Top 5 OL at run blocking in 2011 (1 Viewer)

[Ministry of Pain]

Hello SP,

I got a slew of PMs today asking about the OL article Chris Smith and I worked on last year in the preseason and I'm happy to announce we will team up again for 2011. Also looks like instead of just a June /July projection that we also will go in towards the end of the preseason with any updates and some final thoughts. I would love to get some projections or analysis from you all as we are putting this together with some key players going to new teams such as Robert Gallery who left Oakland for greener pastures.

I will list a few teams that I think have solid OLines heading into 2011 and this is just a short list...also I have a few teams that I would like the locals to weigh in on some.

New England-Light and Mankins were both extended. The Pats are all over the palce at Rb but BJGE had over 1,000 yds and 10+TDs rushing the ball last year and I don't consider him an elite back. If there ever is a stud in that backfield they are going to have a field day.

NY Giants-Some of their older guys are leaving but Bradshaw produced last year and a good part of it IMO is due to the OL.

New Orleans-Ingram is going to have fun running behind these guys.

Tampa Bay-They get no credit and some places have them ranked towards the bottom. I need to investiagte this more but I find it hard to believe as these guys have been together for a while now and IMO have some cohesion.

Atlanta-I like what they have and also how they set up the run blocking for Turner and now Rodgers.

On the fence...NY Jets-not sure I am buying into them as top5, maybe top10-top half...Miami-They have brought in a lot of guys to add depth behind a decent starting line but I think they need a little more time...Baltimore-again I like it but not sure this is top5.

Would like to get more info on the following...Houston, Tennessee, Jax(Donesn't look good to me), GB, SF(can't pass block worth a spit but run blocking however), St Louis, San Diego

Thanks everyone

 

[sho nuff]

Green Bay...who knows.

But I don't think they are in the top 5. Maybe middle of the pack at this point.

Will know more once we see how LG shapes out and where Clifton is at his age.

They do have a top flight RG in Sitton...but beyond that, I don't think this line is special as a run blocking unit at all.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

For any of the SP noobs, the approch I take at run blocking is mostly in the interior of the line unless the RB1 is super explosive and bounces a lot to the outside where roaming Tackles can wipe out gaping lanes for backs to run through. So mostly in run blocking I am looking at LG-C-RG starters and depth. The Tackles are designed more to stop the speed rushers on the defense. That's why a guy like Gallery leaving can really set a team back and perhaps push another forward. Just one example.

Cheers

 

[njherdfan]

IDK how you can have the Jets out of the top 5, especially if you focus on the interior of the line. Mangold's the best Center in the NFL, and Brandon Moore is very good as well.

 

[Snotbubbles]

Haven't looked at all the teams except Atlanta, and I'm not really buying them as a top run blocking unit. They are highly inefficient. Top 5 in attempts, but middle of the pack in yards and bottom of the league in Y/A. Just because they run a lot doesn't make them good at it.

Pittsburghs overall numbers are similar to Atlanta but better in almost every facet.

I'm tempted to say Philadelphia as well because they led the league in Y/A, were top 5 in yards but weren't a top 10 team in attempts. The only problem is trying to extrapolate the Eagles rushing without Mike Vick, it's really impossible to do. But Shady McCoy was well over 5 yards an attempt as was Jerome Harrison, heck even Eldra Buckley was over 4 yards per attempt.

 

[GunslingerEnder]

Green Bay, hate to say it, but the Minn, Chi, and Det defs are stout in the middle. Not sure if they can be top ten. Maybe top 15

 

[Hoss_Cartwright]

Not top 5 but you're going to see the Colts run game improve 1000%. The OL additions will have everything to do with that.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

IDK how you can have the Jets out of the top 5, especially if you focus on the interior of the line. Mangold's the best Center in the NFL, and Brandon Moore is very good as well.

Very good points. I wasn't finished with looking at all info but you are absolutely right on Mangold and Brandon Moore is rock solid too. Just seemed like the Jets struggled to score rushing TDs last year and sometiimes to run at all but maybe I am not recollecting it right.

 

[saintfool]

New Orleans-Ingram is going to have fun running behind these guys.

Absolutely. Evans-Goodwin-Nicks were terrific and can maul opposing defenses. Goodwin signed with the 49ers today, so untested C Matt Tennant takes over. The OTs - Bushrod & Stinchcomb - are nothing special but seem to function well on screen plays.

 

[njherdfan]

IDK how you can have the Jets out of the top 5, especially if you focus on the interior of the line. Mangold's the best Center in the NFL, and Brandon Moore is very good as well.

Very good points. I wasn't finished with looking at all info but you are absolutely right on Mangold and Brandon Moore is rock solid too. Just seemed like the Jets struggled to score rushing TDs last year and sometiimes to run at all but maybe I am not recollecting it right.

The Jets definitely struggled in the Red Zone last season, but I'm not really sure why. After doing some looking, Mark Sanchez was only 41/81 for for 227 yards (2.8 YPA :X )and only threw for 12 TDs in 81 attempts (compare that to 2009, when he threw 10 TDs in only 41 RZ passing attempts). Shonn Greene had 25/87 yards (3.3 YPC), while LT was 36/71 (2.0 YPC). That was all interesting to me. I'm going to assume that most running backs see their YPCs drop in the RZ, but not to the degree that the Jets' backs did. I think that this was in large part to defenses not having to respect Sanchez throwing the ball in the RZ, which allowed them to commit to stopping the run.

 

[pantherclub]

Assuming everyone is healthy the Panthers have to be in that mix.