Writers of Pro Football Prospectus 2008

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Innovative Statistics

Football Outsiders exclusive statistics



OFFENSIVE LINES 2000

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. These stats are explained further here.

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 where the running back is tackled at or behind the line of scrimmage. 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 somewhat separate 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 (plus intentional grounding penalties) per pass attempt adjusted for down, distance, and opponent. 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 STL 5.04 5.08 79% 1 20% 8 16% 1 NYJ 1 20 3.7%
2 IND 4.58 4.40 79% 2 14% 24 23% 5 IND 2 20 4.2%
3 MIN 4.55 4.97 70% 7 25% 3 17% 2 SF 3 27 5.1%
4 BAL 4.53 4.29 61% 18 15% 21 25% 14 NYG 4 29 5.5%
5 DEN 4.43 4.54 65% 12 22% 4 21% 3 OAK 5 28 5.8%
6 PIT 4.34 4.02 68% 10 13% 25 25% 15 TEN 6 28 5.8%
7 SF 4.25 4.12 71% 4 17% 17 22% 4 DEN 7 31 5.9%
8 NO 4.25 4.10 62% 16 14% 23 25% 13 ARI 8 35 5.9%
9 SEA 4.20 4.51 71% 5 20% 7 27% 17 WAS 9 31 6.2%
10 OAK 4.19 4.57 55% 27 27% 1 24% 9 GB 10 35 6.2%
11 JAC 4.19 4.24 60% 19 20% 6 24% 10 KC 11 34 6.3%
12 DET 4.18 3.59 56% 26 10% 28 24% 12 CHI 12 35 6.3%
13 WAS 4.12 3.86 60% 21 14% 22 23% 6 MIN 13 34 6.8%
14 DAL 4.10 4.14 59% 23 17% 14 23% 7 MIA 14 28 7.1%
15 GB 4.09 4.13 76% 3 19% 11 24% 11 STL 15 44 7.2%
16 PHI 4.00 4.00 70% 8 18% 13 30% 28 PHI 16 44 7.3%
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 TB 4.00 4.15 42% 31 20% 9 30% 24 BAL 17 43 7.5%
18 CHI 3.93 3.77 58% 24 11% 27 23% 8 DAL 18 35 7.6%
19 NYG 3.92 4.04 53% 28 21% 5 31% 30 NE 19 48 7.9%
20 TEN 3.91 3.61 51% 29 11% 26 29% 23 SD 20 53 8.2%
21 KC 3.88 3.80 64% 13 17% 16 30% 25 NO 21 40 8.2%
22 BUF 3.80 3.55 62% 15 15% 20 28% 20 CLE 22 40 8.3%
23 MIA 3.79 3.76 63% 14 17% 15 26% 16 SEA 23 47 8.3%
24 NE 3.78 3.22 60% 22 6% 31 28% 19 PIT 24 43 8.7%
25 CIN 3.70 4.36 70% 6 26% 2 31% 31 TB 25 38 8.9%
26 ARI 3.63 3.69 61% 17 16% 19 28% 21 JAC 26 54 9.2%
27 NYJ 3.62 3.63 67% 11 18% 12 30% 27 DET 27 53 9.7%
28 CLE 3.57 3.15 50% 30 9% 29 30% 29 BUF 28 58 9.9%
29 ATL 3.46 3.60 60% 20 16% 18 27% 18 CIN 29 51 10.2%
30 CAR 3.39 3.39 57% 25 19% 10 29% 22 ATL 30 61 10.2%
31 SD 3.37 3.12 68% 9 8% 30 30% 26 CAR 31 68 10.9%
x NFL x 4.00 63% x 17% x 26% x NFL x 40 7.4%

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.

LEFT END LEFT TACKLE MID/GUARD RIGHT TACKLE RIGHT END
TEAM ALY Rank ALY Rank ALY Rank ALY Rank ALY Rank
1 STL 4.32 9 4.54 7 5.07 1 5.66 1 5.67 2
2 IND 4.64 5 5.05 2 4.06 17 5.36 2 5.13 6
3 MIN 6.21 1 6.45 1 4.15 13 4.73 8 4.03 19
4 BAL 4.50 6 4.53 8 4.69 3 3.80 26 4.55 10
5 DEN 5.17 3 4.49 9 4.36 6 4.14 21 4.30 14
6 PIT 3.64 19 4.70 4 4.16 11 4.43 16 5.43 4
7 SF 4.15 13 3.74 21 4.59 4 4.71 9 2.40 30
8 NO 4.20 12 4.21 11 4.32 7 4.63 12 4.29 15
9 SEA 4.27 11 4.65 5 4.69 2 3.75 27 4.43 12
10 OAK 2.58 29 3.61 26 4.32 9 4.78 5 5.44 3
11 JAC 3.20 26 4.12 14 4.32 8 4.39 18 5.26 5
12 DET 4.37 7 4.38 10 4.49 5 4.48 14 2.56 29
13 WAS 4.00 14 3.45 28 4.09 16 4.22 20 5.07 7
14 DAL 3.92 17 4.06 15 3.98 18 4.99 3 4.11 18
15 GB 3.43 22 4.12 13 4.21 10 4.75 6 3.31 25
16 PHI 4.33 8 4.03 16 3.95 19 3.62 28 4.28 16
LEFT END LEFT TACKLE MID/GUARD RIGHT TACKLE RIGHT END
TEAM ALY Rank ALY Rank ALY Rank ALY Rank ALY Rank
17 TB 3.93 16 4.89 3 3.79 23 4.44 15 3.64 22
18 CHI 2.41 30 3.83 18 4.13 15 4.03 22 2.29 31
19 NYG 3.49 21 3.65 24 4.15 14 3.50 29 4.68 8
20 TEN 5.70 2 3.91 17 3.57 25 3.81 25 3.74 21
21 KC 3.20 25 3.74 22 3.91 21 4.66 11 3.97 20
22 BUF 3.63 20 3.46 27 3.81 22 4.86 4 2.99 26
23 MIA 1.71 31 4.59 6 3.91 20 4.71 10 2.69 27
24 NE 4.29 10 2.99 31 3.59 24 4.41 17 5.73 1
25 CIN 3.89 18 3.63 25 4.16 12 3.41 30 3.56 23
26 ARI 3.35 24 3.15 30 3.55 26 4.30 19 4.18 17
27 NYJ 3.03 27 3.77 20 3.16 30 4.62 13 4.67 9
28 CLE 3.37 23 3.83 19 3.52 27 3.95 23 2.69 28
29 ATL 4.67 4 3.69 23 2.66 31 4.75 7 4.48 11
30 CAR 2.69 28 4.15 12 3.44 28 2.15 31 4.39 13
31 SD 3.93 15 3.41 29 3.21 29 3.90 24 3.34 24
x NFL 3.89 x 4.13 x 4.03 x 4.28 x 4.16 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 466 9% 18% 56% 11% 5%
2 TEN 466 10% 23% 43% 16% 8%
3 DEN 457 9% 21% 47% 14% 7%
4 NYG 452 15% 6% 39% 19% 19%
5 MIA 434 9% 13% 50% 17% 12%
6 PIT 432 7% 17% 52% 17% 6%
7 OAK 425 12% 12% 50% 13% 8%
8 CIN 424 17% 15% 36% 19% 11%
9 JAC 421 10% 19% 50% 14% 5%
10 TB 407 12% 13% 56% 11% 8%
11 WAS 402 22% 8% 54% 5% 10%
12 NO 400 12% 13% 53% 12% 10%
13 DAL 399 16% 16% 47% 12% 8%
14 BUF 393 7% 14% 64% 10% 5%
15 IND 393 11% 18% 46% 11% 14%
16 DET 380 15% 11% 46% 13% 13%
Team RB
Carries		 LEFT
END		 LEFT
TACKLE		 MID/
GUARD		 RIGHT
TACKLE		 RIGHT
END
17 NYJ 374 12% 13% 45% 12% 16%
18 GB 365 12% 13% 52% 14% 10%
19 NE 358 8% 12% 59% 17% 3%
20 SEA 348 17% 12% 46% 15% 5%
21 KC 347 9% 13% 65% 7% 5%
22 CHI 342 4% 15% 57% 18% 5%
23 SF 333 10% 7% 65% 8% 9%
24 STL 333 17% 12% 42% 11% 18%
25 MIN 330 5% 9% 63% 17% 6%
26 ATL 318 12% 19% 40% 14% 10%
27 PHI 303 14% 18% 37% 15% 15%
28 CAR 301 10% 14% 56% 8% 9%
29 ARI 299 17% 10% 41% 17% 12%
30 SD 299 7% 10% 58% 15% 9%
31 CLE 293 12% 16% 38% 23% 9%
x NFL x 12% 14% 50% 14% 9%