PFF Offensive Line Rankings Ahead Of Week 16

[RiverDog]

Here are the PFF OL rankings going into this week's games and their current W/L records:

1. Eagles 12-2
2. Broncos 9-5
3. Bucs 8-6
4. Bills 11-3
5. Lions 12-2
6. Packers 10-4
7. Commanders 9-5
8. Ravens 9-5
9. Chiefs 13-1
10. Vikings 12-2
11. Panthers 3-11
12. Jets 4-10
13. Niners 6-8
14. Chargers 8-6
15. Saints 5-9
16. Falcons 7-7
17. Jags 3-11
18. Rams 8-6
19. Cards 7-7
20. Raiders 2-12
21. Steelers 10-4
22. Browns 3-11
23. Colts 6-8
24. Dolphins 6-8
25. Cowboys 6-8
26. Bears 4-10
27. Texans 9-5
28. Titans 3-11
29. Giants 2-12
30. Bengals 6-8
31. Seahawks 8-6
32. Patriots 3-11

 

[RiverDog]

And here is a copy and paste of PFF's comments regarding our offensive line ranking. Red text indicates our weakest link:

31. Seattle Seahawks (Down 2)

Projected Week 16 starters:

LT Charles Cross
LG Laken Tomlinson
C Jalen Sundell
RG Sataoa Laumea
RT Abraham Lucas

Seattle's offensive line surrendered 22 pressures — including a league-high six sacks — against Green Bay, leading to a last-ranked 66.7 PFF pass-blocking efficiency rating.

Rookie right guard Sataoa Laumea gave up a league-high 11 pressures and allowed pressure at a 25.0% clip, the worst rate in the NFL in Week 15.

Best player: Charles Cross

Cross’ 76.3 PFF overall grade led the Seahawks‘ offensive line in Week 15.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Not exactly a lot to work with. This off season is critical. Fix the effin O Line.

 

[SeaWolv]

Not exactly a lot to work with. This off season is critical. Fix the effin O Line.

I've been sayin it too brotha.

The defense is #12 and although that's not top 10 it's still decent but the offense is #20 and that just ain't gonna cut it. The OLine is a big part of that ranking.

 

[Ozzy]

Laumea regressed a ton after looking promising. Hopefully he can learn from it and improve this week in what may be an even tougher matchup

 

[RiverDog]

Laumea regressed a ton after looking promising. Hopefully he can learn from it and improve this week in what may be an even tougher matchup

I'm not making any excuses for him, but we have to keep in mind that our starting center Olu went out in the first half and was replaced by a rookie and 3rd center on our depth chart, Jalen Sundell, so it was a case of the blind leading the blind. It was a very tough situation for both players to have been thrust into.

 

[GemCity]

Here are the PFF OL rankings going into this week's games and their current W/L records:

1. Eagles 12-2
2. Broncos 9-5
3. Bucs 8-6
4. Bills 11-3
5. Lions 12-2
6. Packers 10-4
7. Commanders 9-5
8. Ravens 9-5
9. Chiefs 13-1
10. Vikings 12-2
11. Panthers 3-11
12. Jets 4-10
13. Niners 6-8
14. Chargers 8-6
15. Saints 5-9
16. Falcons 7-7
17. Jags 3-11
18. Rams 8-6
19. Cards 7-7
20. Raiders 2-12
21. Steelers 10-4
22. Browns 3-11
23. Colts 6-8
24. Dolphins 6-8
25. Cowboys 6-8
26. Bears 4-10
27. Texans 9-5
28. Titans 3-11
29. Giants 2-12
30. Bengals 6-8
31. Seahawks 8-6
32. Patriots 3-11

So what you’re saying R-Dawg is that…the O-line might be important?

Great way of presenting this. While most of the top teams have pretty damn good QBs, it’s obvious as to what enables that.

 

[Ozzy]

I'm not making any excuses for him, but we have to keep in mind that our starting center Olu went out in the first half and was replaced by a rookie and 3rd center on our depth chart, Jalen Sundell, so it was a case of the blind leading the blind. It was a very tough situation for both players to have been thrust into.

Actually very good point, I had forgotten that honestly.

 

[RiverDog]

So what you’re saying R-Dawg is that…the O-line might be important?

Great way of presenting this. While most of the top teams have pretty damn good QBs, it’s obvious as to what enables that.

That's one of the reasons I posted it. Sure, PFF isn't the Holy Grail and there are anomalies in their ranking, like the 3-8 Panthers being ranked 11th. But for the most part, the better teams, ie Eagles, Bills, Chiefs, Ravens, Lions, Packers, Vikings, all have offensive lines ranked in the top 10. And if you look at the bottom 1/3 or bottom 11 teams, only our Seahawks have a winning record, and that might not last for much longer.

Having said that, I'm not sure how PFF ranks the OL, if it is a combination of all the individual pieces, ie adding up everyone's grade to get an average, or if they are evaluating the OL as a whole as in the phrase "the whole is greater than the sum of the parts."

But the bottom line is that the rankings for the most part meets the eye test.

 

[RiverDog]

Here's a copy and paste of PFF's comments regarding our OL ranking. Sundell and Laumea are highlighted in red to indicate weak links, but I couldn't figure out how to change the font color without f-ing up something else:

31. Seattle Seahawks (Down 2)​

Projected Week 16 starters:​

LT Charles Cross
LG Laken Tomlinson
C Jalen Sundell
RG Sataoa Laumea
RT Abraham Lucas

Seattle's offensive line surrendered 22 pressures — including a league-high six sacks — against Green Bay, leading to a last-ranked 66.7 PFF pass-blocking efficiency rating.

Rookie right guard Sataoa Laumea gave up a league-high 11 pressures and allowed pressure at a 25.0% clip, the worst rate in the NFL in Week 15.

Best player: Charles Cross​

Cross’ 76.3 PFF overall grade led the Seahawks‘ offensive line in Week 15.

 

[Shane Falco]

I'm not saying that the oline is good or that we wouldn't need much upgrades even with the best OC. But I do think the OC is compounding the problem, making a bad/mediocre line worse. I mean, who really could say how much better they would be under a different OC/ Oline coach. I have heard numerous players and coaches over the years adamantly say how important a good Oline coach is.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Sundell is converted, he's playing out of position. Certainly, doesn't help.

 

[RiverDog]

Sundell is converted, he's playing out of position. Certainly, doesn't help.

I didn't realize that, but yes, that's another factor in the equation. Sundell also from ND State, a FCS school, so the talent gap between college and pro is quite a bit wider than had he played his college ball for an FBS school.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

I didn't know either, they were just talking about him this morning on 710. That's a lot to ask for those guys to just come in and produce.

 

[nwHawk]

I didn't realize that, but yes, that's another factor in the equation. Sundell also from ND State, a FCS school, so the talent gap between college and pro is quite a bit wider than had he played his college ball for an FBS school.

Sundell said his best position is center. Horses mouth.

 

[RiverDog]

Sundell said his best position is center. Horses mouth.

And?

That doesn't necessarily make anything that was said on the subject invalid. No matter how much he likes playing the position, a third string rookie center just doesn't jump into the position and play it like a 10-year veteran.

 

[nwHawk]

I don’t think anyone said anything about him jumping in and playing like a 10 year yet. Not even if he played all 4 years in college at center.

I’m just saying Sundell said (MM also said) that he has practiced at all 5 positions this season. Mike said he’s looking good across the board - yet still a rookie. And Sundell said his best and most comfortable position is center - and he didn’t hesitate at all when saying it. He a rookie, and there are going to be growing pains.

 

[RiverDog]

I don’t think anyone said anything about him jumping in and playing like a 10 year yet. Not even if he played all 4 years in college at center.

I’m just saying Sundell said (MM also said) that he has practiced at all 5 positions this season. Mike said he’s looking good across the board - yet still a rookie. And Sundell said his best and most comfortable position is center - and he didn’t hesitate at all when saying it. He a rookie, and there are going to be growing pains.

I was being intentionally dramatic in order to make my point.

Having practiced at all 5 positions this season doesn't change the equation one bit. The emergency quarterback practices at the position during the season, too, just like Jason Meyers practices punting. The point is that Sundell was extremely inexperienced and unprepared for the situation, not ready for Prime Time, and PFF's assessment of his play bore that out. That's not a slam on Sundell as it is as much if not more due to the circumstances as it was the player that was thrust into it. That had to have had a negative effect on the newbie playing to his right.

 

[rigelian]

I'm not saying that the oline is good or that we wouldn't need much upgrades even with the best OC. But I do think the OC is compounding the problem, making a bad/mediocre line worse. I mean, who really could say how much better they would be under a different OC/ Oline coach. I have heard numerous players and coaches over the years adamantly say how important a good Oline coach is.

That's one possibility. The other possibility is that the horrendous offensive line talent might constrain the options the offensive coordinator has available.

 

[RiverDog]

That's one possibility. The other possibility is that the horrendous offensive line talent might constrain the options the offensive coordinator has available.

Agreed. Which came first, the chicken or the egg?