Falcons: ProFootballFocus: Signature Stats Snapshot - Pass Blocking Effieincy

[Radical]

Signature Stats Snapshot – Pass Blocking Efficiency(Radical's Abridged Version)
By Khaled Elsayed of ProFootballFocus

Radical's Note: Because of the large amount of information and the sheer number of charts, I've edited the article to show only Falcon related information. Visit their website for the full article. LINK

What time is it? Signature stat time, that’s what.

And this week we’ve looked our technical team up in a room, slipped some bread under the door along with a jug of water and demanded some offensive line stats.

Well, the team delivered and, with that in mind, we can roll out some real time, live Pass Blocking Efficiency through three weeks. No longer must I try to get to grips with Excel, because all the info is right there along with a host of other stats that take full advantage of the unique data here at PFF.

Okay – was that last plug a little too strong? Apologies, I’ll get to why you came here.

The only trouble here was deciding where to start. Would I look at the individual, or the collective? Well, being the nice guy I am I’ve only gone and done both. To preface your thanks, you are most definitely welcome.

Before we go on, let’s get the boring math out of the way. Pass Blocking Efficiency equals the total number of pressures (with hurries and hits valued at three quarters the worth of sacks) taken away from number of snaps in pass protection (or cumulative for offensive line), and then divided by the snaps in pass protection. The result? The higher the number the better. Simple enough.

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So, take a bow guys, you’re Top 10 for a reason. Now you need to keep it there and avoid the mistakes other teams have made. What teams you ask? Well let’s start with Atlanta. Poor old Matt Ryan. 19 times he’s hit the turf already courtesy of his offensive line, with Sam Baker being the chief culprit. Baker was a first rounder, but has never played like it, giving up three sacks and five hits already this year. The rest of the line has been much better – which is to say they’re only below average.

They’re not the only team slipping, with the Miami Dolphins line responsible for 26 occasions Chad Henne was taken to the ground. Ouch. 13 of those have come from the tackles, and shockingly Jake Long has given up eight of them. These are crazy times we’re living in, though it should be noted Long looks to be feeling the lingering effects of injury.

Anyway, all this negative talk is depressing me. I’ll give you the list and move onto some positives. That’ll turn my frown upside down.

Bottom Offensive Lines - Pass Blocking Efficiency Chart
Radical's Note - The Falcons are ranked 32nd. 9 sacks, 10 hits, and 34 pressure for an overall of 53 total pressures. This ties us with Miami, but overall it is a fairly large jump from ranked 30th and up.

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Meanwhile, the bottom of the list is exactly what you’d expect to see. Namely, the aforementioned Sam Baker. He got beaten badly by Trent Cole and followed it up by making rookie Adrian Clayborn look like a world-beater. He’s gone from disappointment to liability and may be one of the biggest reasons the Falcons have failed to live up to their preseason hype. Elsewhere, another tackle who was humbled on Sunday Night Football makes an appearance with Jonathan Scott having some tricky times against Freeney (and others).

Bottom Left Tackles - Pass Blocking Efficiency Chart
Radical's Note - Sam Baker is ranked dead last at 32nd with 21 total pressures allowed out of 135 pass protection snaps. The jump from 31st to 32nd is very large.

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Down at the bottom, that move for Colombo hasn’t just impacted the right tackle spot for the Dolphins. Vernon Carey hasn’t exactly played like a natural guard and has given up 11 pressures through two and a bit games. If it wasn’t for the super-reliable Zane Beadles (reliable in that you can rely on him to give up pressure) he’d be at the bottom on his own, as opposed to equally last.

Bottom Guards - Pass Blocking Efficiency Chart
Radical's Note - Ranked 52 out of 59 tackles, Justin Blalock has given up 9 total pressures on 135 pass blocking snaps. The spread here isn't very large between the worst and the middle of the pack.

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[RFlagg]

Surprised to see Blalock ranked 52nd out of all the Guards, which is even lower than Reynolds. I though he was doing pretty well.

[cooperbh]

Not surprisingly, this was a top 5 unit in PBE back in 2008, when Weiner dominated snaps at LT and McClure could still play (He was #2 in PBE and #1 in Total Pressures Allowed in 2008, #29 in PBE and #32 in TPA in 2010.)

That said, I don't believe PFF's PBE rating tells the whole story of our o-line since that time, seeing that it is weighted toward sacks. When ranking their performance by Total Pressures Allowed, the '08 group remains top 5. But since then, our o-line has become less effective at staving off pressure with each passing year, ranking 15th in '09, 16th in '10 and 31st in '11.

I wish PFF would compile Run Blocking Efficiency stats as well. I'd bet the farm that they would show that our performance has degraded just as badly in that category as well.

[Beef]

The only reason our OL looked so good the past 2 years is because Matt was throwing the ball to someone within 2 seconds of the snap and people didn't figure out not to try and tackle Turner above the waist until about middle of last season.

Standing in the pocket for more than 2 seconds waiting for deeper routes to open and realizing that touching Turner's shoe laces with your pinky finger brings him down is finally exposing our true OL.

[Radical]

(09-30-2011 01:28 PM)cooperbh Wrote:  I wish PFF would compile Run Blocking Efficiency stats as well. I'd bet the farm that they would show that our performance has degraded just as badly in that category as well.

PFF mentioned this past week that during the TB game, Michael Turner was hit at or behind the LOS on every single rush attempt. Yeah, no wonder people say he looks "slow." People tend to look slower when they're having to fight off 240-320lbs of mass that is wearing a different jersey than you.