Writers of Pro Football Prospectus 2008

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Innovative Statistics

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OFFENSIVE LINES 2008

Regular season totals, through Week 13

Revised as of 12/2/2008

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, and opponent, and normalized so that the league average for Adjusted Line Yards per carry is the same as the league average for RB yards per carry (current baseline: 4.08). These stats are explained further here. Opponent adjustments are currently at 80 percent strength because it is early in the season.

The following stats are not adjusted for opponent:

  • RB Yards: Yards per carry by that team's running backs, according to standard NFL numbers.
  • 10+ Yards: Percentage of a team's rushing yards more than 10 yards past the line of scrimmage. Represents yardage not reflected in Adjusted Line Yards stat.
  • 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.
  • Stuffed: Percentage of runs that result in (on first down) zero or negative gain or (on second through fourth down) less than one-fourth the yards needed for another first down. Since being stuffed is bad, teams are ranked from stuffed least often (#1) to most often (#32).

NFL averages for each stat given in red.

Why are these rankings different from the team offense 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 offense.

A team with a high ranking in Adjusted Line Yards but a low ranking in 10+ Yards is heavily dependent on its offensive line to make the running game work. A team with a low ranking in Adjusted Line Yards but a high ranking in 10+ Yards is heavily dependent on its running back breaking long runs to make the running game work.

However, it is important to understand that these ratings only somewhatseparate the offensive line from the running backs. A team with a very good running back will appear higher no matter how bad their line, and a team with a great line with appear lower if the running back is terrible.

Stats in blue represent pass blocking. Teams are ranked according to adjusted sack rate, which gives sacks per pass attempt adjusted for opponent, down, and distance. Pass blocking 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 DEN 4.97 4.69 64% 18 14% 28 18% 1 TEN 1 8 2.6%
2 NE 4.73 4.46 73% 7 14% 27 21% 3 IND 2 12 2.8%
3 NYG 4.72 5.20 62% 24 26% 2 23% 14 DEN 3 8 3.0%
4 NYJ 4.71 4.77 58% 26 22% 9 25% 21 NO 4 10 3.3%
5 WAS 4.71 4.54 78% 1 16% 24 22% 7 ATL 5 13 3.6%
6 HOU 4.40 4.58 68% 12 24% 5 24% 15 CLE 6 16 4.0%
7 DAL 4.37 4.50 77% 2 21% 11 22% 10 ARI 7 19 4.1%
8 SF 4.36 4.10 46% 32 16% 21 23% 11 NYG 8 15 4.2%
9 BAL 4.34 3.75 74% 3 11% 29 22% 6 PHI 9 18 4.3%
10 ATL 4.32 4.50 67% 13 22% 10 27% 27 CHI 10 22 5.2%
11 MIN 4.31 4.59 66% 14 23% 7 24% 19 DAL 11 18 5.3%
12 BUF 4.30 4.18 56% 30 16% 23 25% 22 MIA 12 21 5.5%
13 CLE 4.27 4.14 56% 28 17% 18 21% 4 CAR 13 18 5.6%
14 CAR 4.26 4.66 74% 5 24% 4 24% 16 TB 14 21 5.8%
15 NO 4.26 3.74 64% 16 10% 30 26% 25 SD 15 19 5.8%
16 MIA 4.25 4.16 74% 6 17% 20 19% 2 GB 16 25 5.9%
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 PHI 4.24 4.01 56% 29 17% 19 26% 26 HOU 17 25 6.0%
18 JAC 4.19 4.08 71% 10 18% 15 24% 18 WAS 18 32 6.5%
19 TB 4.14 4.17 63% 21 21% 12 22% 8 NYJ 19 23 6.6%
20 GB 4.14 4.10 74% 4 19% 13 28% 29 BAL 20 24 6.8%
21 CHI 4.09 3.99 63% 20 18% 14 29% 31 KC 21 32 7.6%
22 PIT 4.08 3.84 63% 23 15% 25 29% 30 BUF 22 28 7.7%
23 TEN 4.06 4.40 63% 22 26% 1 25% 20 SEA 23 31 8.1%
24 KC 4.02 4.48 61% 25 25% 3 22% 9 JAC 24 33 8.1%
25 IND 3.98 3.62 64% 17 9% 31 21% 5 CIN 25 43 8.2%
26 SD 3.88 3.88 71% 11 18% 16 23% 12 STL 26 37 8.5%
27 OAK 3.85 4.05 63% 19 18% 17 24% 17 MIN 27 33 8.8%
28 ARI 3.77 3.43 57% 27 15% 26 23% 13 NE 28 40 9.3%
29 SEA 3.76 4.23 73% 8 24% 6 26% 23 PIT 29 37 9.8%
30 STL 3.64 3.84 65% 15 16% 22 26% 24 OAK 30 32 10.0%
31 DET 3.38 3.86 72% 9 23% 8 28% 28 SF 31 43 10.1%
32 CIN 3.08 2.84 52% 31 9% 32 31% 32 DET 32 45 11.1%
x NFL x 4.20 65% x 19% x 24% x NFL x 25 6.3%

The 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. It's early in the season, so take these numbers with a grain of salt.

    LEFT END LEFT TACKLE MID/GUARD RIGHT TACKLE RIGHT END
  TEAM ALY Rank ALY Rank ALY Rank ALY Rank ALY Rank
1 DEN 5.76 2 5.57 1 4.64 5 4.37 13 5.46 1
2 NE 4.54 16 5.41 3 4.82 2 4.47 12 1.48 32
3 NYG 5.52 4 5.36 4 4.86 1 4.19 18 3.28 24
4 NYJ 4.94 12 3.42 27 4.66 4 4.92 2 5.45 2
5 WAS 5.09 11 5.35 5 4.24 14 4.61 9 4.49 10
6 HOU 5.18 6 3.81 21 4.62 6 4.21 16 3.33 23
7 DAL 5.54 3 3.55 25 4.53 9 4.67 8 3.02 27
8 SF 4.74 13 3.83 20 4.67 3 3.30 29 4.20 16
9 BAL 5.19 5 4.17 15 4.39 11 4.03 23 4.39 12
10 ATL 4.17 21 5.21 7 3.89 27 4.22 15 4.72 9
11 MIN 4.53 18 5.49 2 4.20 15 3.15 31 4.74 8
12 BUF 6.15 1 4.23 14 3.91 25 4.71 7 4.34 13
13 CLE 5.17 7 3.26 28 4.20 16 4.94 1 4.74 6
14 CAR 4.72 14 4.08 18 4.39 12 4.58 10 2.88 28
15 NO 4.27 20 5.28 6 4.36 13 3.81 25 3.56 21
16 MIA 4.59 15 3.80 22 4.00 22 4.81 3 4.74 7
    LEFT END LEFT TACKLE MID/GUARD RIGHT TACKLE RIGHT END
  TEAM ALY Rank ALY Rank ALY Rank ALY Rank ALY Rank
17 PHI 4.05 22 3.05 30 4.62 7 4.76 5 3.86 19
18 JAC 3.86 23 5.18 8 3.91 24 4.74 6 5.22 3
19 TB 2.14 30 2.66 32 4.59 8 4.29 14 3.55 22
20 GB 5.09 10 4.42 11 4.18 17 3.54 27 3.22 25
21 CHI 3.01 26 3.70 24 4.52 10 4.19 19 3.60 20
22 PIT 5.13 8 4.39 12 4.03 21 3.14 32 4.48 11
23 TEN 3.73 24 4.26 13 4.14 18 3.96 24 4.00 18
24 KC 4.42 19 4.08 17 3.91 23 3.32 28 5.05 4
25 IND 4.54 17 3.78 23 4.08 20 4.11 22 3.09 26
26 SD 2.31 28 3.42 26 4.12 19 4.49 11 4.26 14
27 OAK 5.12 9 4.68 9 3.51 29 4.21 17 2.11 31
28 ARI 3.40 25 3.97 19 3.50 30 4.17 20 4.09 17
29 SEA 2.79 27 4.44 10 3.49 31 4.12 21 4.24 15
30 STL 2.15 29 2.92 31 3.90 26 4.79 4 2.81 29
31 DET 1.39 31 4.16 16 2.91 32 3.61 26 4.92 5
32 CIN 0.47 32 3.26 29 3.56 28 3.22 30 2.29 30
x NFL 4.32 x 4.28 x 4.22 x 4.16 x 3.93 x

The third table lists how often each team runs in each direction. 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 BAL 396 9% 20% 53% 13% 5%
2 ATL 373 13% 17% 46% 8% 16%
3 NYG 364 13% 16% 41% 18% 11%
4 TEN 361 12% 14% 46% 15% 13%
5 MIN 350 15% 11% 56% 10% 8%
6 CAR 337 13% 9% 53% 13% 11%
7 OAK 319 12% 19% 38% 18% 12%
8 WAS 317 20% 18% 31% 15% 16%
9 CHI 315 10% 14% 50% 14% 11%
10 PIT 314 10% 10% 54% 16% 10%
11 TB 313 8% 8% 65% 12% 7%
12 MIA 307 11% 11% 51% 14% 13%
13 NYJ 302 8% 7% 59% 18% 9%
14 NE 301 8% 14% 64% 10% 3%
15 BUF 291 9% 21% 52% 11% 8%
16 DAL 286 12% 11% 46% 17% 13%
Team RB
Carries		 LEFT
END		 LEFT
TACKLE		 MID/
GUARD		 RIGHT
TACKLE		 RIGHT
END
17 SEA 281 12% 22% 44% 14% 8%
18 GB 280 21% 18% 27% 16% 18%
19 HOU 280 10% 13% 52% 17% 8%
20 NO 274 11% 12% 47% 18% 12%
21 CLE 270 7% 14% 60% 13% 6%
22 SD 269 11% 14% 54% 11% 10%
23 JAC 262 11% 6% 63% 11% 8%
24 IND 260 14% 15% 49% 10% 12%
25 STL 258 9% 15% 53% 15% 8%
26 DEN 251 14% 16% 51% 12% 8%
27 KC 250 11% 13% 52% 13% 10%
28 PHI 248 15% 13% 46% 12% 15%
29 ARI 247 8% 23% 43% 15% 11%
30 SF 246 9% 9% 57% 13% 12%
31 CIN 234 8% 14% 50% 19% 9%
32 DET 222 13% 22% 32% 21% 12%
x NFL x 11% 14% 49% 14% 10%