Between the Lines: Keeping the Line Together Pays Off

As we have done since the FanHouse began, I'll be taking a look every week at some aspect of line play. You can read more features in the series here. Check back every Thursday for a new Between The Lines.

It probably wouldn't surprise you to know that offensive line continuity is a good thing , but you may not realize just how important it is.

After looking at the first month of the season, it seems pretty clear that if you can keep your offensive line together, there's a pretty good chance you'll be a winner.

Five weeks into the NFL season, only 10 teams have started the same five offensive linemen every week. Of those 10 teams, seven have winning records including the surprising Bears. 49ers and Jets and the undefeated Giants. Combined those 10 teams are 28-18 this year.Of the six teams who have had five or more games missed or played out of position by members of their original starting five, none have a winning record--including the disappointing Packers, Chargers and Seahawks. Together those six teams are 10-18.

Admittedly offensive line shakeups can partly be explained by a team's failure--teams with trouble are much more likely to bench an offensive lineman than a team that keeps on winning. But it's fair to say that the Packers' problems really began the minute that starting left tackle Chad Clifton went down with an ankle injury. What had been an adequate line quickly turned into a disaster when guard Daryn Colledge was moved to tackle, center Jake Spitz was moved to guard and backup Sean Wells came in at center.

Five of the 10 teams who have started the same offensive line all year have allowed less than 10 sacks, including the Falcons (two sacks allowed) and Giants (three sacks allowed). None of the six teams with the most offensive line shakeups have allowed less than 10 sacks, including the league's worst Packers (20 sacks), Lions (17) and Raiders (15).

If you want one more example when a team with its original starting five has faced a team with a shakeup on the offensive line, the team with the original starting five is 16-9 this season.

Here's some other notes from looking at line play around the league.

• He has some work to do which you would expect for a second-year quarterback but Bucs quarterback Josh Johnson is already one of the best scramblers in the league. Tampa Bay even ran the option with him on Sunday. With 4.4 speed, Johnson also has the ability to dance around in the pocket dodging pass rushers, just like Fran Tarkenton did in the 1960s and early 1970s. It also means that he sometimes holds onto the ball way longer than any quarterback should. Johnson held the ball for 12 seconds on a sack last week (the average sack happens only 2.7 seconds after the snap) and this week he had a sack where he ran around for nine seconds, although this one was nullified by an unnecessary roughness penalty on the Eagles.

• There have been a lot of questions about Julius Peppers' effort this season, as we noted in a Between The Lines breakdown two weeks ago. But before this week's Redskins game, Panthers linebacker Jon Beason called out Peppers' lack of effort. Peppers seemed to listen as he picked up two sacks and a safety. In rewatching that game Peppers still isn't playing with the all-out fire of a Jared Allen, but he did show significantly better effort against the Redskins than he did against the Panthers.

• The Bills have to rank as one of the most disappointing teams in the league this year, and if you're looking for a reason you need to look no further than the offensive line. Buffalo traded away Jason Peters and drafted three rookies who were immediately inserted into the offensive line.

The three rookies have been OK, but the Bills have been a complete disaster at offensive tackle. Left tackle Demetrius Bell has allowed four sacks. Right tackle (and fill-in left tackle) Jonathan Scott has allowed 3.5 sacks while fill-in right tackle Kirk Chambers allowed 2.5. Those 10 sacks allowed are as many as half the league have allowed as teams.