Big Boys Can Boogie (The Offensive Line 2022 Thread)

[SMU_Sox]

The start to the season has a simple theme: pass pro good, run blocking bad.

Mac Jones was only pressured 4 times in 33 dropbacks which is the second lowest pressure rate of any week 1 game. Unfortunately, Trent Brown allowed a free rusher that resulted in a strip sack for a TD which I think skewed how a lot of folks viewed what was actually a good day.

View: https://twitter.com/tkyles39/status/1570455724010115073?s=20&t=qTrFTSFpfvxOs9cMz381tQ


Football Outsiders has them 8th in adjusted sack rate to start the season (can't complain about a top 10 unit in pass pro).

PFF and Next Gen Stats also give the Patriots line high marks in week 1:

View: https://twitter.com/benbbaldwin/status/1569696375788507136?s=20&t=Ch2MjUFmfUrfiOvZ--gGzw


Wynn, Onwenu, and newbie Cole Strange had perfect days (Onwenu had a couple late reactions but recovered). In particular Strange is already paying dividends:

View: https://twitter.com/PFF_Patriots/status/1570110255576629251?s=20&t=qcwlfjyMHAxHKnzJc5j5LQ


But like Willie Soke says in Bad Santa, "They can't all be winners." Trent Brown had a bad day at the office in pass pro giving up 2 sacks and a hit as well as a holding penalty. He also had an up and down day as a run blocker. Aside from Trent Brown the line generally communicated in pass protection well. David Andrews also had a forgettable day giving up a hurry and getting flagged.

The run blocking on the other hand was abysmal. This is the OL thread but honorable mention to Jonnu and Hunter Henry who sucked wind as run blockers.

View: https://twitter.com/benbbaldwin/status/1569697716728389633?s=20&t=Ch2MjUFmfUrfiOvZ--gGzw


Yikes. And if you watch the all-22 you don't even need to know anything about offensive line play to see how badly these guys lost on an individual basis. I think @Super Nomario had a stat that they had the most stuffs and negative runs of any team.

I know there was complaints about running duo on that crucial 3rd and 3 that got stuffed but hear me out (duo looks a lot like a gap/power pull run but instead of a puller there are two double teams instead). It was a super light box and this team in theory and on paper has the kind of lineup that should be really good executing gap/power and downhill types of runs. They should be able to blow the doors off of a light box with duo. What happened? A comedy of errors. Cajuste whiffed on one half of a combo block and knocked out Onwenu. Trent Brown couldn't get to his block and Andrew got knocked back on his combo with Strange. 2/5 guys got beat badly, and really 4/5 guys failed to do their job on this block. Strange did his part on the combo with Andrews but then couldn't even think about coming off of it and getting a man downfield (which is what he is supposed to do in that case). Think about it another way: they lost a 5 on 3. 92, who had an incredible day especially against the run, single-handedly defeated the play.

Everyone made mistakes and as a unit and as individuals they lost way too much. Let's see if they can iron things out going forward but as a rule I really do not like Onwenu and Trent Brown in outside zone.

 

[SMU_Sox]

I found the run-blocking stat from The Athletic. 36% of the Patriots run plays went for 0 or negative yards which is the worst so far in the league (it’s obviously only week 1). League average was 18%.

Just to get this here I found Onwenu and Brown ragged with outside zone. I know I’ve posted that elsewhere but these guys just don’t have the physical traits for it. Onwenu might be able to clean up his footwork for it but even then lateral mobility hasn’t been his strong suit. Onwenu had some really good inside zone and gap/power looks.
I think part of the issue with stuff like duo failure is that 4/5 of these guys are playing more or less next to new people or a different position than last year. Combo blocks sounds easy because it’s a 2:1 but unless you get into a rhythm with the guy next to you the timing can be off. The only way to improve it is with full contacts reps.

 

[chilidawg]

Great summary, thanks!

 

[Kenny F'ing Powers]

Great insight, John. Thanks for this!

 

[j44thor]

One of the hallmarks of the BB era and really what I think separated him as a coach at least early on in his tenure was that he would design his week to week game plan both to attack opponents weaknesses but most importantly to focus on what his players did best. He didn't need all around all stars at every position instead he found players that excelled at something and put them into position to succeed. This is why it is so baffling they continue to try and run these outside zone concepts that by all accounts have been unsuccessful since the start of camp. If you don't have the horses to run this scheme why keep wasting time on it? NE has been a dominant rushing team at least the last two seasons so we know they can do it, just put players in a position to succeed.

 

[SMU_Sox]

Going into the game vs the Steelers what should the OL expect?

Well, this is a Flores defense but last week they only blitzed against burrow ~23% of the time. That might have been because they were getting pressure on him with just 4. This week because 1) they don't have Watt with their 4 man pass rush, 2) defenses are blitzing Mac and the Patriots more since 2021 (2nd highest rate in the league last year and a similar % of dropbacks last week), and 3) Flores is a blitz happier DC I would expect more of the same 30-40% blitzes on dropbacks this week.

For the OL it's making sure they keep their head on a swivel and communicating effectively because until this offense proves that they can take advantage of being blitzed opposing defenses will keep using that as a strategy against them. (This also goes for Mac and the receivers taking advantage of open space from the blitzer).

As for the run game I would think they try and pick on Highsmith as he is a weak link in their defensive line.