PFF ranks all 32 OL...Denver ranked 30th of 32

[Elevation inc]

With the season fast approaching it’s end, it seems about time to influence some Pro Bowl voters at a spot where talent is too often overlooked, the offensive line.

As we did back for the 2010 season, we’ve looked at our individual ratings for every single offensive lineman on each NFL team, added them up and come up three different categories to rank them: Pass blocking, run blocking (including screens), and penalties.

From there we’ve added them up and what you’ve got are our (as of Week 13) offensive line rankings.

It’s not a perfect science since we rate players and not units, nor does it take into account strength of opponent, but it’s as good as anything out there, so enjoy No.’s 1-32 all in one article.


30. Denver Broncos

Rank: Pass Blocking = 19th, Run Blocking = 32nd, Penalties = 25th

Our lowest-ranked run blocking team, the Broncos have earned a lot of their yardage through simple misdirection as teams fail to get to grips with the option offense they’re running. It’s taken the burden off a line that was struggling to do anything early in the season. Lots of youth here, so let’s see how it develops.



http://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2011/12/08/offensive-lines-mid-season-report/




I suspected for awhile the option and all the misdirection was the majority of the reason for good running game. To be honest Kuper, walton, Beadles have yet to grade in the green in any game outside of walton in the raiders game.....our interior needs help in a big way.....our run blocking even from clady and franklin hasnt been that great either.

[Thnikkaman]

I'd like to know how they came up with these rankings.

[silkamilkamonico]

Clady has been a complete disappointment the last couple years. He was once a top 3 T and now he doesn't even sniff top 10 IMO. Not to mention leading the league in holding penalties or whatever.

[Elevation inc]

I'd like to know how they came up with these rankings.

they grade each OL player in the unit and while not a exact science, use the gardes to determine the overall OL play. As I mentioned clady is having his worst year as a pro based off there ranking and isnt even a top 15 tackle this year. Kuper, Walton, Franklin and Beadles grade in the red(negative) every game overall, but have had games where they grade green in either run blocking or pass blocking but blow in the other aspect to bring the grade down.....penalties have been killers to and bring the grades down, thats a big thing with clady this year....

[Thnikkaman]

I figured it was arbitrary since I've been following these stats all year:

http://profootballspotlight.com/broncos-stats

This is a key to what each stat is:
Team Pass Blocking

Did the lineman get the job done or not? These grades are good for understanding value for a team and not necessarily for comparing across teams. A game in the 90% is a good score for pass blocking.

Passing Power Blocking

How often did the offensive lineman dominate the block or how often did he get dominated? Each lineman is scored a minus for being dominated, a zero for a draw, or a plus for dominating the block. How often did the offensive lineman give up pressure on the quarterback? Every once and a while a lineman can do his job but give up pressure on the QB. This stat will help glean more info from the line grades.

Pressures

Combo Help
How often did the offensive coordinator provide help for a tough defender or a struggling lineman. Yea, two lineman ended up with the same grade...but how much help did either of them get?

Team Run Blocking

Did the lineman get the job done or not? These grades are good for understanding value for a team and not necessarily for comparing across teams. A game in the mid 80s to 90% is a decent score.

Power Blocking

How often did the offensive lineman dominate the block or how often did he get dominated? These scores are good for comparing across teams and finding the most dominant lineman in the league.

Power Blocking Score

Anything over zero is a good score. The more over zero the more the lineman dominated the defender. Each lineman is scored a minus for being dominated, a zero for a draw, or a plus for dominating the defender.

2nd Level Blocks

The number of successes over failures for the lineman when blocking linebackers and safeties on the second level. The lineman must be athletic to accomplish a high second level score.

[BFI]

That's amazing really, because Denver didnt use the option at all during the Vikings game, and have run the option about 37-38% of the time ( read that yesterday on ESPN AFC West blog).

I guess what they say about winning as a team is true. While the individuals might not be that good themselves, together they do pretty well.

McGahee had 111 yards last week in a "traditional" offensive scheme.

But just like winning, I will take the yards however we can, especially running yards.

[Elevation inc]

another thing is our offense is very big play right now.....we struggle and struggle but when we have a chance at a big play the offesne comes through. This team is playing football the team way all over and its a recipe for success if they sustain it into the playoffs......when a individual struggles someone elese covers and vice versa so the units themselves look dominating but the performances as individuals have been pretty sub par

[Joel]

No big surprises here. I wouldn't have expected our run blocking to grade out dead LAST, but knew it was pretty awful, especially at G, the most critical position for the run. Anyone who's watched most of the games knows we draw WAY too many penalties, partly because Clady's been playing hurt for a while and grabbing when he gets beat (which is often.) The pass grade is a little better than I expected, but I already knew we pass block better than we run (when your tackles are significantly better than your guards, despite one of them being a rookie, that tends to happen.)

I'm still happy with Kuper, who's easily our best G (though the competition isn't exactly stiff.) We need a major upgrade in the offseason any way we can get it, whether it's drafting yet another starter at RT (that would be, what, 3 in 4 years?) and moving Franklin inside or just going for a huge powerful guard. The only knock I have on Kuper is that he's not big or dominating, but more the prototypical ZB guard of past Broncos teams; with a real bruiser on the left he would be more of an asset (something like Ben Hamilton used to be,) but as it stands he's too often just one more guy who can't give us line surge. If we're going to be a run dominant team, we NEED line surge, which means Beadles and Walton are not our future unless they get MUCH better VERY fast.

As always, I have mixed feelings when I read comments like this one:

The star of the show has been Chris Myers, our top ranked center
As a Texans fan that thrills me, but as a Broncos fan I've considered him "the one that got away" from the moment we lost him (and I can't even blame McDumbass.)

Like I say, no big surprises here; Tebow and McGahee make a very young very below average offensive line look better than it is most of the time. An offensive line is only as good as its worst player, and we have several bad ones. Since offenses can't run OR pass without a good line that probably still explains the anemic performance of ours better than injuries in the backfield or inexperience under center. Whoever we have running or passing, our offense will be unreliable and often disastrous until our line is solid. We need quality starters at guard, and soon.

[Buff]

This ranking made me think of this article... I'm sure it's posted elsewhere - it's just funny how every possible criticism has been hurled at this team and they just keep winning. Not saying these rankings are off - we can definitely improve the O-line - but after a while these criticisms almost start to be a parody of themselves while we keep ripping off W's.


Do you know what else Tim Tebow has never done?

Tim Tebow has not climbed all Seven Summits. He's never built an invisible jet or hosted the Country Music Awards. If he has solved the mystery of Loch Ness, or washed dishes at The French Laundry, it's never been written about. Tim Tebow's portrait does not hang in the Louvre. Sandra Bullock has never made a Tim Tebow movie. Tim Tebow has never made a Sandra Bullock movie.

Sure, Tim Tebow has been on the cover of Sports Illustrated, but has he been on the cover of Dwell or Bon Appetit? That's right: no. Loser!

Do you know that Tim Tebow has never hosted a late-night talk show in Denmark? That he's never been the CEO of The Gap? That he wasn't a serious candidate to be manager of the Red Sox? Tim Tebow has never won a professional motocross race. He's never even come in second in a professional motocross race. Tim Tebow did zero to solve the NBA lockout. Zilch.

Here is a small list of other things Tim Tebow has never won:

Wimbledon, a MacArthur "Genius" grant, "Project Runway," "The Price is Right," the Nathan's Famous hot dog eating contest, the Booker Prize or a Grammy for best spoken-word album.

That's embarrassing. Why do people care about him?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203833104577070351117638504.html

[RebelRocker]

With the season fast approaching it’s end, it seems about time to influence some Pro Bowl voters at a spot where talent is too often overlooked, the offensive line.

As we did back for the 2010 season, we’ve looked at our individual ratings for every single offensive lineman on each NFL team, added them up and come up three different categories to rank them: Pass blocking, run blocking (including screens), and penalties.

From there we’ve added them up and what you’ve got are our (as of Week 13) offensive line rankings.

It’s not a perfect science since we rate players and not units, nor does it take into account strength of opponent, but it’s as good as anything out there, so enjoy No.’s 1-32 all in one article.


30. Denver Broncos

Rank: Pass Blocking = 19th, Run Blocking = 32nd, Penalties = 25th

Our lowest-ranked run blocking team, the Broncos have earned a lot of their yardage through simple misdirection as teams fail to get to grips with the option offense they’re running. It’s taken the burden off a line that was struggling to do anything early in the season. Lots of youth here, so let’s see how it develops.



http://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2011/12/08/offensive-lines-mid-season-report/




I suspected for awhile the option and all the misdirection was the majority of the reason for good running game. To be honest Kuper, walton, Beadles have yet to grade in the green in any game outside of walton in the raiders game.....our interior needs help in a big way.....our run blocking even from clady and franklin hasnt been that great either.


So the 30th ranked OLine had NOTHING to do with the success with the 1st ranked running game, huh?


Some of these "analysts" are ******* clueless.

[Joel]

This ranking made me think of this article... I'm sure it's posted elsewhere - it's just funny how every possible criticism has been hurled at this team and they just keep winning. Not saying these rankings are off - we can definitely improve the O-line - but after a while these criticisms almost start to be a parody of themselves while we keep ripping off W's.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203833104577070351117638504.html
http://www.lyrics007.com/King%20Missile%20Lyrics/I'm%20Sorry%20Lyrics.html

Also, as poor as I think our line is, I do take some comfort from noting whose ranked immediately below it. ;)

So the 30th ranked OLine had NOTHING to do with the success with the 1st ranked running game, huh?


Some of these "analysts" are ******* clueless.
Well, since we're ranked first by total yards and almost always run, no, the line doesn't have much to do with that ranking apart from being at least good enough to (usually) prevent defenders injuring our runners.

[Ravage!!!]

So the 30th ranked OLine had NOTHING to do with the success with the 1st ranked running game, huh?


Some of these "analysts" are ******* clueless.

No. When you break down film, as you do with any team, and you grade out the individual player's performance on every individual play...basing their grade on how well THEY blocked the assigned person to block..... you can get and individual "Grade."

Just like you do when you are on the team, and Monday morning you go in for film study and the coaches hand you your "grade sheet" on your game's performance. No different.

[dogfish]

ranked 30th? that can't be taken seriously in any way, shape or form. . .

[TXBRONC]

I'd like to know how they came up with these rankings.

I would like to know the answer to that question as well. There is no way we pile up the kind rushing stats we have with just simple misdirection. Besides that I know that's not all we've done.

[NameUsedBefore]

Rank: Pass Blocking = 19th, Run Blocking = 32nd, Penalties = 25th

Our lowest-ranked run blocking team, the Broncos have earned a lot of their yardage through simple misdirection as teams fail to get to grips with the option offense they’re running. It’s taken the burden off a line that was struggling to do anything early in the season. Lots of youth here, so let’s see how it develops.

I think it might be hard to develop past the #1 rushing offense in the league.

[Joel]

I'm not entirely sure of their metric either (it looks like sacks), but NFL.com lists our line as 17th:

http://www.nfl.com/stats/categorystats?archive=false&role=TM&offensiveStatisticCategory=OFFENSIVE_LINE&tabSeq=2&qualified=true

We're first in rushing YARDS but fourth in rushing AVERAGE, indicating what most of us already knew: Our rushing ATTEMPTS are higher than almost anyone elses (Kubes' Texans have run 33 more times, but backs like theirs and killing the clock with second half leads will do that.)

This is pretty poor line, guys, and needs improvement, especially at guard.

[Thnikkaman]

I'm not entirely sure of their metric either (it looks like sacks), but NFL.com lists our line as 17th:

http://www.nfl.com/stats/categorystats?archive=false&role=TM&offensiveStatisticCategory=OFFENSIVE_LINE&tabSeq=2&qualified=true

We're first in rushing YARDS but fourth in rushing AVERAGE, indicating what most of us already knew: Our rushing ATTEMPTS are higher than almost anyone elses (Kubes' Texans have run 33 more times, but backs like theirs and killing the clock with second half leads will do that.)

This is pretty poor line, guys, and needs improvement, especially at guard.

Joel, you do remember that we have one of the youngest lines in the league right? We have a Rookie at RT, Our Center and Two of our Tackles are in their 2nd season, Clady is in his 4th year, and we have our Veteran Tackle at 6 years of service. These guys are doing an exceptional job with a new offence, and they are contributing to the most important stat, WINS!!!

[Joel]

Joel, you do remember that we have one of the youngest lines in the league right? We have a Rookie at RT, Our Center and Two of our Tackles are in their 2nd season, Clady is in his 4th year, and we have our Veteran Tackle at 6 years of service. These guys are doing an exceptional job with a new offence, and they are contributing to the most important stat, WINS!!!
I do get that, but even if that's the whole explanation a reason is not an excuse. Will Beadles, Walton or any of the others be great in 2-3 years? Fine; in the mean time, we need fer real starters who can provide real production until those guys are ready. That's assuming they ever will be, an assumption I think unwarranted; they've been starting for nearly two years now and I'm still waiting for them to give me a valid reason why.

I'll give the tackles a pass because one's a rookie and the other's an injured former Pro Bowler, but our guards have neither excuse. Their mediocre pass blocking is much better than their run blocking, just the opposite of the case for our tackles, which, IMHO, is bass ackwards. Of course, since all our tackles are bigger than all our guards, that makes sense, but there's a solution to that problem, and it isn't "keep starting the smallest guys we've got at guard and hope they can manage some run blocking without a drive killing holding penalty."

I want line surge from guards, even more than pulling (though I want that, too.) I want to be able to call a QB sneak on 4th and 1, or even 4th and 2, KNOWING we'll pick it up even if I carry the ball, because our guards will blow the DTs off the ball and onto their butts. The guards we have couldn't do that last year, can't do it this year and I have nothing but faint hope they'll be able to do it next year. I want an upgrade; I'm not saying they're as bad as Phil "snap it when I feel like it" Costa, but they're pretty bad, and if we're going to be a run dominant team that MUST change.

[Elevation inc]

its simple really how they did it. They added each grade for each individual on the OL they got a cummulative grade and whatever that was its ranked 30th of 32 when they did it for each team.

it doesnt tell the story all the way, becasue we are playing such good team football and covering for each other alot. However our interior has not been good and beadles and walton are still very much struggling as players, but are being covered by the unit as whole at times as well....

also dont forget our recievers and backs are doing a good job of blocking, the only guy really sucking outside the OL in that category is fells and royal oddly enough.

willis and Tebow also have big positive running grades in each game they played so they themselves are making the plays when the OL doesnt by breaking tackles, misdirection, making tacklers miss etc....


Make no mistake about it though folks, franklin is struggling as rookie(to be expected) walton and beadles still struggle on a reg basis, kuper is off and on, and clady is having his worst year as a pro......it needs to be addressed in the off-season if we want to get even better and more dominangt and physical....i see flashes that make me say we will be alright but we have nothing behind and OL player on the line as a back-up outside of chris clark.....that could get us in serious trouble if we dont have depth at the very least

[Joel]

I personally wonder how much other linemen having to cover for and help out lesser ones is bringing down the performance of all of them. If Kuper's having to slide to his right a little more to keep a DE from beating Franklin inside, that opens things up more for a DT or LB to get past HIM to the inside. That's just an example based on whom I consider our best G, but it could apply to anyone or everyone; it's another reason a line is only as good as its worst player, but it can be very difficult to pinpoint the problems unless you watch a lot of tape very closely (I've just about given up on trying to find out for sure watching internet feeds on a laptop. :tsk:)

[Dean]

Football Outsiders' view of the Broncos offensive line is much closer to my opinion of how they have performed. This is a season's cumulative play by play grading as well as PFF's ranking.

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/ol

If you could get a grade on them omitting the first quarter of the season, IMO they would score much higher. That would be a closer reflection of how they are currently playing.

[Elevation inc]

Football Outsiders' view of the Broncos offensive line is much closer to my opinion of how they have performed. This is a season's cumulative play by play grading as well as PFF's ranking.

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/ol

If you could get a grade on them omitting the first quarter of the season, IMO they would score much higher. That would be a closer reflection of how they are currently playing.



I could buy that....omitting them from the first quarter probally has them closer to the 14-16 range in my eyes.....improving yes but still stupid stuff every game, but the unit as a whole covers..the lockout no doubt was factor, im not blind to that.....orton as well:lol:.....

[sneakers]

I can make my own list with Denver at #1. Will this make you happy?

[threefolddead]

Holy crap this is hilarious! I've enjoyed watching our offensive line play this year! Way to go PFF! Your comedy stories are hilaaaarious!

[Joel]

Football Outsiders' view of the Broncos offensive line is much closer to my opinion of how they have performed. This is a season's cumulative play by play grading as well as PFF's ranking.

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/ol

If you could get a grade on them omitting the first quarter of the season, IMO they would score much higher. That would be a closer reflection of how they are currently playing.
Middle of the pack in run blocking and bottom ten in pass blocking; that's not so unreasonable, except I'd have expected the reverse. Still, McGahee and Tebows running prowess makes me think of the comment in "The Hidden Game of Football" that the Dolphins should probably have 5 points knocked off their sack grade "because Marino can set up and throw faster than a whip can raise a welt." It seems a valid point if only because FO openly admits that site is largely inspired by that book. If you look at FOs metrics, the runs with the heaviest weight (losses at 120% and +0-4 yards at 100%) are the very areas where power runners like McGahee and Tebow make offensive lines shine. The downfield blocking necessary to get runners to the second level is only weighted at 50%, so our lines deficiencies are minimized.

I'm not saying their rates are bad (though I do find it odd that the Raiders substandard line ranks higher in both pass and run blocking; helps to have McFadden and Bush, I guess.) However, the particular areas on which they focus happen to be Denvers strength for reasons that, IMHO, have more to do with our runners than our line. The whole TEAM ranks better if one ignores the first 5 games; that's why we were 1-4 then and 6-1 since. One thing I'd hope we could all agree on is that this line has MUCH room for improvement, which would correspondingly improve both our running and passing a lot.

One thing that does stand out and is consistent with my argument: While we're 8th in "RB yds" and 12th in "Open Field" we're 30th in "Power," which is "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." In other words, while we run well generally, all but two other teams get more push at the line; our guards need VAST improvement. I'd draft one on the first day if I could.

[Poet]

With the season fast approaching it’s end, it seems about time to influence some Pro Bowl voters at a spot where talent is too often overlooked, the offensive line.

As we did back for the 2010 season, we’ve looked at our individual ratings for every single offensive lineman on each NFL team, added them up and come up three different categories to rank them: Pass blocking, run blocking (including screens), and penalties.

From there we’ve added them up and what you’ve got are our (as of Week 13) offensive line rankings.

It’s not a perfect science since we rate players and not units, nor does it take into account strength of opponent, but it’s as good as anything out there, so enjoy No.’s 1-32 all in one article.


30. Denver Broncos

Rank: Pass Blocking = 19th, Run Blocking = 32nd, Penalties = 25th

Our lowest-ranked run blocking team, the Broncos have earned a lot of their yardage through simple misdirection as teams fail to get to grips with the option offense they’re running. It’s taken the burden off a line that was struggling to do anything early in the season. Lots of youth here, so let’s see how it develops.



http://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2011/12/08/offensive-lines-mid-season-report/




I suspected for awhile the option and all the misdirection was the majority of the reason for good running game. To be honest Kuper, walton, Beadles have yet to grade in the green in any game outside of walton in the raiders game.....our interior needs help in a big way.....our run blocking even from clady and franklin hasnt been that great either.

As soon as I saw the Philly's offensive line I knew this ranking was god awful.

Pure trash.

[Jsteve01]

Football Outsiders' view of the Broncos offensive line is much closer to my opinion of how they have performed. This is a season's cumulative play by play grading as well as PFF's ranking.

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/ol

If you could get a grade on them omitting the first quarter of the season, IMO they would score much higher. That would be a closer reflection of how they are currently playing.
Middle of the pack in run blocking and bottom ten in pass blocking;

that's not so unreasonable, except I'd have expected the reverse. Still, McGahee and Tebows running prowess makes me think of the comment in "The Hidden Game of Football" that the Dolphins should probably have 5 points knocked off their sack grade "because Marino can set up and throw faster than a whip can raise a welt." It seems a valid point if only because FO openly admits that site is largely inspired by that book. If you look at FOs metrics, the runs with the heaviest weight (losses at 120% and +0-4 yards at 100%) are the very areas where power runners like McGahee and Tebow make offensive lines shine. The downfield blocking necessary to get runners to the second level is only weighted at 50%, so our lines deficiencies are minimized.

I'm not saying their rates are bad (though I do find it odd that the Raiders substandard line ranks higher in both pass and run blocking; helps to have McFadden and Bush, I guess.) However, the particular areas on which they focus happen to be Denvers strength for reasons that, IMHO, have more to do with our runners than our line. The whole TEAM ranks better if one ignores the first 5 games; that's why we were 1-4 then and 6-1 since. One thing I'd hope we could all agree on is that this line has MUCH room for improvement, which would correspondingly improve both our running and passing a lot.

One thing that does stand out and is consistent with my argument: While we're 8th in "RB yds" and 12th in "Open Field" we're 30th in "Power," which is "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." In other words, while we run well generally, all but two other teams get more push at the line; our guards need VAST improvement. I'd draft one on the first day if I could.



Joel I would say downfield blocking is the least of our concerns. This interior o line is full of guys who are.perfect for.a.Gibbs style zbs. Athletic and get down the field. Problem is at the poa

[Joel]

Joel I would say downfield blocking is the least of our concerns. This interior o line is full of guys who are.perfect for.a.Gibbs style zbs. Athletic and get down the field. Problem is at the poa
I wholeheartedly agree that's our biggest weakness, but since McGahee and (to a lesser extent) Tebow are more power runners than elusive ones, they help conceal it. Our runners can move piles despite the fact our blockers don't make holes for them, which makes the blockers look better in any ranking that prioritizes short yardage running (as FOs do.)

Frankly, I don't think our guards great for ANY blocking system. They don't make holes or create surge in short yardage, but ALSO do a poor job getting downfield to block LBs and safeties at the second level, part of why our power runners so often get three yards and a cloud of dust (if they're lucky.) Walton and Beadles are, IMHO, no better than depth linemen, and we need solid starters to be a successful run oriented team.