Offensive Line Performance

by orang3b on Nov 6, 2009 2:37 PM EST

I recently found published stats (Sacks Allowed, Penalties, etc.) for Offensive Linemen at the Washington Post website. The numbers are from STATS, Inc. Here's the main numbers:

Name (Position)	Sacks Allowed	False Start Penalties	Holding Penalties
Sam Baker (LT)	1.5	2	2
Justin Blaylock (LG)	0.5	1	0
Todd McClure (C)	0.5	0	0
Harvey Dahl (RG)	2.5	0	1
Tyson Clabo (RT)	1.0	0	0

They also include Yards from Sacks Allowed, total Penalties (including Personal Fouls, etc.) and Penalty Yards. For an example, here's the link to Harvey Dahl. I also like to use Football Outsiders O-Line stats. Through Week 8, the Falcons are #8 in Adjusted Line Yards (Run Blocking), and #4 in Adjusted Sack Rate (Pass Protection). Their website also gives ranks for ALY in 5 running directions: Left End, Left Tackle, Mid/Guard, Right Tackle, Right End. They are above average in every direction except Left Tackle and Mid/Guard.

These numbers, taken together, seem to imply that Tyson Clabo has been the best performer along the O-Line so far this season. Is he worthy of a long-term extension (he's 28), or is Garrett Reynolds going to be in that spot next year? What should Dimitroff do to improve the middle of the line? I will try to remember to update these numbers at the end of the season.

This FanPost was written by one of The Falcoholic's talented readers. It does not necessarily reflect the views of The Falcoholic.

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There's data you don't often see, thanks

It’s way too rare to see those numbers charted IMO. Good stuff, would love to see this updated when possible. Rec’d.

by tom slick on Nov 6, 2009 6:24 PM EST reply actions

Hmm ...

I’ll concede that Clabo has stepped it up this year. I still don’t like the guy. I don’t know. I can’t help it.

Reporter: How will you address all of the dropped passes?

Mike Smith: I don’t think that we were as sharp as we have been catching the football. It’s something that is very fixable. It’s VERY fixable.

by FrankyWren on Nov 6, 2009 11:39 PM EST reply actions

Are OLs like Long Snappers?

They don’t get noticed until they screw up. I don’t know beans about Clabo, why the lack of Clabo-love for you, sir?

by tom slick on Nov 6, 2009 11:59 PM EST up reply actions

Well ...

Nothing personal re: orang3b’s post (props for putting this together), but I think it’s fairly speculative to give any one lineman that much credit.

Maybe I’m misunderstanding how these stats are calculated, but to my knowledge, they aren’t differentiating G and T efforts from solo T efforts (if that makes sense). In other words, are they giving Clabo credit for an ALY that Dahl contributed to? Moreover, where does the FB come in here? I’m not saying these stats are without value, only that run blocking is rarely a one man show.

Also … we are only running off tackle (right) 13 percent of the time. Compare that with 51 percent mid/guard and 15 percent off tackle (left). Even if our off tackle (right) ALY is all Clabo, is there an “element of surprise” dynamic at play?

Basically, I’m a hater …

Reporter: How will you address all of the dropped passes?

Mike Smith: I don’t think that we were as sharp as we have been catching the football. It’s something that is very fixable. It’s VERY fixable.

by FrankyWren on Nov 7, 2009 12:54 AM EST up reply actions

You're absolutely right

About the ALY not giving specifics. The key block on a run to “Right Tackle” could be by a pulling LG (Blaylock), and ALY wouldn’t be able to tell anything about that. KC Joyner puts out some kind of “Point of Attack” blocking grades, but he doesn’t release those until after the season’s over. Line play is definitely the hardest area to evaluate for an average fan like myself… But I think these numbers help clear it up a little bit.

"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein

by orang3b on Nov 8, 2009 12:07 PM EST up reply actions