Writers of Pro Football Prospectus 2008

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Innovative Statistics

Football Outsiders exclusive statistics


OFFENSIVE LINES 2008

Regular season totals, playoffs not included

Revised as of 12/29/2008

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.

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 4.92 4.96 70% 11 17% 17 17% 1 IND 1 14 2.8%
2 NE 4.81 4.60 72% 9 16% 24 21% 5 NO 2 13 2.9%
3 NYG 4.77 5.28 62% 23 25% 2 23% 11 TEN 3 12 3.2%
4 NYJ 4.76 4.81 61% 25 20% 10 25% 23 DEN 4 12 3.3%
5 WAS 4.46 4.13 69% 14 13% 29 24% 15 ATL 5 17 3.6%
6 NO 4.43 4.17 64% 18 15% 26 26% 26 PHI 6 24 4.3%
7 CAR 4.32 5.01 79% 1 27% 1 22% 8 ARI 7 28 4.4%
8 SF 4.30 3.96 52% 32 13% 30 22% 9 CLE 8 25 4.5%
9 BAL 4.28 3.99 78% 3 16% 23 22% 10 CAR 9 20 5.0%
10 ATL 4.27 4.62 70% 12 23% 7 24% 20 NYG 10 28 5.0%
11 BUF 4.26 4.21 62% 24 16% 21 25% 24 CHI 11 29 5.3%
12 MIA 4.25 4.28 76% 5 17% 15 22% 6 MIA 12 26 5.7%
13 DAL 4.25 4.49 68% 15 22% 8 22% 7 DAL 13 31 5.8%
14 HOU 4.25 4.43 70% 13 24% 5 23% 12 GB 14 34 6.0%
15 MIN 4.21 4.63 73% 8 25% 4 24% 16 WAS 15 38 6.0%
16 PHI 4.20 4.05 55% 31 17% 19 27% 30 HOU 16 32 6.1%
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 TEN 4.18 4.45 61% 26 24% 6 25% 22 SD 17 25 6.1%
18 GB 4.17 4.25 74% 7 21% 9 27% 31 NYJ 18 30 6.5%
19 JAC 4.16 4.06 76% 6 17% 20 26% 25 TB 19 33 6.5%
20 TB 4.14 4.09 65% 17 18% 13 23% 14 KC 20 37 7.0%
21 CLE 4.13 3.94 59% 27 15% 27 24% 19 SEA 21 36 7.0%
22 SD 4.11 4.08 78% 2 17% 18 20% 2 BAL 22 34 7.0%
23 IND 4.10 3.60 62% 21 9% 32 23% 13 STL 23 45 7.8%
24 CHI 4.01 3.89 63% 20 17% 16 26% 27 JAC 24 42 7.9%
25 PIT 3.99 3.79 64% 19 15% 28 25% 21 BUF 25 38 8.1%
26 KC 3.99 4.46 58% 28 25% 3 24% 18 NE 26 48 8.5%
27 OAK 3.97 4.15 62% 22 17% 14 21% 4 CIN 27 51 8.5%
28 STL 3.87 3.99 66% 16 16% 22 26% 29 MIN 28 43 8.8%
29 SEA 3.86 4.13 76% 4 20% 11 24% 17 PIT 29 50 9.2%
30 ARI 3.81 3.60 58% 29 15% 25 20% 3 OAK 30 39 9.4%
31 DET 3.55 3.81 71% 10 19% 12 26% 28 SF 31 55 9.4%
32 CIN 3.37 3.22 56% 30 12% 31 28% 32 DET 32 52 9.8%
x NFL x 4.25 67% x 19% x 24% x NFL x 33 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.

    LEFT END LEFT TACKLE MID/GUARD RIGHT TACKLE RIGHT END
  TEAM ALY Rank ALY Rank ALY Rank ALY Rank ALY Rank
1 DEN 5.94 1 4.95 5 4.69 4 4.45 10 5.29 2
2 NE 4.16 22 5.28 1 5.01 2 4.11 19 2.56 32
3 NYG 5.09 5 5.24 2 5.08 1 4.11 20 3.86 24
4 NYJ 5.21 4 2.95 32 4.78 3 4.95 1 5.37 1
5 WAS 4.78 12 5.12 4 4.25 16 4.12 18 4.08 17
6 NO 4.62 14 5.23 3 4.52 8 4.32 13 3.24 28
7 CAR 4.18 20 4.12 16 4.31 13 4.64 6 4.27 11
8 SF 4.96 8 3.91 22 4.55 6 3.54 29 3.90 22
9 BAL 4.85 11 4.08 19 4.40 10 4.01 24 4.07 18
10 ATL 4.16 21 4.87 6 4.09 20 4.25 16 4.26 12
11 BUF 5.79 2 4.33 14 3.89 26 4.82 2 4.34 9
12 MIA 4.27 19 3.99 20 4.05 23 4.51 9 4.93 3
13 DAL 5.24 3 3.74 26 4.30 14 4.72 5 3.08 29
14 HOU 4.74 13 2.99 31 4.54 7 4.09 21 4.22 13
15 MIN 4.33 16 4.84 7 4.15 19 3.61 28 4.40 8
16 PHI 3.54 25 3.20 30 4.58 5 4.57 8 3.89 23
    LEFT END LEFT TACKLE MID/GUARD RIGHT TACKLE RIGHT END
  TEAM ALY Rank ALY Rank ALY Rank ALY Rank ALY Rank
17 TEN 3.91 23 4.41 11 4.23 17 4.09 22 4.08 16
18 GB 5.01 7 4.35 13 4.34 12 3.73 27 3.24 27
19 JAC 3.68 24 4.30 15 4.07 21 4.80 3 4.63 5
20 TB 2.23 30 3.62 28 4.44 9 4.05 23 4.00 20
21 CLE 4.31 17 3.69 27 4.07 22 4.64 7 4.59 6
22 SD 3.20 26 3.83 24 4.38 11 4.24 17 4.18 15
23 IND 4.92 9 4.09 18 4.20 18 4.29 15 2.73 31
24 CHI 2.79 28 4.09 17 4.28 15 3.89 26 3.99 21
25 PIT 4.86 10 4.74 8 3.96 24 3.17 32 4.05 19
26 KC 4.53 15 4.39 12 3.84 27 3.45 30 4.45 7
27 OAK 5.01 6 4.57 9 3.64 30 4.37 12 3.00 30
28 STL 2.61 29 3.84 23 3.92 25 4.74 4 3.36 26
29 SEA 2.90 27 4.42 10 3.73 29 3.99 25 4.20 14
30 ARI 4.28 18 3.76 25 3.43 31 4.39 11 4.32 10
31 DET 2.18 31 3.91 21 2.97 32 4.29 14 4.70 4
32 CIN 1.51 32 3.31 29 3.74 28 3.29 31 3.43 25
x NFL 4.24 x 4.26 x 4.24 x 4.18 x 3.97 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 524 8% 20% 54% 13% 5%
2 ATL 491 14% 17% 47% 8% 15%
3 CAR 475 12% 10% 54% 13% 10%
4 NYG 471 13% 15% 41% 17% 14%
5 TEN 469 11% 13% 48% 17% 12%
6 MIN 468 16% 12% 51% 13% 8%
7 NE 432 7% 15% 64% 11% 3%
8 OAK 430 12% 17% 35% 21% 14%
9 WAS 425 19% 19% 33% 15% 15%
10 PIT 410 8% 10% 56% 16% 10%
11 MIA 409 13% 9% 51% 13% 13%
12 TB 403 7% 9% 66% 11% 7%
13 CHI 397 10% 14% 51% 15% 10%
14 BUF 387 8% 20% 55% 10% 7%
15 SEA 387 11% 20% 43% 17% 9%
16 HOU 385 10% 13% 50% 18% 9%
Team RB
Carries		 LEFT
END		 LEFT
TACKLE		 MID/
GUARD		 RIGHT
TACKLE		 RIGHT
END
17 SD 385 13% 15% 52% 10% 10%
18 STL 382 9% 17% 51% 16% 8%
19 NYJ 381 8% 8% 59% 17% 9%
20 GB 374 19% 18% 29% 15% 19%
21 NO 370 11% 14% 45% 18% 13%
22 DAL 362 11% 10% 47% 17% 14%
23 PHI 357 14% 11% 48% 15% 12%
24 CLE 346 8% 13% 62% 12% 5%
25 JAC 346 12% 8% 64% 10% 7%
26 IND 345 15% 14% 47% 10% 14%
27 CIN 344 8% 19% 45% 19% 10%
28 SF 335 8% 11% 57% 13% 11%
29 DET 321 14% 21% 32% 22% 12%
30 DEN 316 14% 14% 51% 12% 9%
31 KC 311 12% 13% 52% 13% 10%
32 ARI 306 8% 23% 43% 15% 10%
x NFL x 11% 14% 50% 14% 10%