2009 DEFENSIVE LINES

Regular season totals, through Week 17

Revised as of 1/4/2010

Teams are ranked according to Adjusted Line Yards. Based on regression analysis, the Adjusted Line Yards formula takes all running back carries and assigns responsibility to the offensive line based on the following percentages:

Losses: 120% value
0-4 Yards: 100% value
5-10 Yards: 50% value
11+ Yards: 0% value

These numbers are then adjusted based on down, distance, situation, opponent, and the difference in rushing average between shotgun compared to standard formations. Finally, we normalize the numbers so that the league average for Adjusted Line Yards per carry is the same as the league average for RB yards per carry. Defensive line stats (more accurately, defensive front seven stats) represent the performance of offensive lines against each defense, adjusted for the quality of offensive opponents. These stats are explained further here [1].

The following stats are not adjusted for opponent:

RB Yards: Yards per carry by running backs against this defense, according to standard NFL numbers.
Power Success: Percentage of runs on third or fourth down, two yards or less to go, that achieved a first down or touchdown. Also includes runs on first-and-goal or second-and-goal from the two-yard line or closer. This is the only statistic on this page that includes quarterbacks. Teams are ranked from lowest power success percentage allowed (#1) to highest power success percentage allowed (#32).
Stuffed: Percentage of runs where the running back is tackled at or behind the line of scrimmage. Ranked from most stuffs (#1) to fewest stuffs (#32).
2nd Level Yards: Yardage gained by running backs between five and 10 yards past the line of scrimmage, divided by total running back carries.
Open Field Yards: Yardage gained by running backs at least 10 yards past the line of scrimmage, divided by total running back carries.

NFL averages for each stat given in red.

Why are these rankings different from the team defense [2] DVOA ratings for rushing? Among other reasons, they don't include quarterbacks or fumbles, long runs are truncated, and a different set of adjustments is used, attempting to isolate line play rather than total team defense.

A team with a high ranking in Adjusted Line Yards but a low ranking in Open Field Yards has a strong defensive line but its linebackers and secondary have difficulty in pursuit and tackling. A team with a low ranking in Adjusted Line Yards but a high ranking in Open Field Yards generally allows runners to get past the defensive line but the linebackers and secondary are good at pursuit and tackling. A low ranking in Adjusted Line Yards with a high ranking in Open Field Yards is often an indicator of a 3-4 defensive scheme, though there are exceptions.

Stats in blue represent pass rush. Teams are ranked according to adjusted sack rate, which gives sacks (plus intentional grounding penalties) per pass attempt adjusted for down, distance, and opponent. Pass rush stats are explained further here [3]. Our sack totals may differ slightly from official NFL totals depending on the league's retroactive statistical adjustments.

RUN BLOCKING												PASS PROTECTION
	Team	Adj. Line Yards	RB Yards	Power Success	Power Rank	Stuffed	Stuffed Rank	2nd Level Yards	2nd Level Rank	Open Field Yards	Open Field Rank	Team	Rank	Sacks	Adjusted Sack Rate
1	BAL	3.42	3.40	62%	11	21%	12	0.86	1	0.48	4	MIA	1	44	9.1%
2	NYJ	3.55	3.77	59%	8	23%	6	1.04	4	0.62	10	PIT	2	47	8.2%
3	GB	3.59	3.56	68%	21	25%	1	1.03	3	0.50	5	SF	3	44	7.9%
4	NYG	3.61	4.11	73%	27	25%	2	1.08	9	1.07	26	MIN	4	48	7.8%
5	HOU	3.65	4.28	59%	7	22%	8	1.07	7	1.11	28	WAS	5	40	7.5%
6	PIT	3.65	3.55	82%	32	18%	20	1.00	2	0.37	2	OAK	6	37	7.5%
7	MIN	3.67	3.86	44%	2	24%	3	1.20	19	0.59	8	DEN	7	39	7.4%
8	SF	3.68	3.73	64%	16	19%	16	1.08	8	0.59	9	PHI	8	44	7.2%
9	PHI	3.69	4.03	59%	9	23%	7	1.07	6	0.83	19	ARI	9	43	7.1%
10	ARI	3.92	4.69	61%	10	24%	5	1.25	26	1.30	32	BUF	10	34	7.1%
11	SEA	3.93	4.24	50%	3	21%	10	1.11	15	0.99	23	CLE	11	41	7.0%
12	ATL	3.96	3.86	69%	24	21%	11	1.11	13	0.52	6	DAL	12	43	7.0%
13	DAL	4.00	4.02	67%	19	18%	18	1.05	5	0.69	12	CAR	13	31	6.9%
14	WAS	4.05	4.11	42%	1	19%	15	1.10	10	0.73	14	NYJ	14	32	6.8%
15	JAC	4.07	4.23	71%	26	17%	24	1.10	11	0.79	17	NYG	15	33	6.7%
16	OAK	4.08	4.79	68%	22	20%	14	1.31	30	1.27	30	IND	16	34	6.3%
RUN BLOCKING												PASS PROTECTION
	Team	Adj. Line Yards	RB Yards	Power Success	Power Rank	Stuffed	Stuffed Rank	2nd Level Yards	2nd Level Rank	Open Field Yards	Open Field Rank	Team	Rank	Sacks	Adjusted Sack Rate
17	DEN	4.13	4.54	67%	20	17%	23	1.26	27	1.00	24	NO	17	36	6.3%
18	DET	4.15	4.66	63%	12	21%	9	1.22	22	1.27	31	NE	18	31	6.2%
19	CHI	4.17	4.31	64%	15	24%	4	1.28	29	0.82	18	GB	19	37	6.0%
20	TEN	4.22	4.49	71%	25	20%	13	1.13	16	0.91	22	HOU	20	30	6.0%
21	BUF	4.26	4.78	75%	30	18%	21	1.25	25	1.13	29	CHI	21	35	5.9%
22	NO	4.28	4.51	69%	23	18%	22	1.10	12	0.89	20	SD	22	35	5.8%
23	STL	4.31	4.36	63%	13	19%	17	1.15	17	0.90	21	BAL	23	32	5.8%
24	MIA	4.33	4.12	74%	28	18%	19	1.23	24	0.47	3	TB	24	28	5.8%
25	CIN	4.35	3.88	74%	29	17%	25	1.15	18	0.30	1	TEN	25	32	5.7%
26	NE	4.39	4.57	56%	5	16%	28	1.22	23	0.75	15	ATL	26	28	5.6%
27	CAR	4.40	4.42	63%	14	16%	27	1.27	28	0.71	13	STL	27	25	5.4%
28	TB	4.44	4.86	80%	31	14%	30	1.31	31	1.06	25	CIN	28	34	5.4%
29	IND	4.53	4.47	57%	6	16%	26	1.21	20	0.63	11	SEA	29	28	5.3%
30	CLE	4.61	4.50	67%	18	14%	31	1.11	14	0.77	16	DET	30	26	4.4%
31	SD	4.64	4.49	54%	4	15%	29	1.35	32	0.55	7	JAC	31	14	3.8%
32	KC	4.70	4.93	64%	17	12%	32	1.21	21	1.08	27	KC	32	22	3.5%
x	NFL	x	4.29	64%	x	19%	x	1.16	x	0.82	x	NFL	x	35	6.4%

This second table lists each team's Adjusted Line Yards in each direction listed in official NFL play-by-play, along with rank among the 32 teams. Only five directions are listed because research so far shows no statistically significant difference between how well a team performs on runs listed middle, left guard, and right guard. These runs are from the perspective of the OFFENSE, so a run listed as LEFT TACKLE is actually at the RIGHT defensive end.

		LEFT END		LEFT TACKLE		MID/GUARD		RIGHT TACKLE		RIGHT END
	TEAM	ALY	Rank	ALY	Rank	ALY	Rank	ALY	Rank	ALY	Rank
1	BAL	3.07	6	3.18	4	3.80	12	2.79	2	3.07	3
2	NYJ	2.92	5	4.18	17	3.35	2	3.40	4	4.40	24
3	GB	3.80	12	4.03	13	3.47	3	3.78	10	3.32	5
4	NYG	5.39	31	3.66	7	3.32	1	2.79	1	3.88	14
5	HOU	3.18	7	3.10	2	3.79	11	3.60	7	4.03	18
6	PIT	2.67	2	3.77	9	3.66	9	3.58	6	4.32	23
7	MIN	4.91	25	3.70	8	3.56	5	3.63	8	2.74	2
8	SF	4.15	13	3.08	1	3.72	10	3.66	9	3.57	9
9	PHI	2.70	3	4.39	20	3.57	6	3.89	12	4.13	20
10	ARI	4.29	17	4.41	22	3.91	14	3.27	3	3.80	13
11	SEA	4.16	14	3.88	12	3.48	4	4.28	20	4.75	26
12	ATL	4.51	19	4.18	18	3.80	13	4.15	15	3.67	10
13	DAL	2.91	4	3.80	10	4.05	17	4.34	23	4.24	22
14	WAS	4.18	15	4.45	23	3.59	7	4.30	21	4.43	25
15	JAC	3.75	11	4.56	25	4.03	16	4.92	30	3.48	7
16	OAK	4.25	16	3.45	5	4.17	20	4.39	24	3.52	8
		LEFT END		LEFT TACKLE		MID/GUARD		RIGHT TACKLE		RIGHT END
	TEAM	ALY	Rank	ALY	Rank	ALY	Rank	ALY	Rank	ALY	Rank
17	DEN	4.52	20	5.03	30	3.93	15	4.58	27	3.48	6
18	DET	1.59	1	4.50	24	4.52	26	3.98	14	5.42	30
19	CHI	5.08	28	4.72	27	3.64	8	4.43	25	3.91	15
20	TEN	5.20	30	4.09	14	4.33	25	3.90	13	3.70	11
21	BUF	3.54	9	3.84	11	4.27	23	4.90	29	5.15	27
22	NO	5.19	29	5.42	32	4.11	19	4.20	16	2.67	1
23	STL	4.71	23	4.41	21	4.29	24	4.33	22	3.93	16
24	MIA	3.25	8	4.86	28	4.09	18	5.06	32	4.16	21
25	CIN	4.95	26	3.60	6	4.57	27	4.51	26	3.22	4
26	NE	4.30	18	3.11	3	4.72	30	3.81	11	5.19	28
27	CAR	4.99	27	4.23	19	4.26	22	4.93	31	3.96	17
28	TB	3.71	10	4.14	16	4.77	32	4.27	18	3.76	12
29	IND	4.64	21	4.90	29	4.23	21	4.68	28	5.57	31
30	CLE	4.86	24	4.10	15	4.73	31	4.24	17	5.74	32
31	SD	4.68	22	4.71	26	4.67	29	3.43	5	5.30	29
32	KC	5.42	32	5.24	31	4.63	28	4.27	19	4.13	19
x	NFL	4.17	x	4.20	x	4.08	x	4.10	x	4.02	x

The third table lists how often each team runs in each direction. These runs are from the perspective of the OFFENSE, so a run listed as LEFT TACKLE is actually at the RIGHT defensive end. Numbers may not add up to 100% due to carries listed without direction.

	Team	RB Carries	LEFT END	LEFT TACKLE	MID/ GUARD	RIGHT TACKLE	RIGHT END
1	MIN	306	13%	13%	52%	11%	11%
2	PIT	321	8%	15%	52%	16%	10%
3	DAL	324	6%	15%	57%	14%	8%
4	GB	334	12%	11%	46%	14%	17%
5	HOU	334	10%	10%	58%	14%	7%
6	CIN	345	11%	11%	52%	15%	11%
7	TEN	349	7%	12%	59%	13%	8%
8	ARI	354	9%	22%	41%	19%	9%
9	NE	361	7%	13%	63%	13%	5%
10	SF	363	12%	9%	47%	16%	17%
11	SD	365	15%	13%	47%	11%	15%
12	PHI	367	13%	10%	41%	17%	18%
13	NYJ	373	10%	17%	48%	17%	9%
14	BAL	376	12%	13%	51%	13%	11%
15	NYG	376	12%	13%	52%	13%	10%
16	ATL	377	11%	12%	54%	13%	10%
	Team	RB Carries	LEFT END	LEFT TACKLE	MID/ GUARD	RIGHT TACKLE	RIGHT END
17	WAS	386	16%	13%	38%	17%	16%
18	MIA	387	5%	14%	55%	17%	8%
19	SEA	394	13%	13%	43%	17%	13%
20	NO	395	12%	13%	51%	15%	10%
21	JAC	397	13%	11%	49%	12%	16%
22	CAR	398	13%	15%	49%	12%	11%
23	DET	406	11%	17%	44%	19%	9%
24	CHI	408	13%	16%	39%	17%	15%
25	DEN	419	11%	11%	53%	14%	11%
26	IND	425	8%	14%	51%	17%	9%
27	CLE	447	6%	12%	57%	20%	5%
28	STL	448	13%	18%	36%	18%	15%
29	KC	464	12%	12%	54%	11%	11%
30	BUF	471	7%	13%	65%	10%	5%
31	TB	474	10%	13%	58%	11%	8%
32	OAK	485	11%	10%	53%	16%	9%
x	NFL	x	11%	13%	50%	15%	11%