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NFL midseason pass protection report: Tyron Smith to Liam Eichenberg and everyone in between
By Larry Holder Nov 19, 2021
83 
PFF
Who’s got your quarterback’s back best? And who’s getting your quarterback killed?
I’m revisiting a study I conducted after Week 3 on which NFL offensive lines protect their quarterbacks the best and worst against opposing pass rushers.
I took the dive, leaning on TruMedia, into how every NFL team’s offensive line has performed in terms of pressures and sacks allowed on the quarterback. I’ve placed the teams in order of the best pressure percentage from 1 to 32. For me, it’s the fairest evaluation because some teams pass more than others.
There’s a large enough sample size for me to list the 10 best and worst tackles and guards in the league as well as five best and worst centers in terms of pressure percentage.
The top-10 lists are made up of players with at least 170 pass-blocking snaps (169 players total). For some perspective, here are the league averages for players in a couple of categories:
League-average QB pressure percentage: 4.7 percent
League-average total pressures allowed: 14.5
League-average sacks allowed: 2.0
Tackle
Best
Tyron Smith 1.6 4 1 
Tristan Wirfs 2 8 1 
Andrew Whitworth 2 7 1 
Brian O'Neill 2.5 9 0 
Lane Johnson 2.8 6 0 Christian Darrisaw 2.9 5 1 
Rashawn Slater 3.1 12 2 
Mike Onwenu 3.2 9 1 
Andrew Thomas 3.2 6 0 
Chukwuma Okorafor 3.3 10 0
Tyron Smith isn’t dealing with major injuries like he did the past two seasons, even though he’s missed a couple of games in 2021. Before the ailments, he was playing at the top of his game. Tristan Wirfs played great as a rookie and has been even better protecting Tom Brady this season. And Andrew Whitworth is an ageless wonder apparently as he nears his 40th birthday.
Brian O’Neill and Lane Johnson are proving to be two of the top right tackles in the NFL. Rookies Christian Darrisaw and Rashawn Slater are proving people right. And second-year tackle Andrew Thomas, currently on injured reserve with an ankle injury, is proving doubters wrong after struggling mightily in 2020.
Worst
Liam Eichenberg 10.4 43 9 Rashod Hill 10.1 19 3 
Alex Leatherwood 9.8 35 5 
Matt Nelson 9 31 3 
Blake Hance 8.3 17 3 Jesse Davis 8.2 35 5 Storm Norton 8.2 29 2 
Eric Fisher 8.2 26 5 Brandon Parker 7.9 17 1 
Alejandro Villanueva 7.8 29 7
Liam Eichenberg and Alex Leatherwood are basically the opposite of Darrisaw and Slater. Both rookies have been problematic from the jump as immediate first-year starters. Eichenberg has yielded a league-high 43 pressures and nine sacks through 10 games.
It’s odd to find a Minnesota tackle so high on this list, but the Vikings addressed Rashod Hill’s issues by benching him for Darrisaw a few weeks ago. And the fact Jesse Davis is among the six worst tackles shows why the Dolphins have struggled this season.
Guard
Best Oday Aboushi 1.7 3 0 
Joe Thuney 1.7 8 0 Kevin Zeitler 1.9 7 0 Connor Williams 1.9 7 1 Joel Bitonio 2.3 8 1 Jermaine Eluemunor 2.4 4 0 Zack Martin 2.4 7 0 
James Hurst 2.7 6 1 Trai Turner 2.7 9 2 
Andrew Norwell 2.7 10 0
The Chargers’ Oday Aboushi was on his way to a very good season before he suffered a torn ACL last month. Joe Thuney and Kevin Zeitler have been known for stellar pass blocking during their careers. Joel Bitonio was just rewarded with a hefty contract extension for his All-Pro play the past few years. Having Connor Williams and Zack Martin rolling has been vital for the resurgence of the Cowboys offense. James Hurst is probably a surprise, but he has filled in well at guard and tackle for the Saints.
Worst
Cody Ford 11.1 21 2 
Nate Davis 8.9 28 4 Austin Jackson 8.9 37 2 
Jalen Mayfield 8.5 30 6 Mark Glowinski 8.3 23 2 
Greg Van Roten 7.3 29 3 
John Miller 7.2 17 3 Jonah Jackson 7.0 26 3 Chris Reed 6.6 15 1 Oli Udoh 6.6 24 0
The Bills’ Cody Ford played brutally during the first portion of the season, leading to his benching. You also probably wouldn’t have expected to see two Colts guards on this list before 2021. Quenton Nelson missed time, and the drop-off was apparent. The Vikings actually ranked No. 2 as a team in pressure percentage after Week 3. They’ve fallen off, partly because of Oli Udoh.
Center
Best
Rodney Hudson 0.4 1 0 Erik McCoy 0.6 1 0 Corey Linsley 0.8 3 0 Creed Humphrey 1.3 6 1 Evan Brown 1.3 3 1
The top three centers have been stalwarts, with the Saints’ Erik McCoy only getting better in Year 3. Putting rookie Creed Humphrey next to the veteran Thuney has worked well up the gut. Humphrey has been very good from the start working with Patrick Mahomes.
Worst Garrett Bradbury 5.7 17 2 
Lloyd Cushenberry 5.3 20 4 Matt Paradis 4.9 16 3 Austin Reiter 4.7 8 0 Ryan Kelly 4.3 16 3
Garrett Bradbury has added to the Vikings’ growing pass-protection issues. Lloyd Cushenberry was thought of as either the best- or second-best center prospect in the 2020 NFL Draft. He’s still finding trouble in pass protection in his sophomore season. And yep, there are more Colts and Dolphins linemen spotted in a worst category.
Top five pressure-free teams
(The team and individual stats are for every pass block in the league this season.)
No. 1
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
2021 OL statspressure%
18.0
1stpressures
72
4thsack%
3.0
1stsacks
12
1st
Alex Cappa4.2 401 2 17 
Tristan Wirfs2.0 401 1 8 
Ryan Jensen3.3 398 1 13 
Donovan Smith3.8 396 1 15 
Ali Marpet3.8 396 1 15 
Josh Wells0.0 18 0 0 
Aaron Stinnie0.0 5 0 0 
Robert Hainsey0.0 3 0 0
The Bucs were tied for sixth in my initial study with a 20 percent pressure rate. They also surrendered six sacks through the first three weeks. The Bucs have allowed only six sacks since then.
Wirfs is the obvious standout. But consistency in terms of health and production is why Tom Brady is still playing well, even with two rough games in recent memory against the Saints and Washington.
And I wouldn’t be alarmed by the pressure totals since the Bucs throw it a ton.
NO. 2
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
2021 OL STATSPRESSURE%
18.2
2ndPRESSURES
68
3rdSACK%
4.9
10thSACKS
18
13th
Dan Moore Jr.6.8 365 4 25 
Kendrick Green2.5 359 1 9 
Kevin Dotson3.0 330 3 10 
Trai Turner2.7 339 2 9 
Chukwuma Okorafor3.3 300 0 10 
Joe Haeg1.0 100 1 1 
J.C. Hassenauer4.3 46 0 2 
B.J. Finney5.0 20 0 1
I recall some panic about Pittsburgh’s front five when I first examined the league’s offensive lines. At that point, the Steelers ranked ninth with a 20.7 pressure percentage.
The Steelers have stabilized things as they’ve improved by more than 2.5 percent on pressure percentage and almost one point on sack percentage. The numbers point to right tackle Dan Moore as the weak spot in pass protection.
Okorafor allowed five pressures in the first three weeks. He’s given up only five pressures since.
No. 3
LOS ANGELES RAMS
2021 ol statspressure%
19.0
3rdpressures
74
5thsack%
3.9
5thsacks
15
5th
David Edwards4.4 390 3 17 
Rob Havenstein4.1 387 4 16 
Austin Corbett4.4 387 0 17 
Brian Allen3.9 386 5 15 
Andrew Whitworth2.0 349 1 7 
Joe Noteboom0.0 41 0 0 
Coleman Shelton0.0 4 0 0 
Bobby Evans0.0 4 0 0 
Alaric Jackson33.3 3 1 1
The Rams are another team that has improved its pressure percentage after ranking 12th through three weeks at 21.4 percent. The sack percentage has increased, though, jumping from 3.1 percent in the early going.
Center Brian Allen just missed being tagged among the “worst five” in this study. His five sacks surrendered have to be alarming. It’s the most given up by a center in 2021, and tied for seventh most among all offensive linemen.
no. 4
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
2021 ol statspressure%
20.2
4thpressures
77
9thsack%
4.3
7thsacks
16
6th
Corey Linsley0.8 383 0 3 
Matt Feiler3.4 383 3 13 
Rashawn Slater3.1 383 2 12 
Storm Norton8.2 355 2 29 
Michael Schofield3.4 207 1 7 
Oday Aboushi1.7 179 0 3 
Bryan Bulaga3.6 28 0 1 
Senio Kelemete0.0 8 0 0 
Trey Pipkins0.0 4 0 0
The Chargers are right around where they were after three weeks (20.0 pressure percentage) but moved up from sixth to fourth in the rankings.
Right tackle Storm Norton seemingly is the player to worry about as he’s among the 10 worst in pressure percentage. But you can’t complain a whole lot given Los Angeles has two of the best pressure preventers at their positions in Lindsey and Slater.Now, if you excuse me, I have some Charger memories to suppress.
The Wasted Decade is done.
Build Back Better.Comment
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Conclusion to OL report.
The Chargers have too much much talent on offense to SUCK as much as they do.Now, if you excuse me, I have some Charger memories to suppress.
The Wasted Decade is done.
Build Back Better.Comment
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True. Boggles my mind why we are not playing a lot better than with last year’s porous OL :blahblah:Originally posted by Formula 21 View PostComment
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Simple. When we allow opposing D's to stack the box repeatedly, the pressure comes...and usually from Norton's side...Originally posted by Formula 21 View PostComment
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What bothers me the most about it is not only is the pressure coming, it's coming untouched and at a full head of steam way too many times. The coaching staff is making a concerted effort to not get Herbert killed and IMO that is why the deep game has suffered.Originally posted by Topcat View PostComment
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How is Christian Darrisaw rated so highly if he's so, "lazy"?
even injured through training camp.G-Ro knows.Comment
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Hmm, well we are averaging .3 points per game more right now than last year so sucking isnt a word id use. Could be better is something id use though. Need to air it our a little every game to keep the defenses on their toes.Originally posted by Formula 21 View PostComment
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Damn I want the Colts o line and RB!Comment
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Here’s why I like to see Herbie minimize his running
The marquee matchup between Jackson, the one-time Baltimore Ravens MVP, and Fields, the Chicago Bears rookie quarterback, never materialized because Jackson sat out with an illness. By midway through the third quarter, Fields was also out after injuring his ribs on a 6-yard carry.Now, if you excuse me, I have some Charger memories to suppress.
The Wasted Decade is done.
Build Back Better.Comment
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That's football. Fields was playing shitty anyways and Dalton made a game of it. Herbert don't run too much and is a bigger haul when he does.Originally posted by Formula 21 View Post
Young QBs need to learn to slide, including Herbert.Comment
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Bengals on top of the Turds. Go Chase!Comment
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