Offensive Line Tells an Interesting Story For Year Thus Far
I’ve tried to say, to whoever would listen, that the easiest way to see if a team will be good the following year or come playoff time is to look at how the offensive line is playing.
Most NFL quarterbacks and running backs differ slightly in talent and skills, and it’s the talent around them, in this case the players in front of them, that allow them to thrive and succeed statistically and in the team’s record.
Here’s a look at how the offensive line numbers have impacted the season so far and why they tell a much better story than the regular stats that fantasy fans consider important.
Poor Offensive Lines
Chicago Bears
-31 Sacks, 53 QB Hits so far
No question the worse offensive line the NFL this year, it’s actually more surprising that Cutler’s only been seriously hurt once this year because of how poorly they’ve played. Again, while I won’t delve into the other parts of the offense as a result, Cutler has a legitimate reason to be throwing to his receivers early and making quick, sometimes poor decisions when you’re getting hit around 2 times at least per quarter.
Cowboys
-37 QB Hits, 10 Sacks, 1 rush TD
All the media ever talks about is how many “weapons” the Cowboys have and that it’s the penelties and Tony Romo’s fault for the team’s failures this season. Well judging by these numbers Romo hasn’t played half bad this year. He’s been close to the tops in most statistical catagories, despite having to deal with the 5th most quarterback hits in the NFL thus far. Despite the constant pressure and hits, he’s only been forced to 10 sacks. Also, the fact that the offensive line can’t win red-zone battles hurts a team’s chances, and one touchdown this year shows that the offensive line can’t finish off drives.
nflhouse.com
10/27/10
Magnolia Tribune
