Worst Offensive Lines In The NFL
By John Perrotto
The only time offensive linemen get noticed is when they mess up.
If they make their blocks, open holes and protect their quarterback, nobody says a word. However, if they give up a sack or get called for holding, then linemen are no longer anonymous.
Let's take a look at some offensive lines that got noticed a little too much during the 2010 NFL season. We will break down the six lines that combined to have the worst combined scores in ratings by profootballfocus.com, footballoutsiders.com, advancednflstats.com and coldhardfootballfacts.com, and look at how they stack up for 2011:
Chicago Bears (9-6-1 ATS)
The Bears made it to the NFC Championship Game before losing to the Packers on their home field last season. They certainly did it in spite of an offensive line that allowed a NFL-worst 56 sacks and was also part of a rushing offense that was 23rd in the league, with an average of just 3.9 yards a carry. No wonder the Bears were considered to have the worst line in the league by Cold, Hard Football Facts as well as the worst pass-blocking unit by Pro Football Focus and Football Outsiders.
The Bears have shaken up their line for 2011, the most notable move being their failure to re-sign center Olin Kruetz, who has played in six Pro Bowls but none since 2006. Allowing Kruetz to sign with the Saints did not go over well in the Bears' locker room but Pro Football Focus ranked Kruetz as the third-worst run blocker in the NFL last season among the 34 centers who played in at least 25 percent of their team's snaps.
Washington Redskins (8-6-2 ATS)
The Redskins made a couple of changes after ranking fifth in the NFL with 46 allowed sacks last season and being rated as the worst line in the league by Advanced NFL Stats. Will Montgomery replaces Casey Rabach, who was released at center, after being a part-time starter at guard the last two seasons and Chris Chester was signed from the Ravens as a free agent to replace right guard Artis Hicks.
Left tackle Trent Williams, left guard Kory Lichtensteiger and right tackle Jamaal Brown are the returning starters. Williams allowed 11 quarterback hits and 11 pressures last season. Lichtensteiger gave up seven sacks last season, the most of any guard in the NFL, and he was also rated the worst pass-blocking guard in the league by Pro Football Focus while being responsible for six quarterback hits.
Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6 ATS)
The Steelers won the AFC championship last season then lost by six points to Green Bay in the Super Bowl despite a porous offensive line that allowed 43 sacks - the eighth-highest total in the league.
The Steelers do have a potential star to build around in center Maurkice Pouncey, who made the Pro Bowl as a rookie last season, and the left side of the line will also remain intact with Jonathan Scott at tackle and Chris Kemoeatu at guard. There are changes on the right side, though, as Tony Hills, a converted tackle, will start at guard, and tackle Willie Colon was re-signed after missing last season with a torn Achilles tendon. Veteran Flozell Adams was released to make room for Colon's contract under the salary cap.
Some of the starters have areas to work on. Pro Football Focus rated Scott as the third-worst run blocker among tackles last season while Kemoeatu was penalized 10 times, the fourth-highest total among guards. Moving last year's starting right guard, Ramon Foster, to the bench is warranted as he tied for second in sacks allowed at the position with six. Even Pouncey was far from perfect. He allowed 17 quarterback pressures while being rated as the third-worst pass blocking center by Pro Football Focus.
Arizona Cardinals (5-11 ATS)
The Cardinals had a revolving door at quarterback last season as Derek Anderson and rookies John Skelton and Max Hall all made at least three starts. They weren't helped by a bad line that gave up 50 sacks, tying the Carolina Panthers for the second-worst mark in the NFL.
The Cardinals have made changes at both guard positions in an attempt to better protect new quarterback Kevin Kolb. They signed Packers left guard Daryn Colledge to replace the retired Alan Faneca, who allowed 26 quarterback pressures, and have decided to give elevate reserve Red Hadnot to the starter at right guard while sending four-year starter Deuce Lutui to the bench.
Left tackle Levin Brown, center Lyle Sendlein and right tackle Brandon Keith are returning starters. Brown was rated the worst pass-blocking tackle in the league by Pro Football Focus as he gave up an NFL-worst 50 quarterback pressures along with 10 sacks and 10 hits. Conversely, Sendlein was ranked as third-best pass blocker at center as he allowed two sacks, no hits and five pressures.
Carolina Panthers (4-12-0 ATS)
The Panthers are hoping internal changes on the right side can help sure up a line that allowed 50 sacks a year ago. After being a swing guard last season, Mackenzy Bernadeau takes over for Geoff Schwartz while tackle Jeff Otah returns to the starting lineup after missing last season with a knee injury, pushing Gerry Williams to the bench.
The rest of the starters return in left tackle Jordan Gross, left tackle Travelle Wharton and center Ryan Kalil, who led his position in sacks allowed with five. Gross and Kalil both made the Pro Bowl.
Baltimore Ravens (8-7-1 ATS)
The Ravens averaged just 3.8 yards a carry last season, well below the league average of 4.2. Yet they are only making some minor in-house adjustments to their line.
Right tackle Marshall Yanda slides over to right guard to replace Chester, who jumped to the Redskins. Oneil Cousins will come off the bench to start at right tackle, though head coach John Harbaugh is also considering playing Cousins at guard and moving Yanda back to tackle after he was the fourth-best run blocker in the NFL at that position last season according to Pro Football Focus. Left tackle Michael Oher, who was penalized 13 times in 2010, returns up front along with left guard Ben Grubbs and center Matt Birk.
Betting the sides involving these six teams was basically a wash last season as they were a combined 44-48-4 against the spread. However, every team but Arizona saw the final score go under the total more often than over in their games last season. The under was a combined 51-43-2 for a small profit of 3.7 units.