Writers of Pro Football Prospectus 2008

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Innovative Statistics

Football Outsiders exclusive statistics

OFFENSIVE LINES 2006

Regular season totals, through Week 17

Revised as of 8/7/2012

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.
  • 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).
  • Second Level Yards: Yards which this team's running backs earn between 5-10 yards past the line of scrimmage, divided by total running back carries.
  • Open Field Yards: Yards which this team's running backs earn more than 10 yards past the line of scrimmage, divided by total running back carries.

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		 Stuffed Stuffed
Rank		 2nd Level
Yards		 2nd Level
Rank		 Open Field
Yards		 Open Field
Rank		 Team Rank Sacks Adjusted
Sack Rate
1 SD 4.70 5.39 73% 4 13% 1 1.31 6 1.57 1 IND 1 15 3.4%
2 JAC 4.65 5.13 65% 14 16% 5 1.40 2 1.20 3 BAL 2 17 3.7%
3 PHI 4.63 4.70 62% 21 16% 3 1.35 3 0.76 11 GB 3 24 3.8%
4 NYG 4.57 4.99 71% 6 19% 25 1.61 1 0.96 6 NO 4 23 4.3%
5 IND 4.54 4.13 60% 22 18% 13 1.29 7 0.42 28 WAS 5 19 4.4%
6 SF 4.48 5.00 55% 28 17% 6 1.31 5 1.32 2 CHI 6 25 4.8%
7 DAL 4.47 4.21 63% 17 19% 22 1.24 9 0.63 18 NYG 7 25 5.4%
8 CHI 4.43 4.07 71% 7 15% 2 1.16 17 0.49 26 NE 8 29 5.7%
9 STL 4.41 4.36 63% 20 18% 19 1.23 10 0.71 13 DEN 9 31 5.8%
10 NO 4.33 3.99 54% 30 18% 14 1.09 21 0.52 24 TB 10 33 5.9%
11 WAS 4.31 4.41 55% 29 19% 21 1.32 4 0.72 12 TEN 11 29 6.0%
12 NE 4.30 4.23 82% 1 17% 10 1.19 15 0.70 14 PHI 12 28 6.0%
13 CIN 4.27 3.97 72% 5 19% 23 1.25 8 0.36 29 CIN 13 36 6.1%
14 MIN 4.27 4.20 68% 12 18% 18 1.19 13 0.69 15 ARI 14 36 6.2%
15 HOU 4.21 4.00 71% 8 16% 4 1.09 22 0.57 20 SD 15 28 6.3%
16 GB 4.17 4.11 63% 18 18% 12 1.18 16 0.62 19 CAR 16 32 6.5%
RUN BLOCKING PASS PROTECTION
Team Adj. Line
Yards		 RB
Yards		 Power
Success		 Power
Rank		 Stuffed Stuffed
Rank		 2nd Level
Yards		 2nd Level
Rank		 Open Field
Yards		 Open Field
Rank		 Team Rank Sacks Adjusted
Sack Rate
17 DEN 4.16 4.44 63% 16 17% 9 1.21 12 0.95 7 NYJ 17 34 6.7%
18 KC 4.16 4.34 74% 2 18% 17 1.19 14 0.89 9 SF 18 35 6.8%
19 ATL 4.08 4.64 59% 23 18% 11 1.22 11 1.09 4 JAC 19 30 7.0%
20 MIA 4.08 4.18 70% 9 18% 20 1.12 18 0.78 10 MIA 20 41 7.1%
21 BAL 4.06 3.78 59% 24 17% 7 0.94 31 0.51 25 KC 21 41 7.6%
22 ARI 4.01 3.34 56% 26 21% 28 1.00 28 0.13 32 MIN 22 43 7.7%
23 PIT 3.98 4.37 63% 19 18% 15 1.12 19 1.07 5 DAL 23 37 7.9%
24 CAR 3.96 3.98 50% 31 18% 16 1.05 24 0.65 17 STL 24 49 7.9%
25 NYJ 3.89 3.41 56% 27 21% 27 0.94 30 0.26 30 PIT 25 49 7.9%
26 BUF 3.88 3.74 69% 11 19% 24 1.01 27 0.48 27 SEA 26 49 8.8%
27 TEN 3.84 4.29 67% 13 17% 8 1.12 20 0.92 8 CLE 27 54 9.2%
28 OAK 3.81 3.74 58% 25 22% 29 1.03 26 0.57 21 HOU 28 43 9.3%
29 SEA 3.81 3.70 70% 10 20% 26 1.05 23 0.53 23 BUF 29 47 9.5%
30 TB 3.77 3.67 64% 15 22% 30 0.97 29 0.53 22 DET 30 63 9.9%
31 CLE 3.65 3.29 74% 3 22% 31 0.93 32 0.24 31 ATL 31 47 10.5%
32 DET 3.63 3.62 37% 32 25% 32 1.04 25 0.66 16 OAK 32 72 12.3%
x NFL x 4.19 64% x 18% x 1.07 x 0.65 x NFL x 36 6.9%

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 SD 5.58 2 4.77 8 4.33 14 4.47 5 5.68 1
2 JAC 4.60 6 5.30 3 4.66 3 3.95 25 4.60 8
3 PHI 4.61 5 4.49 11 4.64 4 4.19 12 5.36 2
4 NYG 5.21 3 3.87 25 4.38 13 4.61 4 5.27 3
5 IND 4.57 7 5.57 2 4.61 6 4.45 6 3.76 19
6 SF 5.94 1 4.11 20 4.38 12 4.00 23 4.70 7
7 DAL 3.77 20 5.73 1 4.31 16 4.11 15 4.74 6
8 CHI 3.84 19 4.87 5 4.68 1 3.98 24 4.30 13
9 STL 2.76 29 4.15 19 4.67 2 4.05 20 5.07 4
10 NO 4.49 9 4.10 21 4.45 9 3.90 26 4.47 11
11 WAS 4.02 17 4.96 4 4.61 5 4.00 22 4.00 16
12 NE 4.87 4 4.31 14 4.44 10 3.65 30 2.90 30
13 CIN 3.86 18 4.21 18 4.22 19 5.21 1 3.64 22
14 MIN 3.18 26 4.83 7 4.27 17 4.36 9 4.98 5
15 HOU 4.23 15 2.86 32 4.43 11 4.26 11 4.25 14
16 GB 4.51 8 4.76 9 3.93 25 4.10 16 3.41 25
LEFT END LEFT TACKLE MID/GUARD RIGHT TACKLE RIGHT END
TEAM ALY Rank ALY Rank ALY Rank ALY Rank ALY Rank
17 DEN 2.60 31 3.89 24 4.56 7 4.39 7 3.64 21
18 KC 3.52 23 4.33 13 4.51 8 2.49 32 4.56 10
19 ATL 4.27 13 3.58 30 4.24 18 4.09 17 4.36 12
20 MIA 3.38 25 4.86 6 3.85 27 4.68 2 4.58 9
21 BAL 2.92 27 4.31 15 4.19 21 4.05 19 3.78 18
22 ARI 4.05 16 3.82 27 4.21 20 3.78 28 3.54 23
23 PIT 3.51 24 3.72 28 4.32 15 3.55 31 3.99 17
24 CAR 4.39 10 4.26 17 4.01 22 4.37 8 2.73 32
25 NYJ 2.92 28 4.66 10 3.82 28 4.66 3 3.70 20
26 BUF 4.37 12 4.49 12 3.63 31 3.77 29 3.33 27
27 TEN 3.73 22 3.40 31 3.96 24 4.18 13 3.50 24
28 OAK 4.23 14 3.63 29 3.90 26 4.35 10 3.10 29
29 SEA 4.39 11 3.90 23 3.67 29 3.89 27 3.12 28
30 TB 2.72 30 3.86 26 3.96 23 4.06 18 4.05 15
31 CLE 0.31 32 4.27 16 3.48 32 4.16 14 3.39 26
32 DET 3.76 21 4.03 22 3.66 30 4.02 21 2.86 31
x NFL 4.07 x 4.32 x 4.24 x 4.13 x 4.06 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 CHI 471 13% 15% 44% 19% 9%
2 KC 471 12% 11% 55% 10% 11%
3 SD 460 12% 19% 47% 13% 8%
4 SEA 449 14% 24% 36% 16% 10%
5 NE 431 16% 15% 49% 14% 5%
6 JAC 430 6% 11% 67% 9% 7%
7 NO 427 11% 16% 51% 12% 10%
8 WAS 427 24% 13% 33% 12% 17%
9 DAL 426 11% 14% 50% 14% 10%
10 DEN 426 10% 18% 49% 18% 5%
11 NYG 426 16% 16% 36% 19% 11%
12 NYJ 424 10% 9% 63% 11% 7%
13 IND 416 17% 13% 42% 11% 18%
14 PIT 414 13% 14% 48% 15% 10%
15 ATL 405 8% 21% 38% 23% 9%
16 BAL 401 6% 13% 67% 10% 4%
Team RB
Carries		 LEFT
END		 LEFT
TACKLE		 MID/
GUARD		 RIGHT
TACKLE		 RIGHT
END
17 GB 396 18% 19% 34% 17% 11%
18 STL 396 8% 14% 57% 12% 9%
19 CIN 393 13% 13% 52% 15% 6%
20 MIN 392 15% 17% 51% 9% 7%
21 CAR 389 8% 10% 59% 10% 12%
22 SF 380 8% 13% 57% 9% 12%
23 TEN 380 6% 12% 47% 18% 16%
24 ARI 378 15% 20% 46% 12% 8%
25 BUF 368 11% 22% 51% 9% 8%
26 HOU 365 7% 10% 62% 14% 6%
27 MIA 358 8% 10% 51% 18% 12%
28 PHI 353 11% 13% 46% 17% 12%
29 OAK 352 14% 10% 47% 16% 13%
30 TB 346 10% 14% 63% 7% 5%
31 CLE 312 3% 14% 60% 17% 5%
32 DET 264 18% 16% 27% 17% 21%
x NFL x 12% 15% 49% 14% 10%