5 ATL 6 37 8.1%
7 BAL 3.67 3.35 58% 7 11% 3 31% 3 JAC 7 43 8.0%
8 JAC 3.68 3.34 55% 5 12% 5 29% 9 CIN 8 48 8.0%
9 SD 3.70 3.30 72% 29 9% 2 26% 17 NYG 9 46 7.9%
10 PHI 3.72 4.02 64% 19 20% 22 27% 12 STL 10 46 7.9%
11 GB 3.80 4.20 65% 21 23% 27 29% 7 GB 11 52 7.7%
12 CIN 3.80 3.65 46% 1 17% 17 29% 6 DEN 12 39 7.7%
13 ATL 3.94 5.01 69% 26 33% 31 27% 14 MIA 13 37 7.6%
14 OAK 3.98 4.53 61% 12 23% 26 25% 19 OAK 14 41 7.5%
15 CAR 3.99 4.59 66% 22 27% 30 25% 21 IND 15 40 7.4%
16 DAL 4.02 3.74 55% 4 16% 14 27% 13 NE 16 40 7.4%
RUN BLOCKING PASS PROTECTION
TEAM Adj. Line
Yards		 RB
Yards		 Power
Success		 Power
Rank		 10+
Yards		 10+
Rank		 Stuffed Stuffed
Rank		 TEAM Sack
Rank		 Sacks Adj.
Sack Rate
17 SF 4.04 3.92 58% 8 13% 6 25% 18 CLE 17 43 7.3%
18 SEA 4.05 3.78 60% 11 12% 4 27% 15 BUF 18 34 7.3%
19 NO 4.05 4.01 63% 15 17% 18 24% 23 NYJ 19 33 7.2%
20 KC 4.07 4.61 76% 31 25% 28 23% 24 SD 20 41 7.1%
21 TB 4.08 4.13 57% 6 20% 23 27% 11 CHI 21 48 7.0%
22 DET 4.08 4.22 68% 23 21% 24 24% 22 SEA 22 38 6.8%
23 MIA 4.09 3.90 62% 14 13% 7 25% 20 DET 23 31 6.8%
24 WAS 4.15 3.98 68% 25 15% 11 23% 28 KC 24 31 6.6%
25 NE 4.24 4.26 63% 16 16% 12 23% 25 WAS 25 25 6.3%
26 IND 4.27 4.43 59% 9 20% 20 23% 29 MIN 26 30 6.2%
27 BUF 4.30 4.43 64% 20 20% 19 23% 26 SF 27 32 5.5%
28 CLE 4.43 4.56 73% 30 22% 25 23% 27 TEN 28 33 5.5%
29 MIN 4.44 4.91 69% 27 25% 29 26% 16 DAL 29 24 5.0%
30 NYJ 4.45 4.35 70% 28 16% 13 20% 31 CAR 30 26 4.9%
31 ARI 4.49 4.30 63% 18 14% 9 22% 30 ARI 31 19 3.5%
x NFL x 4.04 63% x 18% x 26% x NFL x 39 7.2%

This second table lists each team's Adjusted Line Yards in each direction listed in official NFL play-by-play, along with rank among the 32 teams. Only five directions are listed because research so far shows no statistically significant difference between how well a team performs on runs listed middle, left guard, and right guard. These runs are from the perspective of the OFFENSE, so a run listed as LEFT TACKLE is actually at the RIGHT defensive end.

LEFT END LEFT TACKLE MID/GUARD RIGHT TACKLE RIGHT END
TEAM ALY Rank ALY Rank ALY Rank ALY Rank ALY Rank
1 PIT 4.55 25 2.93 3 2.98 1 2.76 3 3.26 6
2 TEN 6.04 31 4.06 15 3.22 2 3.32 8 3.31 7
3 NYG 4.19 16 2.82 2 3.39 3 3.70 13 4.01 18
4 STL 3.83 10 4.24 19 3.70 8 2.64 2 3.44 9
5 DEN 3.17 6 2.73 1 3.91 14 3.12 5 4.30 24
6 CHI 3.29 8 4.35 23 3.41 4 4.07 17 3.65 13
7 BAL 3.12 5 3.07 4 3.86 11 3.09 4 5.59 31
8 JAC 2.99 4 4.69 28 3.60 5 3.83 15 2.80 2
9 SD 2.91 2 3.72 10 4.17 20 3.22 7 4.24 21
10 PHI 2.18 1 4.48 25 4.07 15 3.16 6 3.86 15
11 GB 3.20 7 4.33 22 3.63 6 3.39 9 5.02 29
12 CIN 4.32 18 4.70 29 4.07 16 2.63 1 2.92 3
13 ATL 5.28 29 3.56 8 4.11 19 3.79 14 3.64 12
14 OAK 5.22 28 3.74 12 3.66 7 4.74 24 3.86 16
15 CAR 4.05 14 3.95 14 3.82 10 4.05 16 4.39 25
16 DAL 4.48 23 4.23 18 3.79 9 4.07 18 4.12 19
LEFT END LEFT TACKLE MID/GUARD RIGHT TACKLE RIGHT END
TEAM ALY Rank ALY Rank ALY Rank ALY Rank ALY Rank
17 SF 4.13 15 3.16 5 4.50 29 3.67 12 3.24 5
18 SEA 4.40 22 4.14 17 3.87 12 4.80 26 4.41 26
19 NO 4.28 17 3.64 9 4.19 22 3.50 11 4.14 20
20 KC 3.88 11 3.52 7 4.19 21 4.85 28 3.78 14
21 TB 2.98 3 4.28 21 4.08 17 4.77 25 4.85 28
22 DET 4.49 24 4.11 16 4.24 24 4.16 19 3.50 10
23 MIA 3.98 12 3.74 11 3.90 13 4.93 31 4.72 27
24 WAS 4.38 21 4.28 20 4.09 18 3.47 10 4.29 23
25 NE 5.50 30 3.22 6 4.57 31 4.17 20 3.41 8
26 IND 3.47 9 4.43 24 4.37 27 4.62 23 3.88 17
27 BUF 3.98 13 4.66 27 4.19 23 4.83 27 3.23 4
28 CLE 4.32 19 4.59 26 4.48 28 4.88 30 3.55 11
29 MIN 4.93 27 5.19 30 4.51 30 4.59 21 1.41 1
30 NYJ 4.33 20 3.79 13 4.31 26 4.87 29 5.20 30
31 ARI 4.84 26 5.24 31 4.25 25 4.62 22 4.26 22
x NFL 4.06 x 4.04 x 4.00 x 3.97 x 3.95 x

The third table lists how often each team runs in each direction. These runs are from the perspective of the OFFENSE, so a run listed as LEFT TACKLE is actually at the RIGHT defensive end. Numbers may not add up to 100% due to carries listed without direction.

Team RB
Carries		 LEFT
END		 LEFT
TACKLE		 MID/
GUARD		 RIGHT
TACKLE		 RIGHT
END
1 PIT 290 9% 16% 53% 13% 7%
2 STL 292 10% 14% 42% 20% 14%
3 CHI 310 15% 14% 35% 15% 21%
4 SF 335 17% 10% 51% 11% 10%
5 ATL 338 9% 13% 47% 14% 13%
6 TEN 343 5% 12% 60% 15% 7%
7 TB 345 10% 13% 56% 11% 10%
8 BAL 349 14% 12% 54% 13% 7%
9 DEN 354 15% 10% 55% 10% 10%
10 GB 354 16% 14% 44% 13% 13%
11 NYG 355 17% 14% 50% 10% 9%
12 SEA 365 12% 10% 51% 15% 11%
13 OAK 366 17% 11% 41% 12% 14%
14 NE 375 8% 14% 49% 14% 15%
15 SD 380 13% 9% 51% 12% 13%
16 NO 387 10% 13% 51% 12% 14%
Team RB
Carries		 LEFT
END		 LEFT
TACKLE		 MID/
GUARD		 RIGHT
TACKLE		 RIGHT
END
17 CIN 397 15% 13% 46% 12% 13%
18 MIA 399 11% 13% 52% 11% 12%
19 IND 400 12% 15% 49% 14% 10%
20 KC 401 18% 10% 44% 11% 15%
21 PHI 402 13% 10% 49% 12% 15%
22 NYJ 405 13% 13% 45% 14% 13%
23 DAL 407 13% 16% 42% 16% 12%
24 MIN 408 12% 11% 60% 12% 5%
25 DET 410 13% 15% 46% 16% 9%
26 WAS 411 25% 8% 40% 10% 16%
27 JAC 412 7% 16% 51% 18% 7%
28 BUF 414 7% 18% 56% 12% 6%
29 ARI 421 16% 13% 38% 13% 18%
30 CLE 432 11% 13% 54% 12% 10%
31 CAR 454 16% 10% 50% 13% 9%
x NFL x 13% 13% 49% 13% 11%